Buddha's Birthday Celebration Aims at the Good Values ​​of Buddha

The 2019 Vesak Festival opened on the morning of May 12 and will last until May 14 at Tam Chuc Pagoda, Ha Nam province.

According to Venerable Thich Duc Thien - Vice President of the Buddhist Sangha, General Secretary of Vesak 2019, there were 1,650 international delegates from 112 countries and territories attending, including many Buddhist kings, patriarchs, church leaders, researchers... More than 20,000 delegates were Buddhists and people in the country.

Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli, President of the 2019 United Nations Vesak, Prof. Most Ven. Pha Brahmapundit... have come to Vietnam to attend the grand ceremony. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will deliver a speech at the opening ceremony.

The organizing committee said that it had received more than 500 papers from international and Vietnamese scholars, clarifying the theme of Vesak 2019 - Buddhist approach to global leadership and shared responsibility for sustainable society.

Many forums on this topic will also be held such as: Responsible leadership for sustainable society; Buddhist approach to education, harmonious family; Buddhism and the 4.0 industrial revolution; Buddhist approach to responsible consumption.

The 2019 Vesak Festival also includes cultural activities such as: Traditional Buddha bathing; praying for national peace and prosperity; flower lanterns praying for world peace; exhibition of Buddhist antiques; flower float parade; launching of Buddhist social network Butta.vn...

According to Venerable Thich Nhat Tu - Deputy Secretary General of Vesak 2019, this year's event was organized on a larger scale than previous years with the most participating countries and the most discussions.

The leaders of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha expect that Vesak 2019 will "create a widespread effect on belief in the good values ​​of Buddhism, bringing to social life the values ​​of peace, happiness and friendship". The event will also promote tourism and economic development and "demonstrate Vietnam's responsibility and role in implementing the United Nations' millennium goals".

According to Buddhist beliefs, Buddha's birthday is the day Buddha Shakyamuni was born in Lumbini Garden on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month in 624 BC.Southern and Tibetan Buddhism also call it Vesak Day (the day of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing into nirvana). Each country celebrates Vesak Day at different times depending on its beliefs.

Some countries such as Vietnam, China, Korea, Japan... celebrate Buddha's birthday on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month. Countries following Theravada Buddhism celebrate it on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month or 15th day of the 5th solar month. In India, Bangladesh, Nepal and countries following Theravada Buddhism, Buddha's birthday takes place on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month according to the Buddhist and Hindu calendars (April or May).

Buddha Bathing Ceremony at Vesak 2014 in Vietnam. Photo: Mai Uyen

In 1950, the first World Buddhist Congress was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, delegations from 26 member countries agreed that the international Buddha's birthday is the 15th day of the 4th lunar month.

In Vietnam, the annual Buddha's birthday is celebrated by the Buddhist Sangha. On Buddha's birthday, Buddhists do not kill, everyone eats vegetarian food, cleans their houses, and decorates the Buddha altar. Buddhists can go to the temple to do good deeds or listen to sermons to gain peace.

On December 15, 1999, at the 54th Conference, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized and acknowledged the celebration of Vesak Day on the 15th day of the 4th lunar month.The conference resolution wrote that the Full Moon Day of April (April 15) is the most sacred day for Buddhists because "The Buddha's teachings and his message of compassion, peace and kindness have transformed millions of people."

In 2000, the first Vesak celebration was held at the United Nations headquarters (New York, USA) with Buddhist delegations from 34 countries participating. Four years later, delegates attending Vesak in Thailand issued the first joint statement, emphasizing that "the full moon day of May each year is the most sacred day for Buddhists around the world, because on that day they celebrate the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha". The statement also called on Buddhists to follow the Buddha's virtues of compassion, wisdom and purity to live in harmony.

The delegates also pledged to "endeavour to convey the noble messages of the Buddha to the hearts and minds of people all over the world through the practice and cultivation of the Dharma to ensure the propagation of Buddhism". At the same time, Buddhists will strive to promote peace and harmony among nations.

In 2008, Vietnam hosted Vesak for the first time and issued the Hanoi Declaration, calling on the international community to make efforts to ensure world peace and improve the quality of life for all. Delegates agreed to address 16 major issues, emphasizing the prevention of conflicts and wars; nuclear and biological weapons disarmament; and prevention of ocean and sea pollution.

In 2014, Vietnam hosted Vesak for the second time with 95 participating countries, issuing a declaration calling on the community to move towards the millennium development goals based on three pillars: environmental protection, economic development, and social justice. The principles of sustainable development were equality, fairness, protection of human rights, and promotion of education.

In particular, the declaration also commits to urging political leaders to resolve disputes related to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction of exclusive economic zones and continental shelves through negotiations and peaceful means, in accordance with international law.