MELBOURNE – Victoria’s Buddhist community have come together in Melbourne city to celebrate Vesak, a key event in the Buddhist calendar which marks Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death.

Vesak, also known as “Buddha Day”, is celebrated by millions of Buddhists around the world and is celebrated on the first day of May that has a full moon.

The day also sees Buddhist communities globally come together along with other admirers to celebrate Vesak and spread the Buddha’s message of peace and compassion.

In Melbourne, the multicultural celebration began with the Sangha Dana at 10am, offering lunch to many of Victoria’s Venerable Buddhist Monks and Nuns at St Peter’s Parish Hall, East Melbourne.

The virtuous deed of generosity was soon followed by a procession from Parliament Reserve. With the Sangha leading lantern bearers and lay Buddhists down Collins Street, the sights and sounds of colourful flags, traditional dancers and drummers were seen and heard.

Hundreds of people then gathered at Melbourne Town Hall at 1.30pm, to participate in the grand celebration shared by Victoria’s vibrant and diverse Buddhist cultures including from the Cambodian, Indian and Vietnamese communities.

Vesak, in its ninth year, is commemorated by the United Nations to acknowledge the contribution which Buddhism has made for over 2600 years and continues to make to the spirituality of humanity and fostering of world peace.

 

– TiVi Tuan-san

 

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