HOLIDAY

Multiethnic Vesak ceremonies commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha will be held at a Rosemead monastery Sunday with chanting, offerings of food and incense and discussions of Buddhism’s future.

The 16th annual celebration organized by the Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern California and open to the public will begin at 9 a.m. at the new Rosemead Buddhist Monastery, 7833 Emerson Place, where the Venerable Chao Chu is abbot.

“What Buddhism Can Do for American Society” will be addressed at 10:45 a.m. by the Venerable Havanpola Ratanasara, longtime president of the Los Angeles-based Sangha Council. The traditional “bathing” of a Buddha statue with sweet liquids will occur at 11:30 a.m.

A panel discussion at 2 p.m. on “Spiritual Challenges in the Next Decade” will feature Ratanasara, who is also executive president of the American Buddhist Congress; world religions authority Robert Ellwood of USC; religious studies professor Erika Wilson of Cal State L.A.; and Ananda W.P. Guruge, senior special advisor to the UNESCO director general.