When is Buddha Purnima?
Buddha Purnima 2022 Date
Monday, 16 May, 2022
The precise date of the birthday of Buddha bases on the lunisolar calendars of Asia. In the Western Gregorian calendar, the Buddha Purnima celebration’s date varies from year to year but typically falls in April or May.
In the Chinese lunar calendar, the exact date of Vesak is the first full moon of the fourth month.
What is Buddha Purnima?
Budh Purnima marks Budha’s birthday, a Buddhist festival commemorating Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later Gautama Buddha, the father of Buddhism, which draws in most of East Asia.
In the Buddhist calendar, Buddha Purnima is the most sacred day. It is the most significant Buddhist festival and celebrates with great enthusiasm. In India, Buddha is known as Lord Vishnu’s eighth incarnation. On the same day, Buddha is thought to have attained enlightenment and nirvana (salvation).
Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini, Nepal, to a spiritual leader. He was Suddhodhan’s uncle, Lumbini’s king, and the heir to the throne. As a prince of the kingdom, he enjoyed a very happy childhood. As he grew, while still at a tender age, the charming young prince got married to princess Yashodhara.
Siddhartha soon became a father, and his life looked fine, until one day, as he was riding in his royal chariot, an older man, a sick man, a dead body, and an ascetic had held chanced upon. It was the first time he had known earthly complaints and misery.
He understood how old age was the final step of the life cycle and how the actual reality is death. It left Siddhartha profoundly saddened to witness the harsh reality, and that is when he decided to renounce his kingdom and family.
When he tried to find answers to his questions about life, he was only 29 years old. One night, when they were all sleeping in the royal household, the young prince left the protection of his house and walked out to search for the everlasting truth.
Why is Budh Purnima Celebrated?
Buddha Purnima celebrates Gautam Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and his death. The day of Buddha’s birth generally marks as Vesak in Theravada countries. The most widely accepted name of the oldest surviving school of Buddhism is Theravada.
The adherents of the school, called the Theravadins, have retained their version of Gautama Buddha’s teaching in the Pali Canon. The Pali Canon is the only complete Buddhist canon surviving in the Indian language, Pali, which is also the school’s lingua franca.
Buddha Purnima is a significant holiday celebrated in Cambodia, Japan, China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Australia, Canada, the United States, and India.
How is Budh Purnima Celebrated?
To celebrate the birth of Buddha, there are many events carried out. Such events include prayer meetings, Buddhist scripture recitals, religious debates and sermons, group meditations, and Buddha’s idol worship.
On Vesak, many Buddhists visit temples to listen to monks giving speeches and reciting ancient verses. In one or more temples, devout Buddhists may spend all day. A small statue of Buddha as a baby gets seen in some temples. The figure is set in a water-filled basin and decorated with flowers. Temple tourists spill water over the statue. It symbolizes a fresh and pure beginning.
Many Buddhists pay particular attention during Vesak to the teachings of Buddha. They can wear white robes and, on and around Vesak, eat only vegetarian food. Many individuals often offer money, food, or products to organizations that assist the needy, the elderly, and the sick. Caged animals are bought and set free, as Buddha preached, to demonstrate care for all living beings.
On the day of Buddha Purnima, The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya puts on a celebratory look. This temple gets decorated with colored decorations.
Under the Bodhi Tree, under which Gautama Buddha obtained enlightenment, there are also special prayers. Lord Buddha’s holy remains are open for public viewing at the National Museum in Delhi.
The Buddha Purnima festival is all about praying with the purest of emotions and embracing tolerance, non-violence, and harmony, what Buddhism stands for.
Check the Indian Festivals Calendar to know upcoming festivals of India at All Indian Festivals.