Wat Phra Dhammakaya organized the activities of almsgiving, lifetime ordination and lantern lighting while the Buddhist temples/organizations celebrated worldwide on Vesak Day.
The Vesak Day on 22 May 2024 is an important day of Buddhism on the full moon day of the sixth lunar month. It is the day that the Buddha was born, became enlightened, and attained complete nirvana. This day is also recognized by the United Nations as the International Vesak Day. To express our gratitude to the Buddha on this occasion, the temple held the merit making activities, which were the almsgiving at the Meditation Assembly Hall, lifetime ordination ceremony for 11 ordinands by the preceptor, Most Venerable Phrapromwachirapanyajarn (Pali scholar of level 9), the abbot of Wat Ratchaorot and the head of the 8th Overseas Dhammaduta Bhikkhus group, at the main chapel, the lighting of lanterns, arranged in the images of the significant events of the Buddha: his birth, enlightenment, and attainment to nirvana, at the ground of Maha Dhammakaya Cetiya, the circumambulation of the cetiya and the celebration for achieving 6,400,000,000 rounds of Dhammacakka recited in honor to the Buddha on Vesak Day.
Venerable Phrakrusamusanitwong Wuttiwangso, director of Communication Department, Wat Phra Dhammakaya related that besides the Buddhism promotion activities at Wat Phra Dhammakaya, the Buddhist temples/organizations in many foreign countries also arranged various activities on Vesak Day. For example,
- Wat Phra Dhammakaya-Melbourne celebrated International Vesak Day by arranging the activity, called “THE AUSTRALIAN OBSERVANCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS DAY OF VESAK” on 4 May 2024 at Thien An Temple, Australia and the seminar “International Vesak Day” on 11 May 2024.
- The Union of Thai Dhammaduta in East Asia and the Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation joined the conference of Dhammaduta Union and celebrated International Vesak Day at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan during 10-13 May 2024.
- On 11 May 2024, Lotus Lantern Festival 2024 was organized to celebrate Vesak Day at Seoul, South Korea.
- To celebrate International Vesak Day 2024, Ba Vang Pagoda in Vietnam organized the lantern lighting and the Dhammayatra (pilgrimage) during 11-12 May 2024.
- The Buddhist organizations in Hong Kong and Wat Phra Dhammakaya-Hong Kong arranged the activities to promote International Vesak Day 2024 on 15 May 2024.
- The project of Siam-Lanka Dhammayatra (pilgrimage) was organized during 16-21 May 2024 in Sri Lanka.
- Wat Phra Dhammakaya-Johannesburg in South Africa held the monk robe offering ceremony and the lantern lighting on 22 May 2024.
- The 17th International Vesak Festival in Mongolia is celebrated by lighting 1,117 lanterns in honor to the Buddha on 23 May 2024.
- Wat Phra Dhammakaya-California arranges the lantern lighting and circumambulation on 23 May 2024.
- On 23 May 2024, the lighting of sky lanterns in honor to the Buddha is organized at Borobudur, Indonesia.
On 24 May 2024, The Union of Thai Sanghas in Europe holds the Buddhism promotion activities on International Vesak Day at the office of United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.
