How is the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passage into nirvana celebrated during Wesak?

Vesak, also spelled Wesak, is a significant Buddhism festival that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passage into final nirvana (parinibbana) of the Buddha. In Theravada Buddhist countries, these three events are observed collectively on the full-moon day of the lunar month Vesakha.12

Observances are divided between the monastic community and the laity:

• Monastic Practices: Monks and nuns typically engage in processions, the recitation of sutras, temple offerings, discourses on dharma, and the ritual bathing of a Buddha statue.1
• Lay Practices: The laity visit temples to offer flowers, light incense, and recite the Three Jewels (Triratna). Many also perform acts of merit (punya) to improve their karma, such as providing food to monastics or releasing captive animals. Additionally, laypeople may participate in cultural performances, avoid alcohol and meat, and decorate with lights and parades to celebrate the Buddha’s life.1

While Theravada traditions honor all three events on this day, some East Asian countries celebrate only the birth of the Buddha during this period, often observing the enlightenment and death on separate dates.12