[…]

It is my understanding that the convention of observing Wesak on the full-moon day of the Solar/Gregorian month of  May was first advanced by the World Fellowship of Buddhists (1950), and has since been recognised by the United Nations (1999). It is also my understanding that the May full-moon this year (2007) is on May 2.

However, information (www.qppstudio.net/bankholidays2007/indonesia.htm) regarding areas where Wesak or 'the Buddha's
birthday' is a public holiday in 2007, has:

May 1 Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, Cambodia
May 2 India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Laos

May 24: Hong Kong, Korea, Macau

May 31: Singapore, Thailand
June 1 Bhutan, Indonesia

May 24 is to be explained by another convention -- day 8 (a half-moon) of the 4th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. And Bhutan is perhaps to be explained by Tibetan convention - day 15 (a full-moon) of the 4th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar (which this year is nearly the same as the Chinese lunar calendar). What is inexplicable is:

1) Why Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, Cambodia are May 1 rather than May 2.
2) Why Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia are observing Wesak in the wrong month.

Can you tell me what the problem is?

It is not good for even a semblance of Buddhist unity.

L. Raymant
(Taipei)

[…]
 

My reply:

[...]

I think the problem might stem from the difficulty in determining the exact dates of events that happened so long ago, which is why in the great tradition of the great religions in the world, there are always some discrepancy.  In the Bible I am told that some of the gospels don't agree with Christ's birth date, which was moved to the ancient date of celebration of a pre Christian god's birthday December 25th sometime after the New Testament was written.

In Buddhism the Theravada teachings had recorded precisely the full moon of Vesak, [the sixth month] and the celebrations are always on the full moon of the sixth month to this day, for example the six lunar month on the full moon.  This year it falls on the international calendar of the full moon of May 2007.  If you look up in the sky on the May 1st, 2nd or 24th I doubt if the moon would be full, since all my life our Thai Vesak celebrations are under a full moon.  Traditionally there are also candlelit precessions in the different temples to mark this holiday, among other activities.

I think it is important to see that all major religions hold more than one denomination within its teachings, and different people seek different things among the all encompassing teachings of Buddhism.  It is the unity within the differences that is important, for example the common teachings about peace and beneficence of different levels, most important in my opinion being the five precepts that exist in all traditions, that is the main unifying force in our religion, in face of any other religions in the world as well as within our differences, other than the Buddha himself.
 
 

[…]

It is an issue that needs wide discussion. This is especially so given that it was the WFB itself that initiated full-moon day of May as international convention. That being so, the WFB should take an active interest in the matter.

Regarding what you have written in reply, two points:

1) One sees here --
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_calendar -- that Vaisakha is the 2nd month. And here -- http://buddhism.2be.net/Vesak -- it is claimed that it is the 1st. Why you refer to it as the 6th month?

2) If Mahayana Chinese and Tibetan Buddhists insist on following their respective dating conventions there is nothing to be done about it; and there is really nothing 'wrong' with it: these are indeed 'denominational' differences. But the Theravadin-based) international convention established in 1950 (and later recognised by the United Nations) is another matter: in this case, there is no excuse for one group of countries to observe Wesak on (for example) May 2 of 2007 CE and another group of countries to observe it on (for example) June 1 of 2007 CE.
 
 

My reply:

[...]

 I think the problem might stem from the difficulty in determining the exact dates of events that happened so long ago, which is why in the great tradition of the great religions in the world, there are always some discrepancy.  In the Bible I am told that some of the gospels don't agree with Christ's birth date, which was moved to the ancient date of celebration of a pre Christian god's birthday December 25th sometime after the New Testament was written.

In Buddhism the Theravada teachings had recorded precisely the full moon of Vesak, [the sixth month] and the celebrations are always on the full moon of the sixth month to this day, for example the six lunar month on the full moon.  This year it falls on the international calendar of the full moon of May 2007.  If you look up in the sky on the May 1st, 2nd or 24th I doubt if the moon would be full, since all my life our Thai Vesak celebrations are under a full moon [this year on May 31st].  Traditionally there are also candlelit precessions in the different temples to mark this holiday, among other activities.

I think it is important to see that all major religions hold more than one denomination within its teachings, and different people seek different things among the all encompassing teachings of Buddhism.  It is the unity within the differences that is important, for example the common teachings about peace and beneficence of different levels, most important in my opinion being the five precepts that exist in all traditions, that is the main unifying force in our religion, in face of any other religions in the world as well as within our differences, other than the Buddha himself.
 
 

*L. Raymant has requested that his email address not be shown*

******************
 

Amara Chayabongse,
Webmaster, WFB-HQ.org
May 31th, 2549[2006]
 

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