We are back with our annual edition of top things to do this Vesak! Vesak is not just about visiting temples – it is about how you experience the day. It is an important festival to commemorate the three most significant events in the Buddha’s journey, his birth, enlightenment and death. It is also a time for reflection, joy and peace.
Across Singapore (and on the online world), temples and Buddhist organisations are organising various activities from carnivals to rituals and dhamma talks to celebrate Vesak. Whether you are seeking quiet reflection or ways to give back, here are 10 meaningful ways to experience Vesak beyond the usual temple visit.
To explore more events, you can also visit the Handful of Leaves’ Events Directory which features Buddhist events, activities, communities and temples in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Story has it that when Prince Siddhartha was born, nine dragons appeared in the sky and poured fragrant water from their mouths to bathe him. Since then, Buddhists have been celebrating the Buddha’s birthday by performing the Buddha bathing ceremony as a tradition, symbolising the purification of one’s speech, body and mind.
2. Witness (or Try) the “Three Steps, One Bow” Pilgrimage
Credit: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See
One of the most unique practices in Vesak is the Three Steps One Bow Ceremony organised by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. Participants take three steps and perform a full prostration repeatedly – a Buddhist practice of humility and devotion. With every three steps, devotees bow, repenting for unwholesome karma and purifying the body and mind.
3. Walk in Light at a Candlelight Procession
Another Vesak tradition is the candlelight procession, where devotees walk in quiet contemplation, each holding a flame or yellow candle symbolising wisdom dispelling ignorance. You can experience this at Vesak celebrations organised by Mangala Vihara, Poh Ming Tse, Kong Meng San, Buddhist Library and Buddhist Fellowship, where evening processions are often a highlight.
4. Spend a Quiet Afternoon in Guided Chanting
Credit: Google Images
“Itipiso” or the recitation of the virtuous qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha was taught by the Lord Buddha in the Dhajagga Sutta (Top-of-the-Banner Discourse) to help his disciples alleviate fear and harm, and develop inner strength and concentration mind. Attend 108 Itipiso Chanting at Palelai Temple this Vesak afternoon and practise together for mutual support and a strengthened sense of community.
5. Learn Through Dhamma Study
This year at Buddhist Fellowship, Vesak celebration coincides with Ajahn Brahmali’s Singapore Teaching Tour! You can look forward to a 1-day workshop on MN 51 Kandarakas Sutta and study on suttas such as Snp 5.1 Ajita-manava puccha sutta. Save the dates for his visit to Singapore from 27 May, culminating in Vesak on the 31st May!
6. Join a Vesak Carnival
Featuring over 20 vibrant booths offering a wide variety of delicious food and unique gifts, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is organising a joyful and enriching Vesak Day Carnival. Every coupon you purchase will go entirely towards their “Operation Fund”, contributing to a meaningful cause.
During Vesak, Mangala Vihara Buddhist Temple is offering the opportunity to view sacred relics – objects believed to be associated with the Buddha and Arahant Sivali, preserved with deep reverence. A little on Arahant Sivali – he was a pre-eminent disciple of the Buddha who was in his mother’s womb for seven years, and was born after his mother went through seven days of labour, following blessings by the Buddha.
The relics of Buddha and Arahant Sivalii are kept in Mangala Vihara and these are brought out for public viewing once a year on Vesak Day.
8. Experience Different Buddhist Traditions in One City
Singapore’s Vesak celebrations span multiple traditions. Join Amitabha Buddhist Centre, which is a Buddhist Centre based on the lineage of Lama Tsong Khapa of Tibet located in the heart of Singapore. Amitabha Buddhist Centre’s signature grand pujas will be performed and a series of crowd favourite and family-friendly activities (including blessings for pets!) await you and your loved ones over the Vesak season.
9. Connect with Global Communities Online
Credit: Buddhism.net
One day isn’t enough to celebrate Vesak. While Vesak Day falls on May 31, 2026, Buddhism.net is celebrating Vesak all month long, with 5 special episodes of Vibe with Venerables. Connect with global communities online throughout May to commemorate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana, featuring five special Vibe with Venerables episodes. Three leading masters-Bhante Buddharakkhita, Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche, and Roshi Joan Halifax-will host sessions on the Buddha, alongside two joint sessions with sutta experts Bhante Sujato and Venerable Canda.
10. Practise Compassion Through Giving and Volunteering
And last but certainly not the least, acts of generosity are central to Vesak. Many Buddhist temples and organisations such as Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic and Shan You run donation drives and lunch danas during this period. Instead of just attending, you can actively contribute and support by providing funds or resources. By putting compassion to action, this is one of the most meaningful ways to take part in Vesak!
You may have heard of the Hungry Ghost Festival, but do you know that this Festival has some of its origins in Buddhism?
Celebrated by Mahayana Buddhists around the world on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, Ullambana, otherwise known as Hungry Ghost Festival or Zhongyuan (中元) Festival in Chinese, is a traditional Buddhist observance rooted in the values of filial piety. Ullambana can be traced to the Ullambana or Yulanpen (盂兰盆) sutra and is based on the story of the Maudgalyayana, one of Buddha’s foremost disciples.
According to the Ullambana Sutra, after attaining enlightenment, Maudgalyayana used his powers to search for his deceased mother. To his horror, he discovered that she had been reborn into the realm of hungry ghosts, suffering from extreme hunger and thirst due to her past karma of greed and selfishness.
Distraught, Maudgalyayana offered her food, but it turned to flames before she could eat. He sought the Buddha’s guidance, who instructed him to make offerings to the sangha on the 15th day of the seventh month. Through the sharing of merit by the sangha, Maudgalyayana’s mother was released from her torments and reborn into a better realm.
This act of compassion and filial devotion became the foundation of the Ullambana Festival, and today it continues to be a vital cultural and religious occasion for people to commemorate ancestors and relieve the suffering of departed souls by dedicating merits.Discover these 6 activities happening in Singapore this Ullambana season and take the opportunity to remind ourselves of the importance of gratitude, charity and remembrance! To explore more, you can also visit the Handful of Leaves’ Buddhist Directory or subscribe to our Telegram channel to not miss your favourite events again.
(1) Buddhist Youth Network/ Aranya Sangha Dana Fellowship
Source: Buddhist Youth Network Facebook
In collaboration with Aranya Sangha Dana Fellowship, Buddhist Youth Network invites you to this year’s Singapore Buddhist Youth Day, where we will come together to participate in the Ullambana Festival Sangha Offering in the morning, followed by an outing with the Sangha!
When? 13 September 2025, 8.30 am – 6.30 pm
Where? TBA
Want to find out more? Check out our event listing here.
(2) Poh Ming Tse
Source: Poh Ming Tse
During the upcoming 2025 seventh lunar month, Poh Ming Tse will be conducting a 15-day ceremony to honour Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s birthday. The puja sessions will be led by Venerables, focusing on reciting “The Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra”
When? 23 August 2025 – 6 September 2025
Where? Level 3, Hall of Boundless Light
Want to find out more? Check out our event listing here.
(3) Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
Source: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
Join Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery for the Ullambana Festival Puja to honour ancestors, liberate beings from suffering, and offer merits across the ten directions!
When? 6 September 2025, 8.20 am
Where? Hall of No Form
Want to find out more? Check out our event listing here.
(4) Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Source: Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
During the Ullambana Festival, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple will organise various activities such as the Liang Emperor’s Repentance, reciting of the Ullambana Sutra, offering of the Ullambana meal as well as the Sangha offering ceremony.
When? 5 September 2025 – 9 September 2025
Where? Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Want to find out more? Check out our event listing here.
(5) The Mahaprajna Buddhist Society
Source: The Mahaprajna Buddhist Society
Join The Mahaprajna Buddhist Society for the Ullambana Puja, as well as the Three Refuges and Five Precepts Ceremony!
When? 31 August 2025, 10 am
Where? The Mahaprajna Buddhist Society
Want to find out more? Check out our event listing here.
(6) The Buddhist Library
Source: The Buddhist Library
No time to make a trip down to attend Ullamabana activities? The Buddhist Library is holding the Ullambana Puja this year via Facebook livestream. Do note however that at the moment, only the Chinese programme is confirmed.
When? 24 August 2025, 1 pm – 5.15 pm
Where? Online via Facebook Livestream
Want to find out more? Check out our event listing here.
TLDR: Discover how embracing impermanence and interbeing can empower individuals to contribute meaningfully to Singapore’s future and collective well-being
“All of us must come to know and undertake practice ourselves. The timing for our practice is in the present moment. The present is the “national agenda” for cultivating practice, because it is here and now that causes and conditions arise and take effect.”
Seeing that Singapore’s National Day (9 August) is just around the corner, I took some time to reflect on this teaching from Luang Por Ganha. What does it mean that the present is the “national agenda”?
For Buddhists, and other wisdom traditions, spiritual practice is often rooted in the Here and Now. The present moment is one of keen importance, one that needs to be tended to with care, and perfect mindfulness (Also known as ‘Right Mindfulness’, as the seventh fold of the Noble Eightfold Path).
Luang Por Ganha’s phrase “national agenda” calls to mind this sense of spiritual urgency and priority, for each of us to live in a way that is awakened and aware. Note also that the concept of ‘national’ acknowledges, at its bare minimum, a group identity or collective of which we are assumed to be a part. When we are able to cultivate our present moment practice individually, we can progress together. Majulah!
Now, what might present moment practice have to do with celebration of our history on National Day, and the Singaporean identity?Aren’t we supposed to be ‘thought-less’ and embracing ‘no-self’ as Buddhists?
Ajahn Jayasaro provides some useful clarification: “In the Buddhist sense, being in the present moment includes being aware of mental phenomena as mental phenomena, not as self and belonging to self. It does not require an absence of thoughts of the past or future, simply an awareness that they are just that. Past and future are names for presently occurring memories and thoughts. Problems arise when we forget this truth.”
On the path of practice, memories and thoughts are not to be rejected out of hand, but, when appropriate, wisely utilized.”
Bearing this in mind, I hope the following reflection can be useful in helping you to bridge your identities as a dharma practitioner and as a Singaporean – whatever that connotes for you.
“It’ll never happen to us”: Embrace impermanence in the national context
Our everyday reality in Singapore is a far-flung fantasy for those sentient beings stricken by famine and war, living in regions of the world that are disaster-prone and conflict-ridden. As we go about our relatively peaceful existence, it becomes easy for us to be carried away with a national story and imagination that things will always be onwards and upwards for Singapore’s future.
Yet we see national headlines in the news such as those written here and here, that remind us our future is not certain.
These reminders by Singapore’s ministers are very much in line with the dhamma teaching that ‘All conditions are impermanent’. Reflecting deeply, we might even begin to sense fear and insecurity arising when we confront the possibility that, one day, there may not be a ‘Singapore’ – or at least not the Singapore that we recognise.
Rather than retreating into blind optimism, these are uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that could be wisely utilised, in order to motivate our meaningful contribution to the national fabric.
Returning to Ajahn Jayasaro, also fondly known as the Yellow Pages monk for his handwritten reflections: “In AN5.78, monks are encouraged to reflect on future dangers. The Buddha says that at present the monks are young, in good health, harvests are good, the country is at peace, the Sangha in harmony. But in (the) future, sickness and old age await the monks. There may be drought and famine, social unrest and war, schism in the Sangha. At such times, practice will be much more difficult, Therefore, the monks should use such thoughts of the future to inspire their efforts in the present.”
Just as monks reflecting on future threats, come to practise with greater inspiration and effort in the present,we too have a role to play as civil servants, voters, employees, social workers etc. of Singapore. This includes looking after the present moment, which includes the national fabric of Singapore, through our work.
When we embrace impermanence, we also see that this Singaporean fabric which allows us to host great Buddhist teachers, to travel easefully for practice and retreat, to support our practice through honest and upright livelihoods cannot be taken for granted.
“What’s it got to do with me?”: Recognise our interdependence
We may not all have positive feelings about the place in which we live, and we may not even feel motivated to contribute meaningfully. After all, we’re just a cog in the ‘Singapore Inc.’ machine, aren’t we?
Yet history has shown the difference an individual can make, for better or for worse, and especially when our circumstances are dissatisfying. In the Buddhist tradition, we can always refer to Buddha as a positive example. Buddha’s life story is the prime example of how one individual, cultivating boundless merit and the spiritual perfections over countless eons, was able to be of great benefit to many sentient beings.
The Buddhist teaching of dependent origination, is expressed by the Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn as ‘interbeing’. Holding up a sheet of paper, he said:
If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there can be no rain; without rain, the trees cannot grow; and without trees, we cannot make paper. The cloud is essential for the paper to exist. If the cloud is not here, the sheet of paper cannot be either. So we can say that the cloud and the paper inter-are.
On a mundane level, and in the present moment, we can already see the reality of our interbeing in everyday settings.
Wherever we may be in the world, we carry our parents with us – in our hands, the shapes of our faces and features, the way we laugh, and the way we cry. This shows us how we already ‘inter-are’ on the level of the body.
Reading Dharma and chanting Pali texts and formulations from centuries ago, or speaking Singlish that was borne of the languages of our ancestors, we ‘inter-are’ on the level of speech.
Tapping our transportation cards, queuing to order our chicken rice, or collecting our e-commerce parcel delivery, we ‘inter-are’ on the level of action.
Recognising our ‘interbeing’, we become aware of the effects of our body speech and actions on ourselves, and on others. We see that not just what we do, but how we abide in the present moment will have an impact on those around us.
It turns out that we ARE in fact a cog in the ‘Singapore Inc’ machine. Turning away from this present moment, is failing to recognise the significance of this. Rather than disavowing our responsibilities and retreating from conventional duties, wise reflections on interdependence empower us to renew our commitments towards our roles and duties as a family member, a citizen, a dharma practitioner, and so on.
“Our common bond is suffering”: Act in solidarity
As per the teaching of the Four Noble Truths, Buddhists recognise that our common bond is suffering. However, unlike the Buddha who apparently grew up ensconced in privilege such that the realities of aging, sickness and death were initially hidden from his sight – these three ‘divine messagers’ or devaduttas are everyday realities for those living in a densely populated city like us.
In relation to these phenomena of aging, sickness and death, Luang Por Sumedho ponders in his dhamma reflection entitled ‘Buddhist Angels’: “Covid-19 was a great teacher. But how many are willing to learn from Covid? Or from ageing parents? Or from ageing monks, or nuns?”. Perhaps in our eagerness to investigate ‘suffering’ as a Noble Truth, we might be passing off the opportunity to investigate ‘suffering’ that is right under our noses.
Speaking of ageing, Singapore is one of the fastest-ageing nations in the world. By 2030, one in four will be aged 65 and above. While taking the public transport, or eating at your nearby hawker, we see many of our elderly out and about, and some are still working hard to make ends meet.
Singapore’s ageing population is our present moment reality. Buddhist-aligned organisations that have recognised this have stepped up to plug the gaps in financial assistance, capacity-building and/or practical care for the elderly, sick, and those in palliative care stages.
These organisations include, without limitation (in alphabetical order):
Read Handful of Leaves’s interview with Aranya Sangha Dana Fellowship’s General Manager, Cell Lim, to find out more about how Aranya looks after the needs of community-based Buddhist monastics.
These communities are examples of how Buddhist teachings and the cultivation of wisdom, compassion and a collective resilience can give rise to greater benefit for other sentient beings. And it all takes us back to how we look after the present moment.
Are we absorbed into our mobile devices, or looking up to connect with fellow Singaporeans? Are we spinning in stories about our own struggles, or reaching out to our neighbours with wisdom and compassion?
It is possible that we might experience the most agency and opportunity to make beneficial decisions for ourselves and for others, when we are attentive to Here and Now.
With thanks to Geraldine, Wei Li and their networks, Pei Shan, Loh Wei, Ching Wi, Dr Ng Wai Chong, and any other sangha, friends, and colleagues that have contributed to this article, as well as the growth in my understanding of Singapore’s aging demographic and dhamma practice, in one way or another.
Wise Steps:
Recognise the importance of living in the present moment to foster personal and national well-being, starting with mindfulness practices.
Understand impermanence as a key aspect of Buddhist teachings, essential for embracing Singaporean identity and civic duties.
Reflect on interdependence in everyday life, realizing how our actions impact others in the community
TLDR: This article takes you through my journey of getting into depression and a general description of the experience.
Note to readers: this article only reflects my personal journey through mental illness. Please seek professional medical advice if you are feeling unwell.
Living in blissful delusion
Just like many other young adults, I got into a long-term relationship. The relationship was rocky with its ups and downs. But eventually, following the typical Singaporean rite of passage, we decided to get a BTO housing apartment after four years together.
When the commitment of buying a house together came, it made me think about the differences in values between me and my ex.
Living in blissful delusion, I had a strong belief that if we stay together, we can work things out. There was a strong craving for romantic feelings and physical touch from another person.
The downfall
Right before the day when my ex and I were supposed to select the apartment to purchase, we got into a big fight about our differences in values. Eventually, the relationship was broken.
Not knowing what a failed relationship meant, I woke up not knowing what to do on weekends. In the past, weekends meant going out with someone.
Having a change in routine, the void and emptiness started developing. I didn’t know what to do during my free time.
Still not knowing about the emptiness that was ravaging me, there was a lack of awareness of my own thoughts and feelings. I went about my university life, taking my final year papers in anticipation of graduation and a new phase of life. Unknowingly, I became quieter than usual (I am quiet by nature) and I looked sad.
Then during a meeting with a mentor, he remarked to me, “Someone commented that you looked depressed. Are you okay?”
After that meeting, a new word entered my vocabulary, “Depression”.
Drowning in the flood
While living in blissful ignorance of my depression, I was going about my final university days, trying to pass exams and getting a job.
It turned out that depression was affecting my performance in daily life. I was replaying the thoughts of my broken relationship every single hour. Wanting to find answers to the questions in my mind, no answers could be found.
“Could I have given in more so the relationship would work out?”
“Why can’t the differences between us be reconciled after trying for years?”
The more I craved for answers, the more I tried to replay all the memories and past feelings to find answers. Unknowingly, I sank deeper in the rabbit hole.
Struggling with the raging memories, I could not focus on the daily tasks at hand. I performed poorly for my internship and my exams. I managed to graduate but without a return offer to my internship company due to poor performance.
Whilst I was jobless as a fresh graduate, I had all the time in the world to find a job. I had more time to drown myself in my sorrows as well. I replayed my memories from the past even more to try and find answers.
Eventually, it came to a point that I was crying uncontrollably in the middle of the night, alone in my room. I was drowning in my own thoughts and emotions of the past.
I hit rock bottom and thoughts of ending it all came. I was jobless, I was suffering from my thoughts and emotions and I felt trapped in pain.
Note: I will not elaborate on depression. Because thinking about it will only strengthen the intention. To anyone who is reading this, feeling depressed or not, having that awareness of depression or sadness will be the first step. The second step is to set the intention and overcome the sadness.
All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind, ‘dukkha‘ follows him just as the wheel follows the hoofprint of the ox that draws the cart. – Dhammapada 1
A mind full of negativity will only create more negative thoughts. Then suffering follows.
When I realised that I was drowning in negativity, the first thing was to acknowledge that I was in a pit and to stop digging further. Acknowledging the present situation was the first step to make me feel better and move toward recovery.
Conclusion
The intent of the article is to share my own experience of falling into depression and a general description of the experience.
The main point here is to be aware of strong negative thoughts and feelings that lingers in your mind. Being aware of the strong negative thoughts and feelings, acknowledge that you are feeling sad.
Then set the intention to see the negative state of mind as it is, not fighting the negative state of mind (not wanting the negativity) and not giving in (delighting in your pain) to the negative state of mind.
It’s not going to be easy. But overcoming the negative state of mind to have a peaceful state of mind will be worth it.
My next article will focus on how my unexpected journey into the Dhamma brought much needed relief from suffering.
Make your body and mind happy while you are trying to recover from illness (mental and physical). Do light exercises and eat healthy so your body and mind are happy and ready to change.
Acknowledge your negative thoughts and feelings. Show yourself care like how you would advise your best friend.
Celebrate each moment you feel the peace away from your troubling mind.
TLDR: Singapore is rapidly ageing and it is important to educate ourselves on death literacy, and aging, and develop spiritual friendships to sustain us through our golden years.
“As Buddhists, we should develop spiritual friendship as a refuge in old age,” Dr Ng Wai Chong explained, striking a chord deep within my heart.
I recently attended the 12th Global Conference on Buddhism organised by Buddhist Fellowship at Expo Singapore. Dr Ng’s talk on “The Challenging Happy Problem of Dying in Old Age” really got me thinking.
Brother Wai Chong defined death literacy as “the knowledge and skills that make it possible to gain access to, understand and act upon end-of-life and death care options”.
These include understanding what good end-of-life care looks like for individuals, what happens when someone dies, what legal processes need to be followed, and what support is needed and available at different stages, among other things.
Issues and vulnerabilities for the Buddhist community
In addition, he pointed out that there exists a group of ageing monastics in Singapore.
He raised the pertinent question, “Who will take care of our ageing monastics if they do not have a family / kappiah (volunteer helper) / devoted supporter / affiliated monastery?
This came to mind when Brother Wai Chong brought up the fact that such cases are becoming increasingly common due to isolation of the old.
A dream of mine is to live together in a queer commune with other queer Buddhists in order to offer support to one another.
These could include support whether physical (accompanying one to the doctor, cooking for one another when sick or ensure that falls are immediately taken care of), spiritual (meditating together every morning or chanting together before a meal every evening), emotional (commiserating over my lack of love life or offering comfort during breakups), or psychological (offering a hug or words of comfort during times of depression or when one’s friends and family is not supportive of our sexual orientation even though it is not explicitly prohibited in Buddhist scripture).
Thus, it was gratifying to hear when Brother Wai Chong talked about Older People’s Associations (OPA) that are groups created to serve the needs of older people.
He used the example of the “Happy Village” OPA conducted online using Zoom that he was a part of, to demonstrate how technology can be used to help connect people.
Conclusion
What I have written is but a fraction of the rich and educational talk Brother Wai Chong presented. I think the most impactful part of the talk (at least for me) was where he highlighted the importance of spiritual friendship as part of active ageing.
If anything, I am looking forward to future sharing on the topic of death by him.
For if anything is a certainty, it is the certainty of death. Instead of being afraid of it, why not embrace the inevitable, and take steps to prepare for it today?
