Buddhist

Vesak Day

Sacred day of Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and passing

About this Holiday

Vesak Day is the holiest day in Buddhism, commemorating three pivotal events in Siddhartha Gautama's life: his birth as a prince in Lumbini, his attainment of perfect enlightenment (Bodhi) under the Bodhi tree, and his passing into Nirvana (Parinirvana). All three are believed to have occurred on the same full moon day in the Vesak month. In Indonesia, celebrations center on Borobudur Temple in Magelang with circumambulation rituals and the lighting of thousands of candles.