ABC
Religious texts
Religious schools and traditions
Heavenly beings and deities
Legendary and historical figures
Legendary and real places
Symbols and art
Doctrines and rituals
- Awakening
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- Dependent origination
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- Heavens and hells
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- Non-self
- Om (mani padme hum)
- Parinirvana
- Pilgrimage sites
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- Puja
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- Realms of existence
- Rebirth
- Recitation
- Renunciation
- Ritual
- Self
- Suffering
- Tales of rebirth
- Three Jewels
- Three-body doctrine
- Universal ruler
- Vesak
- Ye-dhamma formula
- Yoga
Vesak
Doctrines and rituals
Vesak is the most important religious holiday in Buddhism. It is celebrated on the occasion of the first full moon in May. The people commemorate the Buddha’s birth, awakening, and parinirvana by means of a puja. The festive tradition originated in Theravada Buddhism as practised in Sri Lanka and Thailand. Today, Vesak is also celebrated by members of other Buddhist traditions.