Vesak is the most celebrated Buddhist festival that commemorates the birth of Gautama Buddha - founder of the Buddhism. The Buddha's birth is also celebrated as part of Vesak to celebrate the Buddha's enlightenment and death. This year, Vesak is being celebrated on May 26, 2021, in India.
Though Buddhism originated in North India, but spread and got entrenched into most South-East Asian countries. After bloody Kalinga war, Emperor Ashoka helped to in the process of spread Buddhism into countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Indo-China.
Later, the religion spread into the Himalayan kingdoms of Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal. Also, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Korea, Viet Nam and Japan embraced Buddhism. Presently, around 95 per cent of the population in Thailand is Buddhist - the highest concentration of Buddhists in the world.
The followers of Buddhism reaffirm their faith in the five principles called Panchsheela listed as follows.
1. Never take life
2. Never steal
3. Never commit adultery
4. Never lie
5. Never consume liquor or other intoxicants
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