After years of study and searching, Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment and became the Buddha. Existence is suffering 2. This suffering is due to selfish desires 3. The cure of suffering is to destroy these selfish desires 4. Most monks do not eat after noon.
Buddhist festivals vary with region.
West Publishing Co., St. Paul. Croom Helm, London. Vegetarian foods for Chinese Buddhists. A Nutrition Handbook. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.