Page 27 - Wesak as a Public Holiday and Its Social Psychological Significance

Wesak as a Public Holiday and Its Social Psychological Significance

The above discussion shows that Eventually, in Penang, the
Wesak as a public holiday in Malaya was leadership of getting Wesak declared as
influenced by events in Sri Lanka, and the a public holiday was shouldered by
consequential global Buddhist revival Mahayana Buddhists. This will be
movement. Even before Wesak was discussed in more detail in the next
made a public holiday, Sri Lankan chapter.
temples and Singhalese in Malaya were
already celebrating Wesak on a grand
scale, and their motivation to get Wesak
as a public holiday was strong.
Nonetheless, Sri Lankan temples and
Singhalese are few in number, and they
needed the support or leadership of
Mahayana Buddhists to champion this
matter. Ven. Gunaratana came from Sri
Lanka, but he was also a religious
teacher of the Mahayana Penang
Buddhist Association. His weekly
Dharma talks at Penang Buddhist
28
Association was very popular . Hence
he was able to influence some Mahayana
Chinese to come forward to lead this
cause.

28. Mahindarama Buddhist Temple 85 Years of History (1918-2003)Mahindarama Dhamma
Publication, Penang， 2004, pg. 38.

Chapter 2: The Sri Lankan Connection Page26