The birthday of the historical Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha, known as Vesak in several countries, celebrates the birth of the child who became Prince Siddhartha around the end of the 4th century B.C.

Prince Siddhartha with his foster mother Mahaprajapati. A 1910 painting by Maligawage Sarlis. Photo by MediaJet, 2009 via Wikimedia Commons Mother’s Day offers an opportunity to reflect on what ...

Dec. 8 marks the celebration of Bodhi Day in Japanese Buddhism. Bodhi means enlightenment or awakening in Sanskrit. It commemorates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha.

(The Conversation) — The historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, taught that family ties were obstacles to enlightenment. However, his relationship with his mother remained important for him. (The ...