Vesak

Happy Vesak everyone!

Vesak is the most important celebration of the Buddhist traditions, and marks the day Buddha was born, reached his enlightenment and passed to nibbhana. (vesak is also called Saga Dawa, Buddha Purnima, Visakha Puja and Waisac in different parts of the world.) The day is a religious festival and not really a festive occation. Buddhists are expected to reaffirm their connection with the Dharma and to lead a noble religious life. It is a day for visiting the temple, offer gifts to Buddha to show gratitude for the teachings, to meditate and to "radiate Loving Kindness".
It is the perfect opportunity to take refuge or to practice the refuge meditation, or the meditation of Loving Kindness (in Tibetan tradition, which is the only tradition I know, we have a meditation on Chenrezig - the bodhisattva of compassion and embodiment of Loving Kindness. This is the meditation I am doing on Vesak. The mantra of this meditation is Om Mani Peme hung...)

You can read more about this day, its history and different celebrations here.

Until I am enlightened,
I go for refuge to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Through the virtue I create by practising giving and the other perfections,
may I become a Buddha to benefit all sentient beings.

Tibetan Refuge prayer