| rdfs:comment | - Vesak is an annual holiday observed traditionally by practicing Buddhists in South Asian and South East Asian countries like Nepal, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia and India. Sometimes informally called "Buddha's Birthday," it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment (Nirvana), and passing away (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha. The 2009 date for Vesak as observed by the Dhammayutika and Mahānikāya sects of Thai Buddhism was 8 May; 8 May 2009 was also Vesak in Sri Lanka. The 2009 date for Vesak as observed in Singapore is 9 May.
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| abstract | - Vesak is an annual holiday observed traditionally by practicing Buddhists in South Asian and South East Asian countries like Nepal, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia and India. Sometimes informally called "Buddha's Birthday," it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment (Nirvana), and passing away (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha. In Mahayana Buddhist traditions, the holiday is known by its Sanskrit name, वैशाख Vaiśākha, and derived variants of it. The word Vesak itself is the Sinhalese language word (වෙසක්) for the Pali variation, Vesākha. Vesak is also known as बुद्ध पुर्णिमा/বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা Buddha Purnima or बुद्ध जयंती/বুদ্ধ জয়ন্তী Buddha Jayanti in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, 花祭 (Hanamatsuri) in Japan, 석가 탄신일 Seokka Tanshin-il in Korean, 佛誕 (Mandarin: Fódàn, Cantonese: Fātdàahn) in Chinese-speaking communities, Phật Đản in Vietnamese, ས་ག་ཟླ་བ། Saga Dawa (sa ga zla ba) in Tibetan, វិសាខបូជា Visak Bochéa in Khmer, วันวิสาขบูชา Visakah Puja (or Visakha Bucha) in Thai, Waisak in Indonesia, වෙසක් පසළොස්වක පෝය Vesak (Wesak) in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. The equivalent festival in Laos is called ວິຊຂບູຊ Vixakha Bouxa and in Myanmar is called Ka-sone-la-pyae meaning “Fullmoon Day of Kasone” which is also the second month of the Myanmar Calendar. The exact date of Vesak varies according to the various lunar calendars used in different traditions. In Theravada countries following the Buddhist calendar, it falls on the full moon Uposatha day (typically the 5th or 6th lunar month). While the Vesak Day in China, it is on the eighth of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The date varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar but falls in April or May. The 2009 date for Vesak as observed by the Dhammayutika and Mahānikāya sects of Thai Buddhism was 8 May; 8 May 2009 was also Vesak in Sri Lanka. The 2009 date for Vesak as observed in Singapore is 9 May.
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