The Significance of Vesak – by Gold Coast Buddhist Centre

Source:Daehaena – Monthly Newsletter – May 2021 – Radio 4EB Sri Lankan Group

The Lumbini park was abundant with Sal trees in full bloom. Flowers that have fallen from trees formed a soft carpet on the ground. On the full moon day in the month of Vesak, Queen Maha Maya, who was pregnant, was on a journey through the Sal grove to see her parents. On her way, she gave birth to a prince in the Sal grove. This was about 2644 years ago. The prince was named Siddhartha Gautama. He lived in a palace with every luxury at his command.

At a young age, he was confronted with the reality of life and the suffering of humankind. Siddhartha, at the age of 29 years, gave up his wealth and position as a prince to seek enlightenment as a spiritual ascetic. His goal was to find a path out of this universal suffering of all beings. After 6 years of strenuous searching, Siddhartha attained Enlightenment on the full moon day of Vesak. He found the goal of Nibbana. He became the Buddha,
“The Enlightened One”. He preached the path to others for 45 years. He taught that wisdom, kindness, patience, generosity, and compassion were important virtues.

The heart of the teachings of the Buddha is contained in the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, namely,
 The noble truth of suffering or Dukkha
 The noble truth of the cause of suffering, Samudaya
 The noble truth of the cessation of suffering, Nirhodha
 The noble truth of the path, which leads to the cessation of all
sufferings, Magga Buddha’s teaching is based on cause and effect. Buddha taught that desire and ignorance lie at the root of suffering. The inability to fulfill all desires ends with suffering. The way to extinguish desire will lead to the cessation of suffering.

At the age of 80, He passed away (Parinibbana) once again on the full moon day of Vesak at a place called Kusinara. The full moon day of Vesak is important for Buddhists all over the world for three significant events – Buddha’s birth, His Enlightenment, and His Parinibbana. Moreover, the significance of Vesak lies with the Buddhahood and his universal message to humankind.