Dr. Arvind Kumar Singh, Assistant Professor School of Buddhist Studies & Civilization &  Director, International Affairs and PRO, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida Gautam Buddha Nagar said, The most significant festival of Buddhism is the celebration Buddha Purnima or Vesak Day falls in the month of May every year on the night of the full moon, when Buddhist all over the world celebrates the birth, enlightenment (Nibbana) and death of the Buddha (Mahaparinibbana) over 2,563 years ago. It is the holiest of holy days to mankind, especially for the Buddhists. It is an enigma to them how it happened. Needless to say, the Buddha left an incredible impression on art, sculpture, literature, philosophy in one word, every branch of culture that men developed from time immemorial. The Vesak Day was started to be celebrated from very ancient time. It was at the time of the King Ashoka, when he sent his son and daughter named Mahinda and Sanghamitra respectively, to Sri Lanka for preaching the teachings of the Buddha Dhamma and with the conversion of King Tissa, the Buddha Purnima or Vesak Day assumed a new significance. From this very period Vesak Day was celebrated as one of the most important festival of Buddhism in all over the world.
The significance of Vesak Day lies with the Buddha and his universal peace message to mankind. The celebration of Vesak Day is a chance to remember the story of how the Buddha gained Enlightenment, and to reflect on what it might mean for individual Buddhists to move towards Enlightenment themselves. The festival is celebrated with much colour and gaiety. In many countries during the festival, Buddhists will visit their local monastery or Vihara for services and teaching, and will give offerings to the monks of food, candles and flowers. Chanting and praying are an important part of Vesak Day. The ‘Bathing the Buddha’ ceremony is also often included. Water is poured over the shoulders of the Buddha and serves as a reminder to purify the mind from greed, hatred and ignorance.
The festival of Vesak Day is so important that the United Nations has adopted it as their one of the activity to celebrate this pious festival of Buddhism. As Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world the Buddhist teachings have contributed for over two and a half millennia, and continue to contribute, to the spirituality of humanity. In December 1999, therefore, the General Assembly of the United Nations, at its fifty-fourth session (Agenda Item 174 on the International Recognition of the Day of Vesak), recognized the Day of Vesak as an International Day of the United Nations and resolved that an appropriate activity would be held annually at the UN Headquarters and other offices as well. Since the year 2000 Buddhist countries have been honoured to be the sponsor of the Vesak Day Activities at the UN Headquarters in New York. Since 2004, it has been celebrated in Buddhist countries with fanfare.
As Vesak is a special Full moon day for Buddhists all over the world, we all can observe precepts on this very special day wherever we live and abide by them throughout the day. According to the teachings of the Buddha, on this ‘Thrice blessed day’ we all should understand and practice the teachings of the Buddha and apply it in our day to day life for well-being of human beings as taught us by the Buddha Himself. As the greatest man ever born on this earth he has taught us how to live peacefully and harmoniously in society supporting each other. As most of us know, Buddhism is not a religion but a way of life. As it is a way of life we all should be able to put it into practice in our daily life. Here, one of the Buddha’s discourses namely “Ovadha Patimokkha” means laying down the principles of His Teachings to be followed by all Buddhists is summarized into three acts which are: To abstain from bad action (by mention, speech or act), to do and maintain good in all actions and to purify the mind by means of meditation.