Vesak Festival celebration: What is it? (BBC)

CBBC Newsround (BBC.co.uk; edited by Wisdom Quarterly, Vesak 2021

Vesak is one of the most important Buddhist festivals. It is also known as Wesak or "Buddha Day."  It is the celebration of the Buddha's birthday and, for Theravada Buddhists, it also marks his enlightenment (when he discovered the meaning of life) and his passing into final nirvana.

It is a time to reflect on the Buddha's Teachings or Dharma and what it means to be Buddhist. Read on to find out more about Buddha and the Vesak festival and the three extraordinary events that took place on it.

Most Buddhists believe in many gods or no god at all rather than a single creator god of monotheistic traditions who created the world and everything in it.

In fact, most Buddhists learn and practice the teachings of a supremely awakened  teacher who began as a human named Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha.

Siddhartha Gautama is believed to have been a prince born into a wealthy family in what is now called Central Asia (ancient Gandhara) in the 5th century BCE. It's believed that Prince Siddhartha renounced the world when he realized that wealth and luxury did not bring secure happiness.

He travelled as a wandering ascetic on a spiritual quest to discover the the meaning of life and the world. His mission was to find the cause and end of suffering.

It's believed that after six years of renunciation, study, useless austerities, and meditation during his wandering, he became spiritually awakened and reached his goal of finding meaning in life, the cause of suffering, and how to bring about the end of all suffering. This is called bodhi or enlightenment.

At this moment, he became the Buddha, the "Enlightened One," and for 45 years taught humans and devas the path to liberation.

Buddha is a title, rather than a name, which means supremely enlightened one or fully awakened one.

When is Vesak? Vesak is celebrated at the full moon of the month of Vesakha. This year, it falls on May 27th in the Western hemisphere. The date changes each year as it take places at the time of the first full moon of the ancient lunar month of Vesakha, which usually falls in April or May sometimes even June.

How is Vesak celebrated? Each Buddhist culture has its own traditions for this triply blessed day. It is celebrated in many countries across Asia, including: Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, India, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Japan, and North and South Korea.

Many Buddhists will visit their local temple or monastery and some might even stay there throughout the day and night of the full moon, as is the custom for the full moon lunar observance of uposatha.

Many will perform good deeds, take part in study, chanting, hearing the Dharma, and meditation. They reflect on Buddhist teachings, and more importantly put them into practice, bring offerings, and share food with people, and prepare offerings for the support of the Sangha or monastic community.

Families may decorate their homes with lanterns, take part in processions, and wear special white clothes to mark the occasion. Friends and family may also send cards to each other.

A ceremony called Bathing the the Baby Buddha may also be held, when water is poured over the shoulders of Prince Siddhartha at birth, when it is said sky devas caused a spontaneous rain to wash him. Doing so also reminds people to cleanse their minds, hearts, and bodies of negativity like greed, hatred, and delusion. More + VIDEO