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The Buddha's Birthday (Vesak)

Thich Nhat Hanh · May 30, 1996 · Plum Village, France · Audio Only

The manifestation of a Buddha is a great auspicious sign, bringing freshness and peace. We have the capacity to make the Buddha be born in every day, every hour, and every minute of our daily life through mindful breathing and smiling. The Buddha is a living reality present for us twenty-four hours a day right in our heart, not a reality that has entered into extinction or only exists when we enter the Buddha hall. We do not need to go to India or climb Vulture Peak to touch this precious presence. In the book The Miracle of Mindfulness, washing dishes or washing a carrot in mindfulness is exactly bathing the baby Buddha; every bowl is a baby Buddha.

The Buddha is the most beautiful flower in the garden of humanity, but he blooms for all species, including:

Humans
Animals
Plants
Minerals

The birth of the Buddha brings happiness and safety to all species. On the day of the Buddha’s Birthday, in places like Hue or Sri Lanka, people eat vegetarian, do not kill, and offer food to anyone in need, so that no one goes hungry. One person was born who created a miracle of compassion and understanding lasting more than 2,600 years. The practitioner continues this career by nourishing the energy of mindfulness, making the Buddha continue to be born within themselves in order to offer joy to society and all species.