Hi children,
Do you know that tomorrow is Vesak Full Moon Poya Day, which is celebrated with devotion by Buddhists all over the world? Are you ready to celebrate Vesak Poya this year?
Vesak Full Moon Poya Day is important to Buddhists for several reasons. Many important events in the life of the Buddha are associated with Vesak Poya. The Vesak festival is celebrated as a religious and cultural festival in Sri Lanka. I am going to tell you the reasons as to why the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day is important to us and how Vesak Poya should be celebrated according to the teachings of the Buddha.
Significance of Vesak Full Moon Poya Day
Three special events (Themagula): Buddhists worldwide commemorate Prince Siddhartha’s Birth, his Enlightenment, and Gautama Buddha’s Parinibbana on this day.
Four special signs (Sathara Peranimithi): On this special day, Prince Siddhartha got disillusioned with lay life after seeing the Sathara Peranimithi which were an old person, a patient, a corpse, and an ascetic in robes.
Ananda Thera attained Parinibbana on a Vesak Poya Day.
Gauthama Buddha’s third visit to Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, also took place on a Vesak Poya day. He also visited the Solosmasthana .
The Sripada (Adam’s Peak) pilgrimage season ends on Vesak Poya Day.
On this Poya Day, King Vijaya arrived on the island.
We can celebrate Vesak Poya in a meaningful and religious way by conducting the Aamisa pooja and the Prathipththi pooja as preached by Gauthama Buddha.
Let’s look at some ideas to celebrate Vesak Poya
On the day of Vesak, we can go to the temple early morning and observe Atasil and purify our mind and body.
Engaging in the Prathipaththi pooja, such as listening to Dharma sermons, meditation, Bodhi pooja, and Dhamma discussions.
Give some food and clothes to a needy person and make them happy.
Helping the elderly people who needs your help.
Give some food and some water to a little animal or bird and make them happy.
Help a helpless animal.
Get your class teacher and friends together to clean an elders’ home or donate items that they need.
All the family members can get together to make a Vesak Lantern.
You can decorate the road with Buddhist flags.
You can get together with elders, family and friends and organise a dansala.
Make Vesak cards and give them to your loved ones
By doing things like this, we can celebrate Vesak Poya Day happily. Try to celebrate the Vesak festival meaningfully this year.
