Buddha Purnima

Why it is celebrated

Buddha Purnima, also called Buddha Jayanti or Vesak, falls on the full moon of the lunar month of Vaishakha, in April or May. It is the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar because tradition holds that three defining moments in the life of Gautama Buddha fell on this same full moon: his birth as Prince Siddhartha at Lumbini, his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, and his mahaparinirvana (final passing) at Kushinagar. For this reason it is often called the thrice-blessed day. Siddhartha renounced royal life in search of an end to suffering. After years of austerity he chose the middle path, sat in meditation beneath a pipal tree beside the Niranjana river, and attained enlightenment. At the Deer Park in Sarnath he gave his first sermon, setting in motion the wheel of the Dharma, and spent the rest of his life teaching across the Gangetic plains before passing away at Kushinagar. In India the most vivid celebrations are at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. The Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is decorated with prayer flags and flowers and lit up at night; monks and pilgrims from dozens of countries gather beneath the Bodhi tree, descended from the original, for chanting, meditation and processions from the Great Buddha Statue to the temple. Sarnath near Varanasi also holds a large fair, with relics of the Buddha taken out in procession. Kushinagar, Shravasti, Sanchi and the monasteries of Sikkim, Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh mark the day with prayers and offerings. Devotees commonly wear white, avoid non-vegetarian food, offer flowers, incense and lamps, bathe Buddha images, release caged birds and give generously to monks and the needy. Many spend the day reading or listening to the Buddha's teachings and meditating on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Stories

Born, enlightened, and departed on one full moon

Buddha Purnima falls on the full moon of Vaishakha, around April–May. In the Theravada tradition it marks three events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama: his birth at Lumbini, his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, and his passing away, the Mahaparinirvana, at Kushinagar.

Scholars place his life in about the 5th century BCE, though the exact dates are debated.

The pillar that names his birthplace

At Lumbini in present-day Nepal stands a pillar raised by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, who visited in about 249 BCE. Its inscription says that the Buddha, sage of the Shakyas, was born here.

It is the earliest written evidence of the Buddha's birthplace and is one reason Lumbini is a World Heritage Site.

Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and the lamps

In India the main sites are Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where the Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002, marks the place of enlightenment, and Sarnath near Varanasi, where he gave his first sermon.

Devotees offer flowers, light lamps and incense, bathe statues of the Buddha with water and listen to teachings. Many eat vegetarian food and give charity.

Spiritual learning

Buddha Purnima holds birth, awakening and passing in one full moon, a reminder that a whole life can be turned toward wisdom and compassion; lamps, silence and generosity make the Buddha's middle path something to walk, not only admire.