联合国庆祝国际佛教卫塞节
U.N. Celebrates Buddhist International Day of Vesak
http://www.buddhistweb.org/index.php/fjzx/4437-联合国庆祝国际佛教卫塞节
By John Laing, edited by Jim Luce, Daily Kos, May 7, 2012
约翰•莱恩，由吉姆•卢斯编辑，每日科斯，2012年5月7日
纽约，美国 - 卫塞节（Vesak）意示佛陀的诞生，成道和他的圆寂（逝世），在佛历上是最神圣的一天。在这个世界被诸多冲突，自然灾害和人为灾害昏暗了的时代，佛陀所传递的非暴力，理解，慈悲和和平的信息具有着重大意义。
2012年5月7日，联合国在联合国大会厅庆祝了国际卫塞节。
Visakha在巴利语中是第6个月的意思，在梵文中被称为Vaisakha。在泰国，人们称之为Visakha。Visakha法会是指在农历六月举行的唱诵和供养三宝活动。然而，因为斯里兰卡人把这个法会称之为卫塞节（Vesak），联合国也已采用卫塞节（Vesak）作为官方术语，并在2000年联合国大会第54/115决议中正式承认其为国际日之一。
自那以后，联合国总部以及其在世界各地的办事机构每年都纪念国际卫塞节。此活动的独特之处是每年由不同的联合国常驻代表团主办。今年卫塞节的活动包括由若干佛教与非佛教的国家资助的文化活动。
今年的卫塞节举办了一系列活动，是由斯里兰卡在纽约的联合国常驻代表团来组织，并在其他代表团的慷慨援助下完成的。 联合国各办事机构的首脑以及联合国系统其他高级官员们出席了活动。
会员国的常驻代表们也参加了此次活动，其中一些人在会上作了发言。来自世界各地的大量的佛教僧侣，以及其他主要宗教教派的要人们也参与了此次活动。
作为传统，孟加拉国，印度，尼泊尔，斯里兰卡，和东南亚的新加坡，越南，泰国，柬埔寨，老挝，马来西亚，缅甸，和印度尼西亚等这些国家的佛教徒们纪念卫塞节圣日。有趣的是，同意庆祝Vesakha为佛陀的生日并使之正式化，是在1950年由斯里兰卡举行的世界佛教徒联谊会第一次会议决定的，虽然在那时，卫塞节在佛教界已经是具有百年历史的传统了。
在议会大厅举行完特别纪念活动之后，在联合国接待室大厅举行了文化表演，表达了组织会员国们丰富的佛教文化遗产。这一天是以来自19个组织会员国的美食活动形式来结束的。
文章来源：http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=71,10886,0,0,1,0
翻译：不惑
U.N. Celebrates Buddhist International Day of Vesak
By John Laing, edited by Jim Luce, Daily Kos, May 7, 2012
New York, USA -- Vesak - signifying “Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and His Parinirvãna (passing away) - is the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar. In an era where the world is darkened by multiple conflicts and natural and man-made calamities, the Buddha’s message of non-violence, understanding, compassion and peace, is powerfully relevant.
The United Nations celebrated the International Day of Vesak on May 7, 2012 at the U.N. General Assembly Hall.
Visakha in Pali means the sixth month and is known as Vaisakha in Sanskrit. People in Thailand call it Visakha. Visakha Puja means the chantings and offerings initiated in the sixth lunar month. However, as people in Sri Lanka have called this event Vesak, the United Nations too have adopted Vesak as the official term and have officially recognised it as one of its International Day, as stated in the U.N.’s GA Resolution 54/115 of 2000.
Since then, the International Day of Vesak has been commemorated annually at the United Nations Headquarters as well as its offices worldwide. The unique feature of the celebrations is that each year a different Permanent Mission to the United Nations hosts the event. The Vesak event this year included cultural activities, supported by a number of Buddhist and non-Buddhist countries.
This year's Vesak Day was also commemorated with a series of events organized by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York with the generous assistance of other missions. The heads of the United Nations bodies along with other senior officials of the UN system attended the occasion.
Permanent Representatives of Member States also attended the event and a number of them addressed the gathering. A large number of Buddhist monks from around the world also participated, along with religious dignitaries from other major religions.
The holy day of Vesak is observed traditionally by Buddhists in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the South East Asian countries of Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, and Indonesia. Interestingly, the decision to agree to celebrate the Vesakha as the Buddha’s birthday was formalized at the first Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists held in Sri Lanka in 1950, although festivals at this time in the Buddhist world are a centuries-old tradition.
Following the special commemorative event in the General Assembly Hall, cultural performances was held at the Visitor’s Lobby of the UN, depicting the rich Buddhist heritage of the organizing Member States. The day concluded with a food festival hosted by the organizing Member States, representing delicacies from over 19 nations.
U.N. Celebrates Buddhist International Day of Vesak
http://www.buddhistweb.org/index.php/fjzx/4437-联合国庆祝国际佛教卫塞节
By John Laing, edited by Jim Luce, Daily Kos, May 7, 2012
约翰•莱恩，由吉姆•卢斯编辑，每日科斯，2012年5月7日
纽约，美国 - 卫塞节（Vesak）意示佛陀的诞生，成道和他的圆寂（逝世），在佛历上是最神圣的一天。在这个世界被诸多冲突，自然灾害和人为灾害昏暗了的时代，佛陀所传递的非暴力，理解，慈悲和和平的信息具有着重大意义。
2012年5月7日，联合国在联合国大会厅庆祝了国际卫塞节。
Visakha在巴利语中是第6个月的意思，在梵文中被称为Vaisakha。在泰国，人们称之为Visakha。Visakha法会是指在农历六月举行的唱诵和供养三宝活动。然而，因为斯里兰卡人把这个法会称之为卫塞节（Vesak），联合国也已采用卫塞节（Vesak）作为官方术语，并在2000年联合国大会第54/115决议中正式承认其为国际日之一。
自那以后，联合国总部以及其在世界各地的办事机构每年都纪念国际卫塞节。此活动的独特之处是每年由不同的联合国常驻代表团主办。今年卫塞节的活动包括由若干佛教与非佛教的国家资助的文化活动。
今年的卫塞节举办了一系列活动，是由斯里兰卡在纽约的联合国常驻代表团来组织，并在其他代表团的慷慨援助下完成的。 联合国各办事机构的首脑以及联合国系统其他高级官员们出席了活动。
会员国的常驻代表们也参加了此次活动，其中一些人在会上作了发言。来自世界各地的大量的佛教僧侣，以及其他主要宗教教派的要人们也参与了此次活动。
作为传统，孟加拉国，印度，尼泊尔，斯里兰卡，和东南亚的新加坡，越南，泰国，柬埔寨，老挝，马来西亚，缅甸，和印度尼西亚等这些国家的佛教徒们纪念卫塞节圣日。有趣的是，同意庆祝Vesakha为佛陀的生日并使之正式化，是在1950年由斯里兰卡举行的世界佛教徒联谊会第一次会议决定的，虽然在那时，卫塞节在佛教界已经是具有百年历史的传统了。
在议会大厅举行完特别纪念活动之后，在联合国接待室大厅举行了文化表演，表达了组织会员国们丰富的佛教文化遗产。这一天是以来自19个组织会员国的美食活动形式来结束的。
文章来源：http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=71,10886,0,0,1,0
翻译：不惑
U.N. Celebrates Buddhist International Day of Vesak
By John Laing, edited by Jim Luce, Daily Kos, May 7, 2012
New York, USA -- Vesak - signifying “Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and His Parinirvãna (passing away) - is the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar. In an era where the world is darkened by multiple conflicts and natural and man-made calamities, the Buddha’s message of non-violence, understanding, compassion and peace, is powerfully relevant.
The United Nations celebrated the International Day of Vesak on May 7, 2012 at the U.N. General Assembly Hall.
Visakha in Pali means the sixth month and is known as Vaisakha in Sanskrit. People in Thailand call it Visakha. Visakha Puja means the chantings and offerings initiated in the sixth lunar month. However, as people in Sri Lanka have called this event Vesak, the United Nations too have adopted Vesak as the official term and have officially recognised it as one of its International Day, as stated in the U.N.’s GA Resolution 54/115 of 2000.
Since then, the International Day of Vesak has been commemorated annually at the United Nations Headquarters as well as its offices worldwide. The unique feature of the celebrations is that each year a different Permanent Mission to the United Nations hosts the event. The Vesak event this year included cultural activities, supported by a number of Buddhist and non-Buddhist countries.
This year's Vesak Day was also commemorated with a series of events organized by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York with the generous assistance of other missions. The heads of the United Nations bodies along with other senior officials of the UN system attended the occasion.
Permanent Representatives of Member States also attended the event and a number of them addressed the gathering. A large number of Buddhist monks from around the world also participated, along with religious dignitaries from other major religions.
The holy day of Vesak is observed traditionally by Buddhists in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the South East Asian countries of Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, and Indonesia. Interestingly, the decision to agree to celebrate the Vesakha as the Buddha’s birthday was formalized at the first Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists held in Sri Lanka in 1950, although festivals at this time in the Buddhist world are a centuries-old tradition.
Following the special commemorative event in the General Assembly Hall, cultural performances was held at the Visitor’s Lobby of the UN, depicting the rich Buddhist heritage of the organizing Member States. The day concluded with a food festival hosted by the organizing Member States, representing delicacies from over 19 nations.
