Download Vesak Vesak celebrates the birth, enlightenment and passing of the

Vesak
Vesak celebrates the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
‘Buddha’ is a title which means ‘The Enlightened One’ .When the Buddha was born he was called
Siddhattha Gotama, and was the son of a king. This king was told by an astrologer that Siddhattha
would become either a king or a holy man. The king wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, and so
forbid his son to leave the palace.
One day, however, Siddhattha left the palace. He had four encounters in particular which opened his
eyes to the suffering of the people outside of the palace. These were with an old man, a sick man, a
dead man and an ascetic holy man who was at peace with the world. This convinced Siddhatta to
become a holy man himself. Through his spiritual quest, he became enlightened and achieved the
state of nirvana, earning the title of the Buddha.
Celebrations vary between cultures, but most Buddhists will celebrate by practicing Giving, Virtue
and Cultivation, and good deeds.
Activity ideas
Meditation or mindfulness: Many Buddhists will mark Vesak by meditating. You could run a
mindfulness session for staff or patients to give them an experience of meditation. A Buddhist
chaplain may be able to run a meditation session, or you could contact someone who has experience
of leading mindfulness sessions. Alternatively, the mental health foundation has a free 10 minute
podcast for a guided mindfulness session: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/podcasts-andvideos/mindfulness-10-minute-practice-exercise
The Eightfold Path: Buddhists believe that by following the eight parts eightfold path they can
achieve enlightenment. These are listed below. Think about whether any of them can be applied to
your life. Which ones and why?
The Eightfold Path:

Right understanding: Understanding that the Four Noble Truths are noble and true
Buddhists believe in these four noble truths:
Suffering happens because we often want the world to be different to how it is
Desiring and wanting things is what causes all suffering
We can stop suffering if we stop wanting things
By following the eightfold path, it is possible to stop wanting things and not suffer

Right thought: Deciding to practice the Buddhist faith

Right speech: Don’t gossip or lie, and don’t say things which are unkind

Right conduct: Do not hurt other people, and do not steal things or do other bad things

Right means of making a living: Do not hurt animals or have a job which means you are
harming other people.

Right mental attitude or effort: Try to avoid bad thoughts, such as anger and jealousy.

Right mindfulness: Knowing what mood you are in and whether you feel healthy.

Right concentration: Using meditation to reach enlightenment. ‘Enlightenment’ is a state of
being where you no longer want things or feel bad about other people.
Produced by the Centre for Paediatric Spiritual Care at Birmingham Children’s Hospital