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Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George recently gave a shout out to Buddha, marking Vesak Day with an admonition to “pray for peace and harmony for all the humankind.”
George posted a short video clip with the admonition in the background to his official Twitter with a few thoughts of his own.
“Vesak is one of the most important Buddhist festivals. It is also known as Wesak or Buddha Day,” George said in his tweet. “It is a celebration of Buddha's birthday and, for some Buddhists, marks his enlightenment (when he discovered life's meaning).”
George’s tweet came as the first celebration of the Buddhist holiday was celebrated at the White House by President Joe Biden, according to coverage by Tricycle.
“Jill and I extend our warmest wishes to Buddhists in the United States and around the world as they celebrate Vesak, a day honoring the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha,” Biden was quoted by Tricycle as saying in an official statement. “The ceremonial lighting of a lamp, the symbol of this holiday that has been celebrated for over 2,500 years, reminds us of Buddhism’s teachings of compassion, humility and selflessness that endure today. On this day, we also commemorate the many contributions of Buddhists in America who enrich our communities and our country as we all work together toward brighter days ahead.”
Approximately 1% of the U.S. population identifies as Buddhist, according to the Pew Research Center. Approximately one-third of that number are of other descent than Asian American.
Wangmo Dixey, executive director of Dharma College and president of the International Buddhist Association of America, coordinated the White House event, Tricycle reported.
“I just think about these early Founding Fathers, who spoke about freedom and freedom of religion,” she was quoted as saying by Tricycle. “That has such deep meaning. I just feel like this needs to be heard.”