VESAK DAY CULTURAL FESTIVAL OFFICIALLY HELD IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
On May 11, 2025, a specific event of the global Buddhist festival took place extremely specially in the CAPITAL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. This is the first time that the members of the Texas Congress and Representatives in the United States have accepted and passed the Vesak Festival, which includes three important events associated with the life of the Buddha: Birth, Enlightenment, and Passing.
In this Vesak Festival, with the participation of the international Buddhist Sangha including lay Buddhist devotees and monastic people of Theravada, Mahayana, and Tantric Buddhism coming from the Temples of Thailand, Myanmar, Tibet, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, the United States, etc. All are together present on this solemn Vesak Day in the Capital of Austin, Texas, the United States.
As the Vesak ceremony was about to take place, first, Buddhist monks, nuns and lay people were invited inside the Austin Congressional Hall to listen to the congress people and representatives announce that the Vesak Day is considered a global cultural and spiritual festival of Buddhism officially held in the Capital Austin, Texas on the Full Moon Day of May every year.
After hearing the announcement of Vesak Day, everyone went outside in front of the main entrance of the Capitol Building in Austin, Texas to celebrate Vesak together with many different people. Congressman Salman Bhojani was the main sponsor of the Vesak festival on that day.
On the side of the international Buddhist monks and nuns, under the witness of the Most Venerable Meditation Master Myauk Oo, from Burma.
On the side of the Vietnamese monastic and Buddhist devotees, under the witness of the Most Venerable Elder Master Thích Bửu Đức, Abbot of Hương Đạo Temple in Fort Worth, and the program coordinator was Senior Venerable Thích Tuệ Nhân.
The opening introduction of the ceremony was given by Dr. Neeraj. The chanting of the Buddha’s Birthday Sutras and the Ritual of bathing the newborn Baby Buddha were performed by international Monastic and Buddhist Devotees.
Afterward, everyone took souvenir photos very happily and got imbued with the Dharma flavor. In general, the Buddha’s Birthday ceremony held in Austin, Texas this year completed successfully.
The invited speakers shared their thoughts on the Vesak Day. First, the Most Venerable Elder Master Myauk Oo delivered a lecture by calling on everyone to contribute to the construction of the historic Dhammacetiya Stupa at Hương Đạo Temple, Fort Worth, Texas.
The Most Venerable Elder Master Thích Bửu Đức delivered a congratulatory speech. This is the first time international Buddhism has been officially held in the Capital of Austin, Texas.
Next, Buddhist monks from Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam expressed their feelings about the Vesak festival, which was very joyful and meaningful.
During the Vesak ceremony on that day, the representative of Northern Buddhism, Venerable Thích Trừng Sỹ was invited to speak and talk about the various kinds of gratitude to the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, and the grace of the Triple Gem of lay Buddhist devotees in modern times.
On the side of the Congressmen, including Mr. Bhojani, Mr. Suleman Lalani, Mr. Hubert Vo, etc., together spoke precious words of inspiration on the Full Moon Day of May, the great Vesak festival, a global cultural and spiritual festival that will be honored in Austin, Texas every year.
All expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the presence of the Venerable monks, nuns and Buddhists in this solemn Vesak ceremony, and especially supported the construction of the Dhammacetiya Buddhist Scripture Museum Stupa at Hương Đạo Temple.
After the speeches of the distinguished guests, the recitation of the Buddha’s Birthday Sutra in Pali was solemn and warm. Next, everyone performed the Buddha bathing ceremony by pouring water on the statue of the newborn Baby Buddha and silently nobly saying; not to do evil, to do good, and to keep one’s mind pure.
This event took place very successfully since Buddhism has been present in the United States in general and in the state of Texas in particular. When hearing this successful event was announced, Buddhists in Texas and in the United States were extremely happy.
This special event was recognized by the United Nations on December 15, 1999. The Vesak Day is a global cultural and spiritual festival for Buddhists and non-Buddhists to observe, praise, and honor.
We know that the United Nations organization includes many different heads of state, philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, theologians, educators, etc. But all do agree, select, and vote for the Vesak Buddha Day as a global cultural and spiritual festival.
Special features of Buddhism on the Vesak Day of Peace
1. In the global spiritual and cultural festival of Buddhism, animals are not killed. While in the cultural festivals of other religions, countless animals are killed and butchered.
2. Since Buddhism has been present in this world for over twenty-six centuries, it has never caused a religious war. Meanwhile, religions, whether big or small, whether local or international, have all caused religious wars.
3. The life of the Buddha from when he was in his mother’s womb, born, grew up, became a monk, attained full enlightenment, propagated the Dharma, and passed away, the Buddha always taught the spirit of non-violence, loving-kindness, compassion, wisdom, and peace to all sentient and insentient beings all over the planet.
The Buddha is known as the King of Peace, the Teacher of Peace, the noble spiritual Leader of peace who appeared in this world nearly three thousand years ago. Until now, we have never found any spiritual leader in the world who is more outstanding and surpasses the Buddha.
4. What the Buddha and his monastic and lay disciples preach is called the right Dharma. People in this world has never discovered or founded violence, hatred, greed, anger, delusion, ignorance, afflictions, wrong views, wrong thoughts, wrong speech, wrong actions, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong meditation concentration in the Buddha’s Dharma.
On the contrary, the Buddha’s Dharma always includes and contains loving-kindness, compassion, wisdom, mindfulness, awareness, right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right meditation concentration.
The moral precept in Buddhist education states: “Do not kill living beings by oneself, do not tell others to kill living beings, and do not rejoice in others killing living beings.” The spirit of non-violence, loving-kindness, compassion, and peace of Buddhism appears and is found in the first moral precept and other teachings of Buddhism. The Dharma of the Tathagata is the Dharma of enlightenment and peace, in the past and in the present, which has never contained violence and hatred, ignorance and afflictions in the Buddha’s teachings.
5. The Sangha, consisting of monks, nuns, and lay Buddhist devotees, well-trained disciples of the Buddha, are those who follow the Buddha, the fully enlightened Teacher, the founder of Buddhism, the path of peace that the Buddha has laid out over the past twenty-six centuries.
They are the messengers of peace who practice the Dharma of peace, and vow to follow the Master of peace, spirituality, joy, happiness, and nobility for the sake of all beings on this earth.
In Mahavagga 19 and 20, when the Buddha’s disciples were growing in number, the Buddha taught them as follows:
O dear disciples, do not go in the same direction. Go in different directions. Use your own practice, joy, happiness, and peace to teach other people in the local languages of the places where you live.
For the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, for the well-being and happiness of gods and human beings, go forth to propagate the Dhamma to the many in this very life.
The Dhamma of the Tathagata is perfect in the beginning, perfect in the middle, and perfect in the end, both in the meaning and in the letter. Proclaim the holy life and peace to the many on this earth.
Indeed, Buddhism, the path of awakening and peace, the religion of peace founded by Buddha Shakyamuni, appeared in this world more than 2600 years ago. Wherever Buddhism has been spread and present, there Buddhism has never caused religious wars.
Wherever Buddhism is present, there Buddhist devotees are aware to not force the local people to abandon their original religion to follow Buddhism. When people learn, understand, practice, and taste the joy of the Dharma, they themselves will cherish the Dharma learning and practice, and follow it.
Come and see
Come and hear,
Come and learn,
Come and understand,
Come and practice,
Come and apply the Buddha Dharma in the daily life, and
Come and enjoy the flowers and fruits of joy and happiness right here and right now in the present life.
Indeed, wherever Buddhism is present, there it contributes to bringing culture, peace, loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom to the many all over the planet.
In his precious golden words, the Buddha taught his disciples as follows:
Like a beautiful flower
with color and scent;
Likewise, those who diligently study and practice the Buddha Dharma daily
will surely obtain peace and joy right here in the present life. (Dhammapada 52)
Either in a village or in a deep forest
either in a valley or on a high hill
Wherever Arahants dwells,
that place is so delightful. (Dhammapada 98)
Hard is it to gain a human birth
Hard is it to find the Tathagata
Hard is it to hear the true Dharma
Hard is it to associate with the Sangha
Wherever we learn and practice the Buddha Dharma diligently,
there we definitely obtain peace and joy. (Dhammapada 193)
Happy is the birth of the Buddha;
Happy is the right Dhamma illuminating both gods and human beings;
Happy is the harmonious and peaceful Sangha that is the best field of merit for everyone to sow and to plant;
Happy is the fourfold community of lay Buddhist and Monastic devotees everywhere learning and practicing the Buddha Dharma together. (Dhammapada 194)
Through what presented and discussed above, today the Buddha Day Celebration was honored by the United Nations and other countries in the world including the United States, Thailand, India, Vietnam, etc., as the festival of culture, loving-kindness, compassion, and peace for human beings.
This Vesak Day Celebration contains global spiritual cultural features. Those who are Buddhists or not Buddhists have the wholesome conditions to cultivate, learn the Buddha, listen to his Dharma, practice, and apply the Buddha Dharma in the daily life, they have the ability to benefit themselves and other people right now and right here in the present life.
We wish you all to dwell in and get imbued deeply with the true Dharma of the World-Honored One.
