Vesak Day is the most significant day of the Buddhist calendar. It usually falls in May, on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. On Vesak Day, temples are decorated with flags and flowers. Devoted Buddhists and many observers of the faith congregate at their temple before dawn, saffron-clad monks chant the sutras, the Buddhist flag is raised and the people sing hymns to celebrate the Buddha, the Dharma (his teachings) and the Sangha (his disciples).
Worshippers bring offerings of flowers, candles and incense to lay at the feet of the statues. These offerings demonstrate that the believers accept that life, like the offerings, is subject to decay and destruction. Buddhists believe that performing good deeds on Vesak Day will multiply merit and it is often a day when Buddhist youth organise mass blood donations at hospitals and other Buddhists perform acts of generosity that can include releasing of caged birds and animals, taking goods to the poor and needy, and making gifts to charity. These acts of generosity are also known as Dana.
The celebration concludes with a candlelit procession through the streets. Mahayana Buddhist temples in Singapore, like the Phor Kark, practise the “three-step, one-bow” ritual on Vesak Day. Devotees take steps on both knees, bowing at every third step as they pray for world peace, personal blessings and repentance. The exhausting two-hour procession actually begins 24 hours before, when many reserve a place in the procession. The main theme of Vesak Day is to practice love, peace and harmony as taught by the Buddha
Vesak Day
Vesak Day (Wesak Day) is an annual religious festival celebrated by the major Buddhist denominations in Singapore. While it is often referred to as “Buddha’s Birthday”, its actual significance is to mark the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Gautama Buddha, and is considered one of the most significant occasions in Buddhism. Vesak Day is usually celebrated on the first full-moon day of the Vaisakha month in the lunar calendar and typically lasts for a full day. This translates to April or May in the Gregorian calendar.
Vesak Day is celebrated in countries such as Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar where there are sizable Buddhist communities. Most Buddhist temples and monasteries in Singapore celebrate this festival, though the scale of the celebrations may vary. Theravada Buddhists in Singapore may visit temples such as the Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist Temple in St Michael’s Road and Wat Ananda Metyarama temple in Jalan Bukit Merah, and members of the Mahayana tradition may congregate in temples such as the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery in Bright Hill Road.
The festival is celebrated by the major Buddhist groups in Singapore, including Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. The various temples and monasteries organise their own events and celebrations, with help from volunteers and professional suppliers and coordinators. Temples may often form a separate committee of volunteers to manage the Vesak Day celebrations. For example, in the Wat Ananda Metyarama temple, the committee includes Thai volunteers, volunteers from the temple’s youth division, and those from the community service groups of institutes of higher learning. Small temples may work with the Singapore Buddhist Federation (SBF) or with their larger counterparts to hold joint celebrations.
