Ba Den Mountain organizes a series of meaningful activities to celebrate Buddha's Birthday on May 23rd.

The Vesak celebration at Ba Den Mountain will begin with the ritual of chanting Buddha's name for blessings - a moment for Buddhists to commemorate the profound merits of the Lord Buddha, turning their hearts towards His compassion and wisdom, while praying for world peace and the well-being of all sentient beings. Amidst the sound of chanting Buddha's name echoing on the sacred peak, each person feels a moment of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of life, to entrust their good wishes and nurture their faith in peace.

Ba Den Mountain will organize activities to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday throughout the 4th lunar month. Photo: Sun World Ba Den Mountain

One of the most sacred rituals during the Buddha's Birthday season is the Buddha bathing ceremony, which will also be solemnly held at the square at the foot of the Tay Bo Da Son Buddha statue at Sun World Ba Den Mountain. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha bathing ritual commemorates the birth of the Buddha, while also symbolizing the purification of body and mind, shedding off afflictions, and nurturing a pure heart and a virtuous life.

On the evening of May 23rd, the grand ceremony of offering lamps to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday will be held at the vast square, where thousands of lamps will be lit on the sacred mountain peak, carrying prayers for peace and happiness. The lamp offering ceremony to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday is also continuously held on all Saturdays in the 4th lunar month, creating sacred moments at the highest peak in the South.

The sacred lantern offering ceremony will take place on the evening of May 23rd at Tay Bo Da Son Square. Photo: Sun World Ba Den Mountain

Visitors to Ba Den Mountain on this occasion cannot miss paying homage to the relic of Sakyamuni Buddha. This is a Buddha relic gifted to Vietnam by the World Buddhist Federation at Bodh Gaya, India in 2014, and the summit of Ba Den Mountain was honored to welcome it during the grand celebration of Buddha's Birthday in 2023, Buddhist Era 2567.

At the summit, the relic of Sakyamuni Buddha is solemnly enshrined in a two-tiered crystal stupa, amidst a sacred relic space at the Buddhist exhibition center at the foot of the Tay Bo Da Son Buddha statue. As one of the rare places in Vietnam chosen to house this "treasure of the Buddhist world," it is a great blessing for Ba Den Mountain in particular and Tay Ninh in general.

Relic of the Buddha is solemnly seated atop Ba Den Mountain. Photo: Sun World Ba Den Mountain

Besides sacred rituals, an art performance program celebrating the Buddha's birthday will also be held atop Ba Den Mountain on the mornings of May 23rd and 24th. The Golden Divine Power Buddha Dance, the Dance Under the Bodhi Tree, and the unique Chhay-dam drum dance of the Khmer people of Tay Ninh will create an emotionally rich artistic space during the Buddhist Lent season.

Visitors pay homage to the statue of Buddha Kasyapa praying for wealth and peace. Photo: Sun World Ba Den Mountain

The journey to Ba Den Mountain during the Buddha's Birthday season is also a pilgrimage for Buddhists to the land of Buddha, where magnificent spiritual and cultural works reside. There is the bronze statue of Tay Bo Da Son Lady Buddha, the tallest in Asia, which has long been a spiritual symbol of Tay Ninh. There is the world's largest sandstone statue of Bodhisattva Maitreya, with a joyful smile, representing the spirit of peace, equanimity, and fulfillment. Also here, the statue of Buddha Kasyapa sits amidst a golden lotus pond and the Uu Dam waterfall at the highest point of the "roof of the South," symbolizing wisdom and prosperity. These three special statues create a connection between the past – present – future, making for a journey of balancing Body, Mind, and Spirit for visitors during the Buddha's Birthday season, where each person can introspect and seek peace in the present moment.