Wesak
Buddha’s Birthday By Freya Savitri Sampson Custodian Eartheart
The full moon in May marks perhaps the most significant celebration in the Buddhist calendar. Buddha Jayanti is the celebration of the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who upon his enlightenment, whilst meditating under the Bodhi Tree, transformed in consciousness and from that moment became Gautama Buddha, thus in the process of his enlightenment (god selfrealisation) Prince Siddhartha Gautama died. This is why Wesak or Vesak is the celebration of Buddha’s birth, passing and enlightenment.
Under the Bodhi Tree Bhudda’s becoming occurred over what are known as the three-watches or phases of the night.
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Supernal Magazine
During the first phase of the night, when his mind was calm, clear and purified, light, knowledge and insight arose within him. He saw his previous lives, at first one, then two, three... then in multiples - thirty to fifty, growing to 100, 1000 and beyond. As he continued his practice, during the second phase of the night, he witnessed how beings die and are reborn, depending upon their Karma. How they disappear and reappear from one form to become another, moving from one plane of existence to another. During the final phase of the night, he saw the arising and cessation of all phenomena, mental and physical. He saw how things arose, their occurrences dependent on causation and conditions, which led him to perceive
“It illuminated a way by which mankind could cross, from a world of hatred, violence and fear, to a new world of light, of true love” the arising and cessation of suffering, and all forms of unsatisfactoriness, thus paving the way for the eradication of all taints of cravings. Upon the complete cessation of craving, his mind was completely liberated, and he attained Full Enlightenment. This realisation dawned within him, together with all psychic powers. This wisdom and light that dawned and radiated under the Bodhi Tree is considered of great significance to human destiny. It illuminated a way by which mankind could cross, from a world of hatred, violence and fear, to a new world of light, of true love and true happiness, equating inner peace.
