The first significance, in the year 583 B.C. on a
Vesak Full Moon Day, Prince Siddharta Gotama, was born
at Kapilavattu in Nepal, India. Receiving an education
be-fitting a royal son, he ater married and had a son.
Blissfully ignorant of the vicissitudes of life
outside the palace gates, he led a luxurious life at
home. With the march of time, the truth about life and
death dawned upon him. While he led a near-to-perfect
royal life, Siddharta was touched and perplexed by the
sufferings of others. Subsequently, when he turned 29,
realising the fleeting nature of life and the vanity
of material pleasures, he left the palace in search of
truth and peace.
Leaving; not deserting his wife and son; he went on a
mission of higher purpose in life. Renouncing his
princehood, he left his worldly pleasures in the prime
of manhood, in a quest for divinity. He went through a
long and arduous course of training in: Dana
(Generosity), Sila (Discipline), Nekkhamma
(Renunciation), Panna (Wisdom), Viriya (Service),
Khanti (Patience), Sacca (Truthfulness), Adhittana
(Determination), Metta (Loving-kindness) and Upekkha
(Equanimity). After six strenuous years in a
superhuman struggle, one day, while sitting under the
famous Bodhi tree at Buddhagaya, he made a vow to
attain enlightened.
On that Vesak Full Moon Day, he purified himself and
comprehending the Dhamma, obtained perfect
Enlightenment at age 35. Thereafter, he was known as
Gotama Buddha. Vesak, therefore, commemorates not only
the physical birth but also the spiritual birth of the
Supreme Buddha, marking the second significance.
Being delivered to enlightenment, he plunged into the
world to deliver others by extending an open
invitation to all seekers of Truth, with the words,
"Open to them are the doors to the Deathless. Let
those who have ears repose confidence."
Sending his disciples to preach the Holy Life, the
Buddha himself wandered from place to place,
expounding Dhamma for another 45 years. As the
perfect embodiment of all virtues, he preached,
endowed with deep wisdom and his boundless compassion.
At times, sleeping for only twohours at night, he
incessantly worked for the good and happiness of
mankind until his dying moment. Having successfully
completed this noble mission, he retired to Kisinara,
a hamlet and lying between two sal trees, he passed
away peacefully on, what became the third
significance, Vesak Full Moon Day 2541 years ago.
As a prince, he was born; as an extraordinary man, he
lived; and as a Buddha, he attained nirvana; leaving
mankind the way to enlightenment.