Dear All,
I have a basic question about Vesak Day. Did the birth, enlightenment and parinibbana happen on the same day?
Can somebody explain the origin of Vesak?
Thank you.
Ben
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Hi Ben,
Great question!
When talking about the birth of the Buddha, the Suttas do not mention the month, nor do they say that it was a full moon. When talking about the enlightenment of the Buddha, the Suttas do not mention the month, nor do they say that it was a full moon. When talking about the parinibbāna of the Buddha, the Suttas do not mention the month, nor do they say that it was a full moon.
According to the Encyclopedia of Buddhism (Govt of Sri Lanka), “information about Vesak fullmoon day, completely absent from the Pāli canonical texts of all strata, is confined to Pāli commentarial and post-commentarial literature and Buddhist works written in the native languages of the Theravāda Buddhist countries.” In other words, the date is not accepted by non-Theravāda Buddhists.
The first mention of a Vesak celebration is in the Mahāvamsa (32.35) where it records that King Duṭṭhagāmanī (BC 101-72) celebrated Vesak 24 times during his reign.
Personally, I view Vesak as a celebration of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha, not the anniversary of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
Ben, I am sorry if I gave you more information than you were looking for 
Metta
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