Hindu roots of Vesak Festivals?

[Jean Nielson]

Please unsubcribe me to this list.  At the current time I am flooded with mail and
do not have time to read it all.

Thank you very much,
jneil at ez2.net

Dave Turpie wrote:

> Hello list members,
>         Here's hoping someone in the know will indulge a query that balances
> precariously on the edge of being inter-disciplinary. I am currently
> researching early forms of the Theravadan Buddhist ritual known as Vesak
> (derived from vaisakha, the second month in the Indian lunar calendar).
> Given that in some circles, Gotama Buddha is considered to be the ninth
> incarnation of Visnu, and the month of Vaiskha is generally associated with
> Visnu celebrations, there would seem to be a link between this buddhist
> festival which celebrates the birth, death, and enlightenment of the buddha
> (all ocurring on the same full moon day in this month)and earlier (or
> current)Visnu festivals of some sort.
>         At the moment this all pure speculation with no textual basis to support
> such claims. Can anyone offer some guidance in the form of text or an
> actual festival that might intimate at a connection between Vesak and a
> Visnu festival either held in the past or currently being sponsored?
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated, David T.