Lanterns at the Seoul Lantern Festival, which is held for Vesak. Photo by Tennesse Wanderer
Vesak, also known as “Buddha Day” falls on May 26 this year. It marks the birth, enlightenment, and death of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, born 2,600 years ago. These three significant events in the Buddha’s life are all said to have happened on the same day many years apart.