Buddha's Birthday-Happy Wesak Day

Wesak Day : 17 May 2011

Here's wishing all Buddhist ~~A Happy Wesak Day~~

Vesākha is known as Vesak or Wesak (衛塞節) in the Sinhalese language.
Vesākha (Pali; Sanskrit: Vaiśākha वैशाख) is an annual holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists in the Indian subcontinent, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the South East Asian countries of Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Indonesia.^[1]


On Vesākha day, devout Buddhists and followers alike are expected and requested to assemble in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial, and honorable, hoisting of the Buddhist flag and the singing of hymns in praise of the holy triple gem: The Buddha, The Dharma (his teachings), and The Sangha (his disciples). Devotees may bring simple offerings of flowers, candles and joss-sticks to lay at the feet of their teacher. These symbolic offerings are to remind followers that just as the beautiful flowers would wither away after a short while and the candles and joss-sticks would soon burn out, so too is life subject to decay and destruction. Devotees are enjoined to make a special effort to refrain from killing of any kind. They are encouraged to partake of vegetarian food for the day. In some countries, notably Sri Lanka, two days are set aside for the celebration of Vesākha and all liquor shops and slaughter houses are closed by government decree during the two days. Also birds, insects and animals are released by the thousands in what is known as a 'symbolic act to liberation'; of giving freedom to those who are in captivity, imprisoned, or tortured against their will. Some devout Buddhists will wear a simple white dress and spend the whole day in temples with renewed determination to observe the eight Precepts. via:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ves%C4%81kha

衛塞節（Vesak）是南傳佛教傳統紀念佛教創始人釋迦牟尼佛祖誕生、成道、涅槃的節日。東南亞和南亞國家如斯里蘭卡、泰國、緬甸、新加坡、馬來西亞、印度尼西亞、尼泊爾等國的佛教徒，均在這一年一度的重要節日中舉行盛大的慶典活動。.

衛塞節訂立

衛塞節，其實是把佛陀誕生、成道、湼槃，於同一日紀念。原來，據記載^{[來源請求]}，佛陀5月的一個月圓之日出生；35年後又在5月的某月圓之日，於菩提樹下悟道；後來他湼槃那天，巧的也是5月的月圓之日。三者雖非同一天，卻全都在5月份，且有月圓之最大共同特點。於是，後世的佛教徒，便訂下在每年5月的第一個月圓日，慶祝衛塞節。Vesak在印度古代梵文的意思，正就是「月圓」解也。

源于:http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%AB%E5%A1%9E%E8%8A%82