Vesak, Phật Đản

On Saturday, people gather at the monastery  to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday . Buddha’s birthday is called Vesak (Phật Đản) and there will be a ceremonies as part of the vesak festival, which will include: the giving of flower sacrifices, the vesak-sutra recitation ceremony, and the watering ceremony of the Buddha baby. There is also a free buffet and a cultural show included in festival.

The soaking of the Buddha-baby statue is a tradition that symbolizes inner purification. Water is poured over the shoulders of the Buddha statue as a reminder of the need to purify the heart and mind. Sacrifices of flowers and candles are placed on the altar to honor the Buddha and his teachings. The Vesak celebration continues to commemorate the deeper connection between birth, death, and enlightenment.

The most common Buddhist feast is "Buddha's Delight", which is enjoyed by Buddhist monks during the Vesak feast. The food includes: cabbage, shitake mushrooms, carrots and other selected vegetables with noodles. Buddha's Delight is a very healthy vegetarian food that is especially suitable also for home cooking.

Laymen wear light blue-gray clothing, reminiscent of the importance of the Buddha's teaching. At the monastery, visitors donate dāna to the monks. Dāna signifies the virtues of generosity, charity, or giving alms. In Buddhist thinking, it purifies and changes the mind of the giver. The Buddha taught that when we give to others, we give without expectation of rewards. Vesak is a celebration of our most important teachings. we can gather at the monastery to pay tribute to Shakyamuni-Buddha, who was born in the grove of Lumbini. Of 500-800 people have registered for the Vesak celebration this year.