Buddhists in Sabah observe Wesak

Kota Kinabalu: A Buddhist devotee bathes the statue of Prince Siddhartha (young Buddha) while others wait for their turn during Wesak Day celebrations at the Puh Toh Sze Temple at Mile 5, near Kolombong-Inanam, Thursday.

Wesak Day is the most important day for the Buddhist community because it symbolises the birth, enlightment and death of Gautama Buddha.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah wished the Buddhists in the country a Happy Wesak Day.

A poster of the greetings by Their Majesties was uploaded on Istana Negara’s Facebook. “May this festival brings peace, happiness and prosperity to all Buddhists,” said Their Majesties.

SPONSORED CONTENT Carlsberg gets inked to celebrate pride of Sabah, Sarawak SHAH ALAM: Carlsberg Smooth Draught returns to celebrate Sabahan and Sarawakian pride for the third consecutive year with artful traditional tattooing designs of six beautiful icons from the Borneo islands. Read more Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also wished Buddhists in the country a Happy Wesak Day.

In a post on his Facebook Anwar said Wesak Day is a big day for the Buddhists to commemorate three important events in the life of Gautama Buddha, namely his birth, enlightenment and death.

“Buddhists believe that to achieve the highest level of happiness or Nirvana is to fight and eliminate greed, hatred and evil.

This is a very universal philosophy that can be emulated to cultivate love, human dignity, the principle of coexistence, respect and living in peace and harmony,” he said.

The prime minister said that the various festivals and cultures in the country should provide enlightenment to Malaysians to continue to bring the message of love and peace, as well as understanding, as a way to avoid the destruction and extinction of the pluralist way of life in the country.

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