This year's Vesak is of special significance. The 2600th
anniversary of the Enlightenment of the Buddha is being
commemorated this year. Thus the year is designated 'Sambuddhatve Jayanthi' and is being celebrated the world over.
Vesak is a special day of significance for the Buddhists. It marks the Birth, Enlightenment and Passing Away of Gautama Buddha, the Indian prince named Siddhartha who lived in the 7th century BC. It has been generally accepted that he was born in 623 BC and passed away in 543 BC, having lived for eighty years.
Prince Siddhartha was born into a royal family in the kingdom of Kosala
considered as one of the most powerful states in India at the time. The family belonged to the 'Shatsriya' or warrior caste, one of the four main castes in ancient India where the caste system was rigidly observed. The royal family belonged to the Sakya clan.
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After an introductory message that 'Buddhism is a universal
doctrine' (top left hand), the others convey the following:
Let us take care of our parents and respect them
Let us practise Buddhist principles
Let us help the sick
Let us build an anti-narcotic society.
The stamp on the bottom left hand states:
'Persons who practise Buddhism illuminates the entire world'. |
The capital of the
kingdom was Kapilavastu or Kimbulvat on the
foothills of the Himalayan range of mountains in
modern Uttar Pradesh. Gautama was the name of the family and his father who was head of the clan was King Suddhodhana Gautama. His mother was Mayadevi, a princess of a neighbouring clan, the Koliyas.
The only child in the royal family, Siddhartha was born on Vesak day in the Lumbini park when the queen was on her way to her parent's home as was the custom for a
married daughter to be with her parents for the birth of a child.
The prince grew up learning all the skills
necessary for state craft, got married at the age of 16 to a princess, Yasodara of his own age. They had a son, Rahula 13 years after their marriage.
At 29 the prince decided to leave the luxury life he was used to and seek a state of happiness which is pure and absolute. It was when he saw an old man, a sick man, and a dead man that he decided to move away of the life of a layman. The three sights symbolised decay, disease and death.
He left the family and spent the next years in solitude wandering in the forests seeking Truth. He studied under two well known religious teachers at the time – Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta but was not impressed by their ideas and views.
He then experimented self-mortification,
subjecting his body to the most rigorous torture by denying all material
comforts. That too did not produce the result he was looking for.
On the full moon day of Vesak in the year 588 BC, he became fully
'awakened' to the Truth and reached Enlightenment. Since that day he is known as the Buddha, the Fully Awakened One.
He spent the next
45 years travelling on foot the length and breadth of India spreading his
message of hope "for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world."
He passed away at the age of 80 – also on Vesak full moon day. His passing away is described in Pali as 'parinibbana' – or complete extinction since the Buddhas are never born again.
Vesak being the holiest day for the Buddhists is celebrated in many ways. Temples are full of devotees who observe a higher 'sila' than 'Pan Sil' – the Five Precepts.
They observe
'Ata Sil – the Eight Precepts, three more than what is observed daily.
They follow a full day
programme in the temple listening to dhamma
sermons, practising
meditation, participating in dhamma discussions and offerings flowers, incense and alms.
Vesak is also a festival of lights. In every home a small 'pahana' or a lantern is lit as an offering to the Buddha.
' Vesak koodu' or lanterns of varying sizes and designs (the most popular being
'atapattam' – octagonal ones) are lit and hung everywhere. The well lit pandals
depicting numerous
episodes from the Buddha's life or Jataka tales which relate stories relating to the Buddha's previous lives are erected in towns and the
people flock to see them.
People turn out in their numbers to listen to Vesak 'bhakti-gee' or devotional songs paying homage to the Buddha, sung by groups of devotees from numerous institutions. 'Bhakti gee' sung by the Police choir to the accompaniment of the Police band is an event which draws large crowds.
Stamps are issued every year to commemorate Vesak. These often feature
incidents from Buddha's life as depicted in temple murals or drawn by artists. They also carry a message related to Buddhism. Greeting cards are sent to friends and
relations as a reminder of the great occasion. |
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