Happy Vesak Day! Vesak Day is celebrated on the full moon day of the 4th lunar month, or on 22 May 2024.
Vesak Day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and final passing of the Buddha. This is a day of celebration of the joy of being alive, to remember and offer our gratitude for having met the Buddha-Dharma (teachings of the Buddha), and a day to remember to cultivate and awaken our innate wisdom and compassion!
We have curated some celebrations around the world, as well as teachings that you can listen to, to remind yourself to awaken the pure mind in you and to look deeply into the nature of your mind and your life.
This list is by no means an exhaustive list. More importantly, we hope it will pique your curiosity and inspire you to look for events and teachings in your own locale, and celebrate Vesak Day in your own meaningful way.
Events
For our friends in Singapore, here’s a good list of curated events.
For our friends down under in Australia, you can celebrate Vesak day with Ajahn Brahm.
For our friends in California, USA, you can celebrate Vesak day with the Bhikkhuni Sangha monastics of Dhammadharini. You can even take the refuge and precepts too!
Teachings
Venerable Thubten Chodron and the monastics of Sravasti Abbey have curated a list of teachings as well as practices to guide us on how to incline our mind, during Vesak Day.
Mingyur Rinpoche is also giving a teaching on transforming the Five Poisons into the Five Wisdoms this Vesak.
Siddhartha’s Intent is also broadcasting a multi-day teaching (21st-23rd May) from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche this Vesak.
The monastics and sangha of Plum Village (with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh) also shares with us this timeless teaching on how to practice during Vesak.
Ajahn Sumedho, in celebration of his 90th Birthday and Vesak Day this year, gives us this precious teaching.
Sādhu, Sādhu, Sādhu (rejoice, rejoice, rejoice)
Photo by Angela, Bathing the Baby Buddha, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Singapore
