Vesak isn’t just another public holiday – it’s a day where Buddhists come together to commemorate the Buddha and his teachings, reflecting on the path to enlightenment and spreading love and compassion to all beings. In Singapore, Buddhist centres and temples are celebrating Vesak day as early as May 12th, many with the common theme of universal love and peace. We’ve rounded up some truly unique experiences that are sure to make this Vesak 2024 one to remember. So, whether you’re seeking inner peace or simply looking for a fun-filled day out by yourself, with your friends, and family, we’ve got something for everyone this Vesak.
Here are 6 Uniquely Memorable Vesak 2024 Experiences You Can’t-Miss:
Every year, hundreds of Buddhists of different ages would gather at Bright Hill Temple, a.k.a Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, for the “three steps, one bow” ceremony.
It is a timeless tradition where gratitude and repentance intertwine with the power of determination and perseverance. Originating from the strenuous pilgrimages of ancient Buddhist monks, this ceremony has evolved into a meditative practice where devotees circumambulate the temple, bowing once every three steps while chanting mantras or the Buddha’s name. Each bow carries profound reverence not just for the Buddha but also for the boundless wisdom embodied by countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Starting in the evening and concluding at dawn the next day, the ceremony’s duration mirrors the arduous journey towards enlightenment, highlighting the paramount importance of resolve in surmounting challenges. With the breaking dawn marking the ceremony’s culmination, it symbolises the dispelling of ignorance along the path to enlightenment.
Register online or onsite to secure your spot, as tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, limited to two per person, while stocks last.
When: 21 May 2024, 5.30pm – 22 May 2024, 7am
Address: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See 88 Bright Hill Road, Singapore 574117 Starting point: Hall of Great Strength
P.S: Can’t get your slot at KMSPKS? You can do the devotional practice at Bukit Gombak Stadium too! KYCL Zen meditation centre too is organising the 3-step, 1-bow ceremony, graced by Minister of Culture, Ms Low Yen Ling on the 21 May (Tues), 6.30pm.
As we navigate through turbulent times, Vesak events such as the Mass Meditation Blessing for World Peace organised by KYCL Zen Meditation Centre stand as beacons of hope and unity.
Set against the backdrop of Bukit Gombak Stadium on Sunday, May 19 from 6:30 to 9:30 AM, participants will embark on a journey of inner exploration and communal harmony. New to meditation? Fret not. The session will be guided by esteemed Zen Master Dae Bong and Venerable Chi Boon, with a combination of walking and sitting meditation. Through the practice of collective meditation, attendees can tap into the profound potential within themselves to effect positive change, echoing the timeless wisdom of Vesak to illuminate the path towards a more peaceful and compassionate world.
Alms-giving is central to the Theravada tradition, where monks rely on lay devotees for daily sustenance and offer teachings in return. In Singapore, this tradition is uniquely upheld by Palelai Buddhist Temple monks, who continue the practice daily at various locations in the Eastern part of Singapore. Here, locals and visitors can partake in the sacred act of giving, fostering generosity, compassion, and spiritual connection. Especially during Vesak, this experience takes on added significance, providing a rare opportunity to engage with Buddhist teachings and the spirit of generosity firsthand.
First time offering alms? Selecting items that fit easily into monks’ alms bowls is ideal. Common offerings include cooked rice, packet drinks, fruits, snack packs, and similar items. As monks in this tradition observe the precept of not possessing money, it’s important to avoid offering cash directly to them. Instead, express your generosity through tangible items or consider making monetary donations at the temple’s office. The lay committee will allocate these funds to support the monks’ daily sustenance as needed.
When: 22 May 2024 (Wed), 8.30 – 9.00am
Venue: Palelai Buddhist Temple 49 Bedok Walk, Singapore 469145
This Vesak Day, Singapore Buddhist Mission and EtonHouse Nature Pre-School bring to you an inaugural Mindful Blossoms event , aiming to promote Mindfulness in children and families via an engaging fusion of play and learn.
The event will be held at EtonHouse Nature Pre-School, a campus nestled in lush nature with, who is passionate about promoting well-being in innovative outdoor spaces to promote learning in nature. Mindful Blossoms will be graced by Guest-of-Honour, Ms Tin Pei Ling, Member of Parliment, who is passionate about promoting well-being in families.
It is every parent’s wish that their children grow up healthy, wise, and blessed with merit. Fo Guang Shan in Singapore will host the Yulin Prayer Ceremony 【毓麟祈福】 on the weekend before Vesak Day, dedicated to blessing infants aged 5 years and below.
The ceremony, with “Yu” symbolising nurturing and education and “Lin” representing Qilin’er, aims to invoke blessings from Buddha and Bodhisattva for the well-being and protection of every newborn. Through this compassionate act, Fo Guang Shan extends its wishes for a bright and joyful future for all newborns under the loving guidance of enlightened beings.
Yamantaka Fire Puja is a revered ceremony of the ancient tradition within Tibetan Buddhism and is known for its transformative power. Held annually at the open space beside Aljunied MRT station, this event is a cornerstone of the Amitabha Buddhist Centre’s Vesak celebration.
The Fire Puja is revered as the king of all pujas due to its unparalleled potency in clearing obstacles on the path to enlightenment. Offering various substances through burning, each item holds specific significance, such as grains for strength, crepe grass for longevity, kusha grass for purification, and butter for wealth. These offerings symbolise different aspects of spiritual growth and success, making the Fire Puja a vital practice for devotees seeking blessings and guidance on their spiritual journey.
This year, devotees and students of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche have the opportunity to honor and pay respects to this remarkable teacher at the Memorial Altar. It’s a time to reflect on and commemorate the profound teachings and legacy he has left behind for generations to come.
There are more than 50 Vesak Day activities happening across the island. To explore more, check out the Handful of Leaves’ Buddhist Directory, a Buddhist directory that features events, activities, communities and temples in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
This list is just a starting point for celebrating Vesak Day. The most sincere offering we can make to honour the Buddha is the dedication of our practice.
Are you a vegetarian or vegan visiting Petaling Jaya or Kuala Lumpur? You’re in luck! These cities are home to a thriving vegetarian and vegan food scene, offering a diverse array of delicious plant-based options. If you’re searching for mouthwatering meat-free meals serving local Malaysian dishes, here are 5+1 must-visit vegetarian/vegan restaurants to add to your itinerary.
1. Savor of Life: Vegan Options – Kuala Lumpur
Credits: Savor Restaurant
Address: 38G, Jalan 28/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Savor is a newly opened vegan restaurant in 2023 at Desa Sri Hartamas. Savor offers a fusion of local Malaysian, Italian, Thai and American cuisine. I was a frequent customer of Savor when they were doing food deliveries before launching their restaurant and I wanted to spotlight their vegan local Malaysian dishes.
They managed to create local dishes that I never thought were possible to be delicious when made vegan. My personal favourites are the Nasi Kerabu with “chicken” percik, Tofu masak 3 rasa and salted egg yuba.
Address: 12, Jalan B/1E, Pjs 8, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Nature’s recipe cafe has been around in PJ for many years, they are well known by locals and residents for their hearty vegetarian Malaysian dishes such as their vegetarian sambal petai. Their dishes are affordable and perfect for those craving for home-cooked dishes like nasi kunyit, laksa, vegetarian bak kut teh, vegetarian dim sum and more.
Address: Lot 609 E- Street, Lower Ground Floor, 1Utama Shopping Mall, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Chin Swee Vegeciting is an award winning vegetarian restaurant that is located in one of the popular shopping malls in Petaling Jaya, 1 Utama. They are the first vegetarian restaurant in Malaysia to be awarded the World Top Gourmet Award in 2019. They pride themselves on their ‘atas’ Chinese/Japanese fusion ‘zi char’ plant based dishes. They have branches in Genting Highlands and Publika (Kuala Lumpur).
Address: 4, Jalan 28/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan
If you’re looking for local vegan Malaysian dishes like vegetarian satay, nasi lemak, asam laksa, nasi goreng kampung and more, you should not miss out on The Vegan Place. If your company is not craving for local Malaysian cuisine but you are, they also serve pasta, burgers and Thai dishes.
Address: 19, Lorong Kurau, Bangsar, 59100, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Although most banana leaf rice stores have vegetarian options, they are usually limited. If you’re looking for one that is completely vegetarian with a wider variety of vegetarian side dishes, you must not miss The Ganga Cafe.
This is a popular spot among vegetarians craving for healthier options of banana leaf rice, biryani and chapati. This restaurant is also located near a Nyonya restaurant called Baba Low’s, although they are not a vegetarian Nyonya restaurant, their cendol is plant-based and worth trying.
Average dish prices range from RM9 to RM28.
6. Young Sanna Mee: Not a vegetarian restaurant but has vegetarian options
Address: Various branches around Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, you can just google ‘Young Sanna Mee’ and find the one closest to you when you wish to visit.
This place is not a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, however they have a few scrumptious vegetarian dishes that I frequently return for. Whenever I come back to KL, I’ll always make a trip to Young Sanna Mee with my family for their Vege sanna mee with either their pumpkin or spinach noodles.
Their vege soup has a light yet flavourful soup that does not make you feel thirsty after drinking and the best part is the soup is refillable. The dish is hearty, warm and healthy. I haven’t come across this dish yet in Singapore hence it made its way to this list as a vegetarian-friendly ‘local dish’ to try in Malaysia.
Average dish prices range from RM18 to RM30
Whether you’re a vegetarian or vegan traveler, Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur have plenty of superb options for you. These five must-visit restaurants offer a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes, ensuring you’ll find something delicious to satisfy your cravings while exploring these vibrant cities in Malaysia.
In 2023, 700k people pledged to try going vegan for a month. Will you join them in 2024? We are sharing a list of top vegan/vegetarian-friendly places to check out and support this effort to go meat-free in Singapore.
Long gone are the days when going ‘vegetarian/vegan’ meant eating miserably yellowish salad leaves for lunch. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Singapore, whether you are seeking something meat-free for health, animal compassion/welfare, religious reasons, or the environment. We have left out the kopitiams and hawkers as these change quite a bit!
Here is the list of 12 plant-based places to eat across Singapore.
1. Warung Ijo: Indonesian
Image from: HappyCow
I personally never thought I could eat Indonesian food ever since I became a vegetarian. Warung Ijo is a Godsent (Buddhasent?). Their highlights include Kalasan Chicken Rice, Nasi Lemak Rendang, and Tempe Goreng. The vegetarian food here is also alliums-free and vegan-friendly.
Nyonya food typically has shrimp hidden in certain dishes making it tough for vegans/veges to find suitable dishes. Coco’s food provides an opportunity to enjoy the Peranakan side of life. Do try their Sambal Sauce with Petai Fried Rice, and Vegetarian Curry Monkey Head Mushrooms with Turmeric Rice.
Korean food is well known for its seafood and beef, Daehwa shows that you can get tasty food without the meat! Indulge in their Kimchi soup, bulgogi mushroom stew, Army stew, and vegetable pancakes! Enjoy your meat-free K-Drama-esque getaway there!
Leaf Corner is tuck away at Tai Seng/ Sembawang/ Jurong West with awesome Chinese food. Do try their Monkey Head Mushroom, Yam Ring, KL Hokkien Mee (I always go for that despite looking at the menu for 10 minutes to try new things).
I can’t really pin down what Grove Cafe offers in terms of cuisine. It is nicely nested in the heartlands such as Paya Lebar / Canberra / Northshore / Buangkok and offers food ranging from Lu Rou Fan to Nasi Lemak (highly recommended) to your traditional breakfast toast & Chee Cheong Fan.
SMU | Li Ka Shing Library, 01-21, Singapore, 178901
133 Canberra View #01-19
6. Zen Cafe: Cafe in a Temple
Image From: HappyCow
You can’t get any more closer to Zen, by dining at a temple. Located at level 1 of Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. This cafe serves coffee, tea, smoothie, cakes, and moments of peace. The temple has many spaces to chill and meditate at for greater peace.
Tzu Chi always strikes me as a Dhamma Centric Humanitarian Organisation that is always intentional about their activities. Check out their book cafes at Sims Avenue or Yishun! It is really a tea place to chill and contemplate about life. Don’t expect a huge variety of bites there!
Vietnamese Pho is typically cooked in meat broth so this is a great treat to go meat-free! Check out their Kind Pho or Eat the Rainbow dishes to enjoy some warm soupy food on cold rainy days!
myVillage @ Serangoon Gardens 1 Maju Avenue #B1-03
9. D’life: Tze Char Vegetarian
Image From: Food Advisor Singapore
From Orchard to Beauty World, D’life has grown to 4 outlets in Singapore. They offer a huge variety of food from Asian to Western (though I’d recommend their Asian food more!). Do try their KL Noodle, Bak Ku Teh, and Creamy Abalone Mushroom.
MTR offers awesome South Indian food with very nice spices (you can of course choose non spicy too!). Try their Rava Idly or Masala Dosa. Queues can get long during lunch hours so do be prepared to develop patience there. It is worth the wait!
We found that Ling Zhi vegetarian may be quite expensive on the wallet and found this to be a good cheaper alternative! For mala lovers, do give their mala ‘fish’ a try. It is numbing but tasty.
Lotus | 103 Irrawaddy Rd, #02-07 Royal Square@Novena, Singapore 329566
12. Lian Xin 莲芯膳坊: Hidden Nomz in a temple
Affordable ‘wanton mee’ with Kopi. Image: Google
Located RIGHT next to Maxwell Mrt & at the basement of Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, this hidden gem provides awesome breakfast and lunch at an affordable price. It is ‘cai fan’ (pick your veges) style and there is plenty of seating after lunch hours. There is a nice Guan Yin statue there to pay respect too before and after your meal.
With a couple of uncle and aunties chilling there after lunch, the place is serene and great for work-from-cafe vibes. However, they close earlier than cafes! Do check!
Lian Xin | 288 South Bridge Rd, B1 Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, Singapore 058840
Any places we have missed that are yummy and affordable? Do drop it on our Telegram’s comment section!
Vesak Day, or Buddha Day, is a sacred day for millions of Buddhists worldwide. It commemorates the day that Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and passed away. It gives us an opportunity for quiet reflection on Buddha’s teachings and the values of compassion, wisdom, and kindness.
It has evolved over time and brings different meanings to different people!
If you are trying to plan out your Vesak Day weekend in 2023 to bask in the spirit of Vesak, check out these 9 things you can do!
1. Plan your calendar for your temple-hopping!
Find an excuse to head out for the long weekend by visiting the many temples that are open. Use our directory to navigate the many online and offline activities. Who knows?
You might find yourself in the middle of a concert or a peaceful chanting session.
Your Vesak directory is right here, featuring over 60 activities of different Buddhist traditions from 1 June 2023- 4th June 2023!
2. Three steps, One bow
Photo Credit: KMSPKS
The three-step, one-bow ceremony is an expression of devotion and serves to lessen mental defilements or build virtue as one goes through the activity. This practice, which symbolically reminds us of the difficult but rewarding journey to enlightenment, has been passed down and has evolved into the 3-Step, 1-Bow we know today.
While tuning in to some peaceful Buddhist teaching (food for the heart), why not check out food for the body?
Check out food fairs organised by Buddhist Fellowship near Newton or spicy tteokbokki and takoyaki at KMSPKS’s Vesak Carnival
4. Help fill the stomachs of the needy
Unsplash
In the spirit of Buddha’s compassion shown to many beings, why not give back by volunteering at a Soup kitchen? You can choose to volunteer with Willing Hearts in multiple time slots and different tasks.
Visit nature places with your insect repellant to reconnect with nature by taking in the good vibes. Plug into the sound of nature to meditate or try one of the meditation audio guides! Check out our article on forest bathing!
We highly recommend botanic gardens, marina barrage, or a nearby park!
6. Clean up our ocean
We often think that giving means the gift of money. This Vesak, we invite you to rethink the idea of generosity! Volunteer with Youth Corps Singapore to help clean our beaches. Releasing wildlife harms the ecosystem, why not help marine life by cleaning our beaches? #seastheday
In the spirit of non-harming, why not go vegetarian? The possibilities are endless with vegetarian food. Check out our very own vegetarian affordable food guide!
Vesak Day, also known as Buddha Day, is a sacred day to millions of Buddhists worldwide. It commemorates the day that Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and passed away. It gives us an opportunity for quiet reflection on Buddha’s teachings and the values of compassion, wisdom, and kindness.
It has evolved over time and brings different meanings to different people!
After 2 years of muted celebrations due to the pandemic, this year’s May 15 will see practitioners gathering and celebrating it in different ways. If you are trying to plan out your Vesak Day weekend to bask in the spirit of Vesak, check out these 10 things you can do!
1. Plan your calendar for your temple-hopping!
Find an excuse to head out for the long weekend by visiting the many temples that are open. Use our directory to navigate the many online and offline activities. Who knows?
You might find yourself in the middle of a concert or peaceful chanting session.
The three-step, one-bow ceremony is an expression of devotion and serves to lessen mental defilements or build virtue as one goes through the activity. This practice, which symbolically reminds us of the difficult but rewarding journey to enlightenment, has been passed down and has evolved into the 3-Step, 1-Bow we know today.
While tuning in to some peaceful Buddhist teaching (food for the heart), why not check out food for the body?
Check out food fairs organised by Buddhist Fellowship near newton or spicy tteokbokki and takoyaki at KMSPKS’s Vesak Carnival
4. Help fill the stomachs of the needy
Unsplash
In the spirit of Buddha’s compassion shown to many beings, why not give back by volunteering at a Soup kitchen? There are multiple time slots and different tasks you can choose to volunteer with Willing Hearts.
Visit nature places with your insect repellant to reconnect with nature by taking in the good vibes. Plug into the sound of nature to meditate or try one of the meditation audio guides!
We highly recommend botanic gardens, marina barrage, or a nearby park!
6. Be a Buddy to seniors
Credit: IMDA
We often think that giving means the gift of money. This Vesak, we invite you to rethink the idea of generosity! Volunteer with YouthCorp SG & Healthhub to strengthen the digital literacy of our seniors by empowering them and reducing the waiting time at the polyclinics.
In the spirit of non-harming, why not go vegetarian? The possibilities are endless with vegetarian food. Check out this sleek guide to vegetarian food places in Singapore!
