Temple boys: Young South Korean Buddhist devotees pray under rows of lotus lanterns at the Chogye Temple in Seoul on May 1 (one day ahead of when Buddha’s birthday is celebrated in that country this year). Buddha was born approximately 2,553 years ago, and the day, or days, on which Vesak is celebrated varies from country to country. About 23 percent of South Korea’s population is Buddhist, the second-largest religion after Christianity, which is followed by 26 percent of the population. Just under half the population expresses no religious preference.