Significance of Vesak Week

It is the Vesak Week, commemorating the Birth, Enlightenment and Passing Away of the Buddha. As a country which could boast of a proud history of over 2,500 years, we in Sri Lanka are privileged to observe Vesak with great respect and full State patronage.

The Buddha's words, the Dhamma, still hold true today. His Disciples, the Maha Sangha, still propagate those immortal words here and abroad. The Dhamma, in fact, is more relevant than ever before in a world that is seeing strife everywhere. The Buddha espoused that Hatred does not cease by Hatred, but by Love alone. Herein lies the answer not only to conflicts among nations and individuals, but also to the evils that consume us from within.

There is a wrong notion that Buddhism is a very advanced philosophy that can rarely be applied to our day-to-day lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Buddha preached several Suttas solely for lay people, describing how they should conduct themselves to lead a pious life.

The Buddha also advised the rulers of his day on various aspects of governance. Here in Sri Lanka, our rulers have always strived to follow His advice. In the words of President Mahinda Rajapaksa "the doctrine of The Buddha demonstrates the correct path to life. Accordingly we have given the teachings of The Buddha the utmost place in our governance system as it paves the way for a new Sri Lanka."

A new Sri Lanka is now upon us, with the liberation of almost the entire North from a blood-thirsty gang of terrorists. Only a few thousand civilians remain to be freed from Tiger terror. For the first time in 30 years, Sri Lanka is on the threshold of real peace. This is an ideal opportunity for peace and reconciliation in a land that has been torn apart by conflict.

The most immediate priority at this moment is the welfare of those civilians who had embraced freedom. "The way to tread the path of the Thathagatha is to treat the hundreds of thousands of our citizens pushed by terrorism into welfare centres as the internally displaced, with kindness and benevolence," President Rajapaksa has said in his Vesak message.

This is the need of the hour. The nation should rise as one to help these innocents to begin their lives anew. There cannot be a better opportunity for such generosity than Vesak. The Vesak Week is the ideal period to make the best use of the opportunity we have got to participate in the meritorious deed of assisting these people in need.

This Vesak Week, such spiritual offerings should be given priority. It would not be incorrect to say that money rules in today's globalised, commercialised world. Even Vesak has not been spared by commercialism. We have lost sight of moral values and distanced ourselves from religious thoughts as we relentlessly pursue money and wealth. And many have unfortunately chosen immoral and illegal means to make money, instead of honest, ethical ways. That is a major predicament facing today's society.

In this context, moderation is the best course of action. Life has its ups and downs, victories and defeats. The Middle Path, as espoused by the Buddha teaches us to take life as it comes and gather merit. The only way to achieve this goal is seeking refuge in the Dhamma.

Vesak comes only once a year. It is an ideal time for true Buddhists to heed the words of the Buddha and turn their lives around for their own good and the good of others. That was what the Buddha expected his followers to do, all those years ago. Only by turning the lamp inwards, into the innermost recesses of our mind, can we rise above worldly attachments to conquer suffering.

The heart of the Buddha's teachings is contained in the teachings of the Four Noble Truths - the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha), the Origin or Cause of suffering, the end or Cessation of suffering and the Path which leads to the cessation of all suffering. In the Buddhist context, wisdom is the realisation of the fundamental truths of life, basically the four Noble Truths. The understanding of the four Noble Truths would make way for a proper sense of purpose and direction in life.

Thus we should resolve to conduct our lives in accordance with the teachings of The Buddha. The dawn of Vesak paves the way for us to take this initiative. The true enemies that we need to overcome and defeat are greed, hatred and ignorance. Buddhists have no other enemies. The greatest victory that we can achieve is to practise kindness and compassion to all living beings.

Buddhism has the answers to most problems affecting the society today. Our society would not be so vile and corrupt if we had remained close to our religions. The wide gulf between places of worship and individuals is a cause for many of society's ills. We should form a close bond with places of worship in our towns and villages.

It is thus important for religious dignitaries and school teachers to inculcate moral values in children from a very young age so that they could inherit a virtuous society. With the dawn of peace in our Motherland, we have another chance to realise this dream. The end of the protracted conflict and the rise of peace should, in itself, lead to a society that once again cherishes moral values. All should rally round the Government at this juncture to defeat terror once and for all and work towards a just society.