happy 2552nd

The May 4 birthday of the Gautama Buddha 佛誕 is celebrated in East Asia on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. It’s an official holiday in Hong Kong, Macau, and South Korea, but not in Japan where its occurs on April 8 but not as an official holiday (but Flower Festival). Buddhists in Thailand and Vietnam celebrate on May 26 this year (add 7 days for every year hereafter). May 19th is also celebrated somewhere (Vishaka). Buddhists know how to make a party last!

p.s. Gautama would be 2552 years old this year, give or take. He was raised in the Indian state of Kosala where his father was chief (or king) of the Shakya nation (tribe). He was given the name Siddhartha; Gautama was the family name. At age 29 he left behind wife and child and easy living, setting out to inquire into the nature of suffering, especially old age, sickness, and death.

After asceticism and Anapana-sati (awareness of breathing in and out), Siddhartha is said to have discovered the Middle Way—a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. Subequent events, including 40 years as a wandering teacher, led to him being called Buddha, meaning Awakened or Enlightened One; also as Shakyamuni Buddha, the Awakened One of the Shakya Clan.

Such is my attempt at sketching the path of an extraordinary life in 10 lines. Some other time we’ll investigate why the Buddha is sometimes depicted as a jolly fat man and other times as a tall skinny guy.

For a good overview of the Buddha’s life and teaching, click here.