Buddha Purnima – A day of Humanity and Love

In India
May 4, 2015

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.-Buddha

Significance:

Buddha Purnima festival is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Buddha. Buddha Purnima falls on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Vaisakh i.e. April/May. Lord Buddha was born in this day in 563 BC. It is interesting to note that Buddha achieved enlightenment and nirvana (salvation) on the same day (the Full Moon day).

Background

The decision to agree to celebrate Vesākha as the Buddha’s birthday was formalized at the first conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists held in Sri Lanka in 1950.
this day is Known as Vesak.
The exact date of Vesak is based on the Asian lunisolar calendars.
The name of the observance is derived from the Pali term vesākha or Sanskrit vaiśākha.
In 1999, the United Nations resolved to internationally observe the day of Vesak.
Buddhists are expected to celebrate Vesak to reiterate their determination to lead noble lives, to develop their minds, to practise loving-kindness and to bring peace and harmony to humanity.

About Gautam Buddha:

Gautama Buddha, was a sage, also known as Siddhārtha Gautama.
The word Buddha means “awakened one” or “the enlightened one.
“Buddha” is also used as a title for the first awakened being in an era.
He was born in Lumbini, Nepal.
He passed away in Khushinagar, U.P.
Some Hindus regard Gautama as the 9th avatar of Vishnu.
The Buddha is also regarded as a prophet by the Ahmadiyya Muslims.
Chinese Taoist-Buddhists thought the Buddha to be a reincarnation of Lao Tzu.

Celebration:

In India:

The day is also known as Vesak.
Sarnath is regarded as an important place in Buddhism as Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath.
The Buddha Purnima is also celebrated with religious fervor at Gaya and Kushinagar and other parts of India.
Monks and devotees meditate and worship the statue of Gautam Buddha.
The day is declared as Public Holiday.

In Japan:

It is based on a belief that a dragon appeared in the sky on the Buddha’s birthday and poured soma over him.
It used to be celebrated on the 8th day of the fourth month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar.
At present, the celebration is observed on 8 April of the Solar Calendar.
In Japan, Shinbutsu shugo is common so Buddhist temples celebrate Buddha’s birthday by pouring ama cha, a sweet tea made of Hydrangea on statues.

In Nepal:

It is a strong belif that Buddha was born in Nepal predominately in Lumbini.
they celebrate the day in Swayambhu – the holy temple for Buddhists, also known as “the Monkey Temple”.
“Buddha Jayanti” is marked by a public holiday.

In Korea

It has now grown into one of the nation’s biggest cultural festivals.
It is also regarded as public Holiday.

In Malaysia

Day is known as Wesak.
Wesak celebration in Malaysia begins at dawn when devotees gather at Buddhist temples nationwide to meditate on the Eight Precepts.
The sutras are chanted in unison by monks in saffron robes.
Wesak Day in Malaysia is a national public holiday.

In Indonesia:

Day is known as Waisak Day
At Borobudur, thousands of Buddhist monks will join together to repeat mantras and meditate as they circuit the temple in a ritual called “Pradaksina”.
The monks also took part in the “Pindapata” ritual, where they received charity from the people of Indonesia.
Waisak Day in Indonesia has been celebrated as a national public holiday every year since 1983.

In Singapore:

In 20th century, Vesak Day was associated with the Ceylonese community which then celebrated it along with their National Day in a two-day event.
Vesak Day was made a public holiday only in 1955 after many public petitions.

Budh Purnima 2015