Vesak - the thrice blessed day

Vesak has come early this year. Unlike Sinhala Avurudu which is celebrated every year on April 14, Vesak depends on when the full moon day for the month of May falls. It is on Tuesday, May 1, this year according to the declared times for the year.

Vesak, as you know, is the foremost event for Buddhists the world over, when the Birth, Enlightenment or attaining Buddhahood and the Passing away of Gotama the Buddha are celebrated. Born as Prince Siddartha, he married princess Yasodhara at the age of sixteen and led a luxurious life in the royal palace. He had the best of everything. "There were three palaces built for me - one for the cold season, one for the hot season and one for the rainy season. During the four rainy months, I lived in the palace for the rainy season without ever coming down from it, entertained all the while by female musicians," he has stated.

However, his desire to find salvation for himself and the masses from the misery of 'sansara' (being born over and over again) made him leave the lay life and spend the life of an ascetic. One day as he went out of the palace to the pleasure park to see the world outside, he saw a feeble old man, an ailing person, a corpse and a hermit.

These four sights convinced him of the need to renounce the world and seek the truth of life. As he decided to leave the palace, he got the news of the birth of a son but his determination made him think of the event as an impediment to his future plans rather than an occasion to rejoice.

With his favourite charioteer Channa he rode the horse Kanthaka after taking a last look at his beloved wife and son. Great was his compassion for the two dear ones but greater was his compassion for the suffering humanity. He was then twenty nine years old.

He rode far, crossed the river Anoma and resting on its banks, shaved his head and handed over his garments and ornaments to Channa with instructions to return them to the palace. He then wore a simple yellow garb of an ascetic and with no permanent abode became a penniless wanderer.

He would rest under a shady tree or spend the night in a sheltered cave. Bare-footed and bare-headed, he walked in the scorching sun and in the piercing cold, carrying just a bowl to collect his food and an extra robe to cover the body. He went to several ascetics in a bid to learn to reach his goal but realised that his spiritual aspirations were far higher.

For six long years he made a superhuman effort practicing all forms of the most severe austerity. His delicate body was reduced to almost a skeleton. The more he tormented his body the farther his goal receded from him. Having convinced himself that self-mortification would not help him to attain his goal, he abandoned that path. He realised that physical fitness was essential for spiritual progress and decided to nourish the body sparingly and started taking food. He then began to meditate.

In his 35th year the ascetic Gotama unaided and unguided by anyone and solely relying on his own effort and wisdom, eradicated all defilements and reached Enlightenment on a Vesak full moon day.

Thereafter, for forty-five years he walked the length and breadth of India preaching to the people, of his experience and the path to Nibbana, the ultimate goal.

On Vesak full moon Poya day in the year 543 B.C. the Buddha passed away in the 'sala' grove of the Mallas (a royal family) between the twin 'sal' trees in the vicinity of the city of Kusinara.

Vesak is essentially a holy day when Buddhists observe the 'ata sil' (eight precepts) and spend the day in contemplation. The monks would preach the Dhamma, the devotees would meditate and participate in making offerings to the Buddha in traditional style. Those who observe 'ata sil' will skip the night meal and remain until the next morning by only taking a sip of water or a cup of tea to quench their thirst.

Vesak is also a festival of lights. In every Buddhist home a 'pol thel pahana' or a lantern would be lit as an offering to the Buddha. The pandals are lit up by hundreds of bulbs thereby turning them into a feast for the eye while illustrating and relating a Jataka story.

Uncle Dee Cee