(By Tsem Rinpoche)

I am fortunate to be living in Malaysia and proud to say that it is my home. Malaysia allows me to be who I am, pursue my interests, and meet wonderful and kind people. Many years ago one of my teachers, Kyabje Lati Rinpoche from Gaden Shartse Monastery, and my protector asked me to be here. I didn’t understand why at that time, but now I do. I am grateful that I was sent to live in a land full of opportunities, a good environment and kind friends. The diversity and rich culture of Malaysia is something I appreciate very much. An example of this is the celebration of Wesak Day. It is widely celebrated all over the world, but in Malaysia it is also a national public holiday.

The Wesak Day festival, also spelt Vesak, is the day Buddhists celebrate the three major events in the life of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, namely his birth, enlightenment at the age of 35, and his passing away at the age of 80. Buddhism itself can be classed as both a philosophy and a religion. As a philosophy, it teaches us a way of living, and as a religion it teaches us to eliminate suffering and achieve the goal of becoming a Buddha.

The complete elimination of suffering from our mind is definitely possible and when we reach that state, it is called nirvana. The day the Buddha became enlightened, or reached nirvana, is celebrated by all Buddhists around the world as we wish to achieve that same goal. Wesak day is celebrated to remind us of our goals and therefore the purpose of practicing, as well as connecting each individual with their inner potential of Buddhahood. It is more than just a celebration but an act of spiritual remembrance and a chance for real inner transformation.

Buddhism is one of the world’s oldest religions, it is more than 2,500 years old and its founder was Buddha Shakyamuni, a North Indian prince. Contrary to what some people believe, he was not a person from legend, but was in fact a historical figure. Lord Buddha meditated on the nature of life, existence, family and people, and he realised that everything we do in life brings us unhappiness and grief. He saw that we keep doing the same things unknowingly, continuing this cycle of unhappiness and grief blindly.

Realising this fact and out of his great compassion, he taught methods and ways to deal with how we live our lives, how we view our environment and how we react to our environment and other people. He taught us how to change our reactions and through this, lessen the unhappiness and suffering we create. The goal of a Buddhist is to gain enlightenment, so that we don’t create more suffering for ourselves and others, and when we have reached that state, to help others achieve it too. It is about the removal of suffering from our own lives first and then from the lives of others. Therefore it is important to respect all beings, animals, people, cultures and ways of doing things. This is emphasised a lot in Buddhist practice.

The Origins of Wesak

The auspicious birth of Prince Siddhartha

According to the Buddha’s life story and the ancient Indian literary style of presenting stories based on the caste system, Prince Siddhartha Gautama of the Shakya warrior clan, was born miraculously from Queen Maya’s side as she leaned against a sara tree where she rested during her journey back to her parents’ home. In ancient times, it was customary that women went back to their parents’ home to give birth. On her way she stopped to rest in a forest that was filled with beautiful flowers, singing birds, and peacocks fanning their magnificent tails beautifully. This location is known today as Lumbini, Nepal, as per recent archaeological findings that claim to have identified the exact location of Prince Siddhartha’s birth.

Before Prince Siddhartha was born, his mother, Queen Maya of the Shakya clan had a premonitory dream that an elephant with six magnificent tusks descended from the heavens and approached her. The elephant had skin as white as snow mountains and carried a beautiful pink lotus in its trunk. It placed the lotus inside Queen Maya’s womb through her stomach, and itself dissolved into her womb effortlessly. When the queen woke up from the dream, she was filled with a sense of joy and ease.

The following day, King Shuddhodana who was Queen Maya’s husband, summoned all the holy and spiritual masters of his kingdom to explain the dream. Their conclusion was that the queen was pregnant with a son who would be a teacher or a leader. His destiny was either to become a great spiritual teacher who would preach the truth and the path to reach the heavens, or a powerful and great king who would rule in all four directions.

Prince Siddhartha leaving the palace with Channa

As the story continues, the prince was born amid auspicious omens but grew up confined in the royal palace, as the king saw it fit that he would be a great leader rather than a spiritual teacher. Later, the prince saw four significant sights, namely old age, sickness, death and a wondering ascetic. Seeing these, the prince realised the only way to end sickness, old age and death is to dedicate one’s life to the pursuit of spiritual attainments and eventually to become ‘awakened’ or become a Buddha, a state that is free from these forms of suffering. His encounters with an old person, a sick person, a corpse and an ascetic left an extremely deep impression in his mind. This was so powerful that he became determined to leave the palace and engage in profound meditation in forests until he found the answers he was looking for, and the method to eliminate the suffering he saw.

Despite numerous attempts by the king to stop the prince from leaving the palace, he managed to escape at night with his close attendant Channa and his horse. Mysteriously, all the palace guards and attendants were deep in sleep when he made his escape to the forest. Once he arrived at the forest’s edge, he cut off his long hair, symbolic of giving up a life of materialism and gave his princely robes to Channa to return to the palace.

At dawn, Siddhartha attained the varja-like concentration and removed the final veils of ignorance from his mind. Immediately after that, he became a Buddha – a fully enlightened being

With the conviction to learn the truth of reality, the prince studied under two teachers named Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta. He even entered six years of intensive ascetic practice, during which he only ate one grain of rice a day. One day, while meditating under a tree, Siddhartha overheard a conversation between an old musician and his young apprentice on a boat floating on a nearby river. The old musician told his student that if the string on the musical instrument was too tight, it would snap, whereas if it was too slack, then it wouldn’t play the correct note. Upon hearing those words, Siddhartha realised asceticism was an extreme path that was wrong. He stood up, walked to the river, washed himself and accepted a bowl of milk to regain his strength. After this he sat under the Bodhi tree and determined not rise until he attained full enlightenment. He achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at the age of 35, after which he became known as Buddha Shakyamuni, the jewel of the Shakya clan.

For the next 45 years after the Buddha’s enlightenment, he did not stop preaching the Dharma to everyone he met. When he reached 80 years of age, the Buddha manifested great illness and showed signs of passing. Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin and personal attendant requested the Buddha to give his last instructions to the sangha to which the Buddha replied:

“Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no other refuge; with the Dharma as your island, the Dharma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.”

In between two sal trees in Kushinagar, the Buddha lay down on his right side, with his head facing north supported by his right hand, and one foot upon the other. Although it was not the correct season, the sal trees blossomed with petals which rained down onto the Buddha’s holy body. After ensuring that members of the sangha knew that they too could achieve enlightenment, the Buddha passed into the serene state of nirvana. His final words were:

“All compounded things are subject to decay. Strive with diligence.”

Wesak Day in Malaysia

One of the floats during the Wesak Day Parade

In Malaysia, there are two common and wide spread ways of celebrating Wesak. These are the bathing of the Buddha and joining a Wesak Day Parade. The most common image of the Buddha that is used for the bathing ritual, is the baby Buddha. This form of Buddha Shakyamuni has his right hand pointing upwards and wearing a loin cloth. According to the Buddha’s life story, Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born clean and radiant. Directly after his birth, the prince took seven steps. Lotuses sprang up from the ground wherever the prince set his feet. He lifted his right hand towards the sky, pointing his finger, while with his left hand he pointed down at the earth and said:

“I am chief of the world,
Eldest am I in the world,
Foremost am I in the world.
This is the last birth.
There is now no more coming to be.”

The statue of the baby Buddha is usually displayed in front of the main altar of the temple, in a basin filled with water and flowers. Devotees pour water over the statue while reciting a verse of prayer. The act of pouring water over the statue symbolises the cleansing of the negative actions of the devotee. In addition, it also symbolises the Buddha’s birth, during which the gods made heavenly offerings to him. The bathing of the Buddha is a practise commonly seen at the Chinese Mahayana Buddhist temples in Malaysia.

Bathing of the baby Buddha

The Wesak Day Parade takes place in various parts of Malaysia. The most significant of these, that attracts thousands of people and tourists, occurs in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, in Pulau Pinang and in Melaka.

In Kuala Lumpur, the biggest parade starts at the Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields, proceeding in a circuit back to temple. Before the parade, Buddhists from different temples decorate the vehicles that carry the Buddha statues from their temples with flowers, lights, etc. Some of these vehicles also carry monks from their temple, who give blessings to those who participate in the parade.

Monk giving blessings to devotees during Wesak Day prayers

For those who wish to witness the beginning of the parade, it is advisable that you reach the Brickfields area at least three hours prior to the starting of the parade. The surrounding roads and streets begin to get congested before the parade starts. For the best view of the parade, tourists who happen to be in the Bukit Bintang area should head to the HSBC building along Jalan Sultan Ismail, while those in Chinatown or nearby will have a good view of the parade in front of the Central Market building. When the parade returns from KLCC, those in Chinatown can see it along Jalan Pudu in front of Pudu Central.

One of the floats during the Wesak day parade

The merits of any good deeds performed on this day are considered to be multiplied many times, by as much as 100 million times. Therefore it is an excellent time for us to dedicate ourselves to all kinds of positive actions to benefit ourselves and others. As a Buddhist, on Wesak day, in addition to participating in rituals, chanting and performing good deeds, we should also make the commitment to learn up on Buddhist philosophy and practice, to understand what the Buddha taught, to understand his life and teachings, and to apply it in our lives in order to transform our minds and change our attitude towards others and the environment.

Or view the video on the server at:
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The Celebrations

Activities during Wesak day begins with the chanting of the holy sutras, recitation of mantras, and the singing of hymns in praise of the Three Jewels: the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. This is almost always accompanied with extensive flower and light offerings. Additional activities can include other spiritually positive actions according to the Buddhist tradition, such as meditation, recitation of prayers, pilgrimage to holy sites associated with the Buddha like Bodhgaya, visiting spiritual teachers, becoming ordained for a month, rescuing animals and engaging in acts of charity. The act of offering teaches devotees about the impermanence of life. Flowers wither and candles will eventually burn out, and just like these, human lives are subject to decay and deterioration.

Many devoted Buddhists observe a vegetarian diet one day before the actual celebration to cleanse and purify themselves on a physical level for Wesak day. In addition, devotees also release animals such as tortoises, fish and doves. This act gives the animals freedom from being killed, abused and held against their will, as well as being a symbolic gesture of releasing all sentient beings from suffering, which is a goal that Buddhists strive for in their practice.

The practice of animal liberation is adopted by Buddhists as one of the good deeds to be performed on Wesak Day

Buddha Shayamuni was a prince of peace, and an exponent of love and great compassion that encompasses every single sentient being. He realised that every sentient being can feel pain, happiness, love and care. Therefore on Wesak day, in celebration of the Buddha’s compassion, and the simultaneous wish for us to develop that compassion, we liberate animals to remember that we should give our all to others without expecting a thank you in return. This is the real meaning behind being a vegetarian and releasing animals. We can liberate birds, cows who are marked to be slaughtered, fish, insects, or any type of animal we like. We can even go further by making donations to old folks homes, orphanages, to people who are homeless, to people who are mentally challenged, or give clothes and toys to less-fortunate children. We can do all of this in celebration because Wesak day is not a day of receiving, but it is a day of giving.

The best way to pay homage to the Buddha is twofold: on an outer level and an inner level. On an outer level, we can make offerings of flowers, light, water, tea, incense, and engage in practices such as prostration. This is a wonderful way of paying homage to the Buddha. When we make offerings and show respect to the Buddha, we are creating the energy and causes for ourselves to become a Buddha in the future. When we show respect to the Buddha’s body, we wish to achieve the enlightened body that is free of sickness. When we offer light to the Buddha, we are offering light to dispel darkness, therefore we create the causes for our ignorance to be dispelled and our wisdom to shine forth with brilliance. The offering of incense smells good. In ancient Indian tradition, a good smell signified our keeping of vows and good morality. Therefore offering incense creates the cause to live a wholesome and beneficial life through the holding of morality. When offering food, we pray that all beings in our world and in other dimensions are free from hunger, suffering, poverty and disease. Therefore in Buddhism, when we pay homage to the Buddha, it is to create the causes to overcome suffering and encourage us to focus on the needs of others above our own.

Light offerings to the Buddhas

On an inner level, the supreme way to pay homage to the Buddha is to lessen the qualities in us that bring grief, suffering, strife, and difficulties to people and the environment around us. That is why Buddhists perform good deeds on Wesak day, creating the necessary causes and merits for the highest purpose of spiritual transformation – to eventually become a Buddha.

If there is no temple nearby and we can’t get to a temple, we can have a personal shrine set up in our homes. On the shrine, we can have a beautiful image of Lord Buddha. We are not praying to the image but using the image to remind us of the qualities of the Buddha that we wish to achieve. We can make offerings on this shrine and offer prostrations. We can sit in front of our shrine comfortably, and chant sutras or recite prayers according to whichever Buddhist tradition we follow, be it in Chinese, Tibetan or English. If we are older, we can sit on a chair, otherwise on a cushion or on the floor.

Then, on an inner level, we meditate carefully about what we have done during the past year before Wesak that has brought harm to others, contemplate on the actions we do that are negative, and why we do such actions. We think carefully and clearly that by paying homage to the Buddha, we transform the negative qualities in our mind so we create less suffering for ourselves and others. To end the session, we make a firm resolution to the Buddha that we will do as we have promised and transform ourselves for the better. This meditation can also be done in a temple after making offerings or after we finish a chanting session. This the best way to celebrate Wesak.

A simple yet beautiful altar

The Temples

The first World Fellowship of Buddhists Conference in Sri Lanka, 1950

In Malaysia, Wesak day is celebrated by Buddhists throughout the country. It is also celebrated strongly in countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos where Buddhism is widely practiced. Since the introduction of Buddhism to the west, Buddhists there also celebrate the festival. Although Wesak day has traditionally been celebrated for centuries, the decision to celebrate Wesak to mark the three major events in the Buddha’s life was formalised in 1950 at the very first World Fellowship of Buddhists conference in Sri Lanka. The resolution reads as follows:

“That this Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, while recording its appreciation of the gracious act of His Majesty, the Maharaja of Nepal in making the full-moon day of Vesak a Public Holiday in Nepal, earnestly requests the Heads of Governments of all countries in which large or small number of Buddhists are to be found, to take steps to make the full-moon day in the month of May a Public Holiday in honour of the Buddha, who is universally acclaimed as one of the greatest benefactors of Humanity.”

Wesak day is celebrated in accordance with the lunar date that all three major events are said to have taken place. It is celebrated on different days in different countries due to variations in local lunar calendars. According to the Asian lunisolar (joint lunar and solar) calendars, the exact date of Wesak is celebrated in the month of Vaisakha of the Buddhist and Hindu calendars. Hence the alternative name Vesak. The date varies each year as the diverse Buddhist traditions use different lunar calendars to determine the date. Wesak Day in Japan, Korea and China usually falls on April, 8 of each year. On the other hand, countries like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Singapore celebrate the event in May.

Every year in Malaysia, the Wesak day celebrations begin at dawn at various Buddhist temples throughout the country. Depending on the different traditions followed, fellow Buddhists usually gather at the temples to perform a series of good deeds. These can range from taking the eight Mahayana precepts, liberation of animals, making offerings to the sangha, offering of lights, taking vegetarian and refuge vows, giving to the needy, donating to temples for Dharma activities, building of temples and maintaining them, etc.

Wesak Day being celebrated in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka

There are many Buddhist temples that are highly active on Wesak Day. In Kuala Lumpur, these include Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields, Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple and Kechara House in Petaling Jaya, and Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple in Sentul among many others. In the northern part of Malaysia, there is Butterworth Buddhist Association of Pulau Pinang, while on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, there is Wan Fo Tien Buddhist Temple of Kuantan. In southern Malaysia, there is Seck Kia Eenh Temple in Melaka that has hosted a Wesak Day parade attended by 10,000 people in the past, while in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak in East Malaysia, Poh Ka Buddhist Temple is well-known for their activities on this day.

Or view the video on the server at:
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Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in preparation for Wesak Day

Founded in 1894 by the Sinhalese community, the Buddhist Maha Vihara provides a place for the preservation of the Sri Lankan Theravada tradition. It is known by the locals as the Brickfields Buddhist Temple and situated very close to Palm Court Apartments in Brickfields.

Every year, preparations for Wesak day begin at least a week beforehand. This includes decorating the parade vehicles with flowers and lights as part of the celebration. In addition, stalls selling all sort of items are set up around the temple the day before.

Accommodation near Buddhist Maha Vihara

For those who are interested in joining the Wesak Day Parade that begins at Buddhist Maha Vihara or wishing to visit the temple during the festival, here is a list of places to stay that are located near the temple itself.

1. Lotus Hotel KL Sentral (0.12 miles/0.2 km)
   250, Jalan Tun Sambanthan,
   Brickfields, KL Sentral,
   50470 Kuala Lumpur,
   Malaysia
2. OYO Rooms Little India Junction (0.12 miles/0.2 km)
   Plot No 250, Jalan Tun Sambanthan,
   Brickfields, KL Sentral,
   50470 Kuala Lumpur,
   Malaysia
3. Brickfields Park Hotel (0.18 miles/0.3 km)
   No. 262 A-C, Jalan Tun Sambanthan,
   KL Sentral,
   50470 Kuala Lumpur,
   Malaysia

Getting to Buddhist Maha Vihara

1. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 47 minutes by cab (33.7 miles/54.3 km)
2. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 28 minutes by KLIA Ekspres towards KL Sentral station
3. From Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station: 14 minutes walk (0.7 miles/1.1 km)
4. From Tun Sambanthan Station: 5 minutes walk; (0.2 miles/0.4 km)

Map to Buddhist Maha Vihara

Address and contact details

123, Jalan Berhala,
Brickfields,
50470 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Tel: +60 3-2274 1141

Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple in Petaling Jaya

Devotees flock to the temple to get blessings, and to make offerings to the Buddha and sangha at Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple

Using traditional and intricate Thai designs, the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple was built along Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya in an area of residential homes. The temple has a multi-coloured and multi-layered roof, and different chapels and buildings that host devotees. There is a natural spring at the back for people with health problems, which is known to aid healing. It is also affectionately known as the PJ Siamese Temple by locals, and is normally filled to bursting with people during important days and festivals, such as Loy Krathong (the floating baskets festival) and Songkran (traditional Thai New Year).

During the Wesak festival, people come to the temple to receive blessings from the monks, which are followed by activities such as offering gold leaf on Buddha statues, placing coins into the alms bowls of the golden Buddhas, bathing the baby Buddha, ringing the bells at the Guan Yin pavilion, making robe offerings, etc.

Accommodation near Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple

1. Hilton Petaling Jaya (0.5 miles/0.8 km)
   2 Jalan Barat,
   Petaling Jaya,
   46200 Selangor,
   Malaysia
2. Hotel Armada PJ (0.6 Miles/0.96 km)
   Lot 6, Lorong Utara C,
   Section 52, Petaling Jaya,
   46200 Selangor,
   Malaysia
3. Crystal Crown Hotel Petaling Jaya (0.6 Miles/0.96 km)
   12, Lorong Utara A,
   Off Jalan Utara,
   Petaling Jaya,
   65352 Selangor,
   Malaysia

Getting to Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple

1. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 49 minutes by cab (34.5 miles/55.6 km)
2. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 28 minutes by KLIA Ekspres towards KL Sentral station
3. From Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station: 18 minutes by KTM towards Taman Jaya Station, walk about 10 minutes

Map to Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple

Address and contact details

No. 24 Jalan Pantai,
Off Jalan Gasing,
46000 Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia
Tel: +603 7955 2443

Kechara House Buddhist Association in Petaling Jaya

His Eminence snaps his fingers while reciting a verse on impermanence before sitting on the throne in Kechara House

Kechara House was founded by His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche in 2000. It is a Tibetan Buddhist organisation belonging to the Gelug tradition founded by Lama Tsongkhapa. With the goal and vision of preserving the precious teachings of the tradition, His Eminence has conceptualised and built the modern and peaceful Kechara Forest Retreat along Jalan Chamang in Bentong, Pahang state, Malaysia. It is fondly known as the ‘lama temple’ by the locals, and is a place where healing activities take place, benefiting people both physically and spiritually.

During the Wesak festival, devotees visit both the temple in Petaling Jaya and the retreat centre in Bentong, to participate in various activities such as animal liberation, taking the eight Mahayana precepts, and taking vegetarian vows. They can also witness the ordination of Buddhist pastors, an inspiration event during which people take on vows dedicating their lives to benefit others through the sharing of the Buddha’s teachings. In addition, the Lama Chopa Puja (Sanskrit: Guru Puja) and prayers take place on this day to request for His Eminence’s continued good health and long life, as a sign of gratification and appreciation for such a compassionate and kind spiritual advisor who has dedicated his life to contributing to society and humanity tirelessly.

Accommodation near Kechara House

1. O’Boutique Suites (1.80 Miles/2.90 km)
   B2-01, Casa Utama,
   PJU6A, Petaling Jaya,
   47400 Selangor,
   Malaysia
2. My Home Hotel (2.48 miles/4.00 km)
   F-G-5, Pusat Komersial Parklane,
   Petaling Jaya,
   47301 Selangor,
   Malaysia
3. Eiffel Hotel (4.35 Miles/7.00 km)
   12, Lorong Utara A,
   No. 21, Jalan SS7/26,
   Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya,
   47301 Selangor,
   Malaysia

Getting to Kechara House

1. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 50 minutes by cab (37.15 miles/59.80 km)
2. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 28 minutes by KLIA Ekspres towards KL Sentral station
3. From Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station: 1 hour by LRT towards Kelana Jaya Station, 10 minutes by cab towards Kechara House

Map to Kechara House Buddhist Association Malaysia

Address and contact details

No. 7, Jalan PJU 1/3G,
SunwayMas Commercial Center,
47301 Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia
Tel: +603 7803 3908

His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche conducting a prayer at Kechara Forest Retreat, accompanied by traditional Tibetan ritual instruments

Accommodation near Kechara Forest Retreat

1. Tumike Hotel (2.92 miles/4.70 km)
   P.6-G, Jalan MG3,
   Pusat Perniagaan Mutiaramas Gemilang,
   28700 Bentong,
   Malaysia
2. Tras Mutiara Hotel (3.17 Miles/5.10 km)
   P.22, Jalan MG2,
   28700 Bentong,
   Malaysia
3. EV World Hotel (3.48 Miles/5.60 km)
   No. 107-108, Jalan Loke Yew,
   Off Jalan Utara,
   28700 Bentong,
   Malaysia

Getting to Kechara Forest Retreat
From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 1 hour 55 minutes by cab (82.64 miles/133 km)

Map to Kechara Forest Retreat

Address and contact details

Lot 3189, Jalan Chamang,
28700 Bentong,
Malaysia
Tel: +603 7803 3908

Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur

The Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple is also known as the Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple. It is a Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist temple located in Sentul. The temple is affiliated with the Sri Jayanti Welfare Organisation that supports the poor and needy, as well as the elderly.

Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur

The temple has a basic clinic that offers free consultation to the less fortunate and a columbarium pagoda that houses the ashes of the deceased, as well as a three-storey education building with classrooms to host teachings and dharma activities.

During Wesak, the temple has many activities, including making flower and light offerings, receiving blessings from the monks, etc. Outside the main prayer hall, there is a huge golden Buddha beautifully decorated with flowers and light for devotees to make offerings to.

Accommodation near Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple

1. Archeotel Hotel (0.08 miles/0.14 km)
   No 10 & 12, Jalan Haji Salleh,
   51100 Kuala Lumpur,
   Malaysia
2. Archeotel Hotel (0.22 miles/0.37 km)
   10, Jalan Haji Salleh,
   Sentul,
   51100 Kuala Lumpur,
   Malaysia
3. Tamarind Stays (0.29 miles/0.48 km)
   E1A-25-7, The Tamarind,
   2, Jalan Sentul Indah,
   Sentul,
   51000 Kuala Lumpur,
   Malaysia

Getting to Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple

1. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 59 minutes by cab (39.7 miles/63.9 km)
2. From Kuala Lumpur International Airport: 28 minutes by KLIA Ekspres towards KL Sentral station
3. From Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station: 14 minutes by KTM towards Sentul Station, walk about 10 minutes walk

Map to Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple

Address and contact details

Jalan Tujuh, Sentul Selatan,
51000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Tel: +016 311 0009

Butterworth Buddhist Association, Butterworth, Pulau Pinang

Devotees making their offerings at Butterworth Buddhist Association

Within the busy industrial town of Mak Mandin, is the Butterworth Buddhist Association temple. This temple gathers Buddhists from all over Butterworth on Wesak day for prayers, blessings, chanting, offerings and rituals such as bathing the baby Buddha. There are food stalls around the temple and a blood donation drive during Wesak to encourage vegetarianism and generosity.

Accommodation near Butterworth Buddhist Association

1. Aroma Hotel (1.67 miles/2.7 km)
   11, Butterworth Business City Centre,
   Jalan Raja Uda,
   12300 Butterworth,
   Malaysia
2. De Garden Hotel Butterworth (2.05 miles/3.3 km)
   Lorong Cempa (Off Jalan Telaga Air),
   12200 Butterworth,
   Malaysia
3. T+ Hotel Butterworth (2.29 miles/3.7 km)
   4476, 4477, 4478, Jalan Bagan Luar,
   12000 Butterworth,
   Malaysia

Getting to Butterworth Buddhist Association

From Penang International Airport: 32 minutes by cab (18.2 miles/29.3 km)

Map to Butterworth Buddhist Association

Address and contact details

7156, Tingkat Mak Mandin 3,
Mak Mandin,
Butterworth,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 333 4499

Wan Fo Tien Buddhist Temple, Kuantan, Pahang

The Wan Fo Tien Buddhist Temple, also known as the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, is affiliated with the Pahang Buddhist Association. The inner walls of the temple are covered from top to bottom with carved Buddha image tiles. On the altar of the main prayer hall, sits a magnificent white jade Buddha.

The serene surroundings of Wan Fo Tien Buddhist Temple

On Wesak day, devotees join the celebrations by visiting the temple and taking part in various activities such as Dharma talks, chanting, exhibitions and acts of charity. Vegetarian food is served, accompanied with musical performances held in the gardens beside the temple.

Accommodation near Wan Fo Tien Buddhist Temple

1. Sri Manja Boutique Hotel (1.67 miles/2.7 km)
   B2-34, Jalan IM 7/1,
   Bandar Indera Mahkota,
   25300 Kuantan,
   Malaysia
2. Arenaa Batik Boutique Hotel (2.29 miles/3.7 km)
   E2324-2326, Jalan Dato’ Wong Ah Jang,
   25100 Kuantan,
   Malaysia
3. Hotel Sentral Kuantan (2.54 miles/4.1 km)
   No. 45-P, Jalan Besar,
   Kuantan City,
   25000 Kuantan,
   Malaysia

Getting to Wan Fo Tien Buddhist Temple

From Kuantan Sultan Ahmad Shah Airport: 16 minutes by cab (9.87 miles/15.9 km)

Map to Wan Fo Tien Buddhist Temple

Address and contact details

Jalan Sungai Lembing,
Bandar Indera Mahkota,
25200 Kuantan
Malaysia
Tel: +609 573 9744

Seck Kia Eenh Temple, Melaka

Since 1960, Wesak day celebrations in Melaka have been organised by Seck Kia Eenh Temple. The Wesak Day Parade in Melaka attracts many people as it is believed that the late Venerable Ananda Mangala Maha Nayaka Thera would bless the parade vehicles on the eve of Wesak day.

Seck Kia Eenh Temple, Melaka

At Seck Kia Eenh temple, they celebrate Wesak for seven consecutive days. The activities included the taking of the eight Mahayana precepts, Dharma talks and chanting. In addition, the sacred ‘Pindapata’ tradition is followed, during which people make offerings of food to the sangha.

Before the parade begins, devotees gather at Seck Kia Eenh temple from around 5.00 pm to join the chanting of prayers, after which they line up alongside their respective vehicles for the parade. At 7.00 pm, the parade starts from the temple at Jalan Gajah Berang, moves through Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Pengkalan Rama to Jalan Laksamana over Tan Kim Seng bridge and moves along Lorong Hang Jebat, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Heeren Street) and lastly along Jalan Tengkera, before returning to the temple. More than 30 Buddhist temples and associations join the festive parade, which ends at 10.30 pm. The celebration however, continues through the night with chanting of various prayers at the temple.

Parade float from Seck Kia Eenh Temple

Accommodation near Seck Kia Eenh Temple

1. Hotel Puri Melaka (0.4 miles/0.64 km)
   118, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock,
   Jonker,
   75200 Malacca
   Malaysia
2. The Baba House Hotel (0.4 miles/0.64 km)
   No. 121 – 127, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock,
   Jonker,
   75200 Malacca
   Malaysia
3. Casa Del Rio Melaka Hotel (0.4 miles/0.64 km)
   88, Jalan Kota Laksamana,
   Malacca City Center,
   75200 Malacca
   Malaysia

Getting to Seck Kia Eenh Temple

From Malacca Airport: 19 minutes by cab (5.40 miles/8.7 km)

Map to Seck Kia Eenh Temple

Address and contact details

No. 57, Jalan Gajah Berang,
75200 Melaka,
Malaysia
Tel: +606 283 7440

Poh Ka Buddhist Temple, Kuching, Sarawak

The Poh Ka Buddhist Temple was built in 1900 and is located in Simpang Tiga, Kuching. It is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Malaysia. There are plans to build a three-storey monastery called Poh Ka Monastery next to it, which is expected to be completed in three years’ time. Wesak Day celebrations at Poh Ka Buddhist Temple sees crowds of devotees and visitors taking part in prayers, chants, offerings and special ceremonies commemorating the life of the Buddha.

Devotees engaging the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha

Accommodation near Poh Ka Buddhist Temple

1. Citadines Uplands Kuching (6 minutes walking distance)
   No. 55 Jalan SPG,
   93300 Kuching,
   Malaysia
2. Public Lodge Kuching (4 minutes walking distance)
   1st & 2nd Floor, Lot 8644, Jalan Simpang Tiga,
   93300 Kuching,
   Malaysia
3. Mega Inn (14 minutes walking distance)
   King’s Centre, Jalan Simpang Tiga,
   93300 Kuching,
   Malaysia

Getting to Poh Ka Buddhist Temple

From Kuching International Airport: 14 minutes by cab (5.28 miles/8.5 km)

Map to Poh Ka Buddhist Temple

Address and contact details

No. 2222, Jalan Uplands,
Simpang Tiga,
93200 Kuching,
Sarawak
Tel: +6082 231 007

Conclusion

It’s very nice to see that this beautiful celebration has taken root in Malaysia and has been integrated into the local culture, while preserving its essence and significance. Wesak is widely recognised in both Buddhist and non-Buddhist countries all over the world, however in Malaysia it is also a national holiday. The celebration of Wesak is a celebration of humanity, and its compassion, kindness and equanimity. As Buddhism teaches us, through paying homage to the Buddha, we strive to better ourselves to achieve these qualities.

No matter what religion we are, we should be respectful of the religious traditions of others. Malaysia is a good example of this religious tolerance and acceptance, as Buddhists are allowed the freedom to celebrate this holy day. Everyone deserves happiness, compassion and love equally, regardless of what they believe in. We should all abide by this kind of thinking, and then the world will be at peace. This is how we should celebrate Wesak – to strengthen our determination to lead lives with less suffering, to transform our minds, practice kindness, and bring peace and harmony to all mankind.

 
References:

• Rinpoche on National TV2’s Wesak Day Special!
• Appreciation Movie for KH Wesak Fair Volunteers
• Double Rainbow at Kechara Wesak Day Fair
• I Was So Happy Yesterday!!!
• My Thank You Message to Wesak Volunteers 2011
• Special Day!!
• Spiritual Fun at Kechara’s Wesak Fair 2011
• Sunway Pyramid Wesak Fair 2012
• Wesak Day The World Over
• 12,0000 People To Take Part In Wesak Day Procession In Melaka from Malaysiandigest.com
• 5 places to celebrate Wesak Day in Malaysia from Star2.com
• Celebration Of Wesak from Maithri.com
• Devotees help spruce up temple for Wesak celebration from TheStar.com.my
• Everything you need to know about Wesak Day from Expatgo.com/my/
• Vesak from Wikipedia.org
• Wesak Day from Explorer.justenglish.com
• Wesak Day from Officeholidays.com
• Wesak Day 2017 and 2018 from Publicholidays.com.my
• Wesak Day in Asia – Significance and Celebration! from Asiaplacestosee.com
• Wesak Day in Malaysia from Wonderfulmalaysia.com

 
For more interesting information:

• Rinpoche on National TV2’s Wesak Day Special!
• Thaipusam – The Festival of Lord Murugan
• 25 Mouthwatering Dishes Of Malaysia
• A Muhibbah Celebration: The Lantern Festival Charity Bazaar
• Ready to be scared?
• Cleaning Up Bentong for Malaysia Day
• In the presence of Manjushri | 恩师甘露法雨
• Pilgrimage to Mount Wutai

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