Vesak Full Moon

by Malini HETTIGE

Another Vesak Full Moon,
Has dawned with greater brilliance,
With peace and tolerance,
After a battle of 30 years,
Vesak Full Moon beams,
Renew our memory,
Of the 'Thrice Blessed Day,'
The Birth, Enlightenment,
And Parinirvana,
Of our Master Buddha.

Our glorious history records,
That King Vijaya and his retinue,
Arrived in Lanka,
On the day of Parinirvana,
Of our Master, the Buddha,
Also, they were blessed,
To sail to Lanka safely,
By the Blessed One,
On His Parinibbana Manchaka.

Thus Vesak Full Moon,
Is of special recognition,
To Sri Lanka, our Motherland,
Our famed Buddhist isle of yore,
In the 'month of Vesak' 2009,
Sri Lanka defeated terrorism,
Creating a 'Second Freedom Day.'

The peal of temple bells,
The beat of temple drums,
Herald the dawn,
Of this most sacred day,
Sacred to Buddhists, over the globe,
Temples are seas,
Of white clad devotees,
Altars are full of fragrant flowers,
Oil lamps dance with the wind.

Everywhere can be heard,
The preaching of the 'Dhamma',
The path to end suffering,
To end rebirth and attain,
The final bliss of Nibbana.

Shining in milky white,
Stands the 'stupa' in moonlight,
The resplendent pinnacle,
Performs a miracle,
The Bo-leaves spread the message,
Through every passing breeze,
The whole island is decorated,
Pandals attract bee-hive crowds.

With Vesak Full Moon beams,
May sympathy and kindness dispel,
The darkness of hatred and violence!
May peace and unity shine,
Kindling all human minds!
May all beings,
Be well and happy!