Remembering My Mother on Wesak Day: Reflections on Science, Impermanence, and the Meaning of a Life in Research

Abstract

Wesak Day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Gautama Buddha, representing one of the most spiritually significant occasions in the Buddhist calendar. For me, however, Wesak Day has acquired an additional personal meaning since the passing of my mother on 12 June 2025. During the three-day funeral ceremony, the images of the Buddha, Kwan Yin Bodhisattva, and Da Shi Zhi Bodhisattva stood prominently before us, creating an atmosphere of solemnity, compassion, and transcendence. One year later, the observance of Wesak Day evokes not only religious remembrance but also profound reflections on mortality, scientific inquiry, family values, and the purpose of an academic life. This reflective commentary explores how personal loss intersects with scientific scholarship, environmental research, teaching, and Buddhist understandings of impermanence. Drawing upon personal experiences accumulated through nearly three decades of ecological and ecotoxicological research, this article argues that the ultimate value of scientific work lies not merely in publications or citations but in the cultivation of wisdom, compassion, and service to future generations.

Keywords: Wesak Day; Buddhism; Reflection; Ecology; Research Ethics; Impermanence

Citation

Chee Kong Yap. Remembering My Mother on Wesak Day: Reflections on Science, Impermanence, and the Meaning of a Life in Research. WebLog J Psychiatry Behav Sci. wjpbs.2026. g2302. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21739622