Vesakn.
/ˈvɛsak/, U.S. /ˈvɛsæk/ An important Buddhist festival commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha, observed on the day of the full moon in the month Visākha (April–May).
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society > faith > worship > liturgical year > feast, festival > other seasons and feasts > Buddhist > [noun]
poya1853
Bon1899
Vesak1927
1927 E. J. Thomas Life of Buddha iii. 34 In 1922 the Feast of Wesak (Visākha) in Ceylon was at full moon on May 10.
1961 R. A. Gard Buddhism iv. 156 Doctrinally speaking, there is the practice of venerating the Buddha..especially the Vesākha/Vaiśākha-puja (often called ‘Wesak’ in South and Southeast Asia).
1965 Festival Malaysia 1965: Cal. of Events 9/3 May 15—Wesak Day: Celebration of Lord Buddha's Birthday.
1971 Carry Singapore in your Pocket (Singapore Tourist Promotion Board) (ed. 3) 38 May 9. Vesak Day. Celebration of Lord Buddha's birth, death and enlightenment.
1978 C. Humphreys Both Sides of Circle x. 109 The Buddhist Society too carried on. Wesak, the annual equivalent of Christmas Day, was held in May as usual.
1978 Oxf. Diocesan Mag. Aug. 20/3 It is instructive to know what our Jewish neighbours are doing and why at, for example, Yom Kippur, or our Buddhist friends at Vesakha or the Moslems at Meelad al Nabi.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1927