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Buddha Poornima, which
falls on the full moon night in the month of Vaisakha either in April
or May, commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, founder of
Buddhism. Notwithstanding the summer heat (the temperature routinely
touches 45 degrees C), pilgrims come from all over the world to Bodh
Gaya to attend the Buddha Poornima celebrations. The day is marked
with prayer meets, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha, religious
discourses, continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group
meditation, processions, worship of the statue of Buddha. The
Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look and is decorated with colourful
flags and flowers. The Chinese scholar, Fa-Hien has recorded
celebration of this festival.
It is an important to give a summarized description on the Buddhist
festivals in India, especially in the main places of worship. The
principal annual ceremony for all the Buddhist is the Vaisaka Purnima
known in Sri Lanka as Wesak festival and in India as Buddha Jayanti.
Vaisaka Purnima day is fixed by the full-moon day of the month Vaisaka,
which falls in May. Like all other Buddhist festivals it falls
according to the Lunar year. It was of this day of the year, according
to the year.
He attained Supreme Enlighten or Buddha hood, beneath the Bodhi-tree
at Boddha Gaya. Forty-five years later at the age of eighty, he
finally passed away in Parinivana on the same day of the year at
Kushinagar. Vaisaka Purnima is celebrated especially in Boddha Gaya,
Lumbini and in Kushinara as they are the holy places that were
connected with the blessed ones birth, enlighten and the Parinirvana.
Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos,
Vietnam, Mongolia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, Japan and quite a number
of western Buddhists participate 'Vaisaka' Purnima Day religious
activities in a festive mood. Sarnath the capital of Buddhism too
celebrates Vaisaka Purnima day in a grand way.
Celebration of Buddh Purnima
Buddhist Pilgrims come from all over the world to Bodh Gaya in Nepal
to attend the Buddha Poornima celebrations on birthday of Buddha. The
day is marked with prayer meets, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha,
religious discourses, continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures,
group meditation, processions, worship of the statue of Buddha and
symposia.
The Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look and is decorated with
colourful flags and flowers. On this Holy day, the Buddhists bathe and
wear only white clothes. They gather in their viharas for worship and
give alms to monks. Many spend their entire day at the vihara
listening to discourses on the life and teachings of the Buddha or
invite monks to their homes.
On Buddha Purnima, Buddhists eat kheer, rice cooked in milk and sugar,
which they share with the poor. They set up stalls in public places to
offer others clean drinking water and also show kindness to animals. |
