Buddha Jayanti in Nepal, Its Date and Celebration

Buddha Jayanti  26th May 2023

Nepal is the country of the great Himalayas trails and land where Gautam Buddha was born. Every festival in Nepal is celebrating with huge pride and excitement. All the festival has equal importance in Nepal no matter which religion it is. Among many such festivals, Buddha Jayanti is also one of them. Buddha Jayanti in Nepal is celebrating cherish the unlimited knowledge that lord buddha has provide. On the day of Buddha, Jayanti people also memorize the life of lord buddha, his deeds of enlightening, and his death. People refer to the death of lord buddha as Mahaparinirana.

Lord Buddha was born in the western terai plans of Nepal. He was born in the family of king Suddhodhana and the queen Maya Devi. While she was pregnant with Gautam Buddha, She also loved to walk around the garden that is why she got into labor while roaming in the garden. She gave birth to the in the garden taking the support of branch of the trees. Buddha was born on the night of Purnima (full moon day) in 682 B.C. He was given every privileged in his life as a son of the king. But he strongly believes in taking some steps and educate people about the importance of humanity.

Lumbini is the place where lord buddha took birth. It falls on the Kapil Vastu of western Terai Nepal. After his birth, Buddha spent his first 29 years in Devdaha. Devdaha was his maternal home, during his stay there he got the chance to visit around many sacred places and monasteries around the country. There are also two-man great stupas Shyambhunath and Baudhanatha establish in honor of lord buddha. These stupas are also enlisted in the world heritage site by UNESCO.

Traditions of Buddha Purnima

Buddha Purnima is the greatest festival for all the Nepalese people. Gautam buddha was the person who found Buddhism in the world around 3000 years ago. There have been various controversies about the exact day when Buddha was born or dies, However, according to the Buddhist tradition, it is also said that he was born on April 8 and died on February 15th in around 949 BC. Gautam buddha was one of the Shakya who had a small clan. The kingdom was situated at the foothills of the Himalayas and is now the south of central Nepal.

Traditionally on buddha Purnima people used to dress differently mostly wearing white color. They also make a rice pudding which they call Kheer. Kheer is made on the occasion of Buddha Purnima to remember the legendary story where a woman named Sujata once offered Gautam buddha Kheer on his birthday. So since then, offering kheer to the monasteries has been a tradition. Dharma chakra is another important thing to remember on Buddha Purnima.

It is said that the dharma wheel is taken as the symbol which was seen during Vesak. The wheel is mostly made up of a wooden wheel consisting of eight spokes, the dharma wheel is very important for Buddhist people as it represents the teaching of lord buddha towards the path of enlightening. Those eight spokes on the wheel represent this noble eightfold path of Buddhism.

When is Buddha Purnima?

Buddha Purnima is the most sacred and awaited day of the year. This festival is not only celebrated by Buddhist people but people around the world. this is the day when people celebrate and ensure humanity among themselves. People enjoy this festival with great enthusiasm and Delight. The exact date of Buddha Purnima falls on the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. Although the date varies each year normally this day falls on the Jestha month of the Hindu calendar which is around may on the English calendar.

Although people of all religions celebrate buddha Jayanti nowadays earlier only Buddhism followers have been celebrating this festival. Since the conference of Buddhists held in sir Lanka held in 1950, it was official that people of all religions can enjoy Buddha Purnima. Followers of Buddhism take every full moon as sacred. This particular full moon on Jestha has separate significance as lord buddha was born on this day.

 

Buddha Purnima 2023 date

Buddha Purnima which is commonly referred to as Buddha Jayanti is the most auspicious day for the Buddhist people. this day is celebrating the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha who was the founder of Buddhism. On this day lord buddha found the alignment and draw the path to humanity. Many counties including Nepal and India also provide a national holiday on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. Each year the date of Buddha Purnima varies so, this year in 2021 buddha Jayanti falls on May 26. Every year on the full moon day in Jestha month of the Hindu calendar, the birth anniversary of lord buddha. Interestingly on the date of his birthday lord buddha served enlightenment and left his body to achieve Mahaparinirana which is said to be his ultimate salvation.

 

How is this festival celebrated in Nepal?

Being the hometown of lord buddha there, buddha Purnima has special significance in Nepal. You must visit Lumbini, as the entire place is decorated with lights and flowers. Every year n the day f Buddha Jayanti thousands of people visit Lumbini. The beautiful Maha Maya Mandir made in the memory of queen Maya Devi will be reopened. This temple was about 300 years old and is the oldest temple built with an ancient structure.

However, this temple was destroyed due to the earthquake. Different forms of celebrating are done for honoring lord buddha. compassion and wisdom are the great messages that buddha had given. There is an organization known as the Buddha Jayanti committee which was established in 2003 to celebrate buddha Jayanti with proper rituals. This organization also takes care of the Buddhist culture, their ideas, and buddha’s life.  Along with that here are some social works which are done in memory of lord buddha: –

• Social media, radios, and TV channels are organizing different talk shows regarding Buddhism. TV channels run a separate program featuring Buddhist teachers. They discuss abbot the ceremony in Buddhism.  People remember the Buddhist philosophy on the day of Buddha Jayanti.
• Different organizations hold a nationwide quiz regarding buddha for school children. These types of social events help people to understand the life of buddha and Buddhist arts and cultures.
• Every year on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti a blood donation Campaign is held at monasteries including Swayambunath and Boudhanath.
• Different social organizations collaborate with the medical groups to organize free health campaigned in different places.
• Food and clothes distribution programs are held to help poor and helpless people.
• Social awareness rallies are also conducted on the special occasion of Buddha Purnima.

Happy Buddha Jayanti

Buddha Purnima is the sacred and one of the most important days for all the Nepalese. On the day of Buddha Jayanti, many programs were organized throughout the country. During this day people offer different things to the Bodhi tree which is planted in Bihar. Following the knowledge given by lord buddha, people help poor and needy people by proving them food to eat and clothes. On this day people visit buddhis monasteries and stupa.

There is the oldest monastery in the Khumbu region in Nepal, where there is the greatest celebration of this festival. Buddhist monks read their traditional book based on lord buddha’s life story. Many people also pledge to leave their life of non-violence and harmony. This year 2021 as the entire world is suffering from the coronavirus pandemic so celebrating buddha Jayanti might not be limited within your home due to the restriction.

Buddha Purnima significance

During the entire month of buddha Purnima, Buddhist people eat nonvegetarian. They make different types of food to offer in stupas in Buddha Jayanti.  They also wear white clothes and conduct charity events. People feed animals and homeless people on the day of Buddha Purnima. The different organizations held rallies against social problems remembering the lessons of lord buddha.  People do yoga, offer water to the plants, and mediate.

There is a different significance of Buddha Purnima. Mainly Buddhist people gather around the monasteries and stupas to offer prayers, meditate and chant Buddhist songs. There is the tradition of keeping fast and helping other people on the occasion of Buddha Purnima to cherish his knowledge. Apart from the Buddhist people Hindu people also perform some rituals on Buddha Jayanti.  Hindu people believe that if you take a holy bath at the Ganga River then it will keep away all the sins from their life.

Buddhism

There have been various disputes about the origin of  Buddhism, however many people believe that Buddhism was established in Nepal. buddha went to many countries including India, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka which is why Buddhism has an important impact on these countries. The time of lord buddha is now said as the time of revival and rejuvenation of mystical and regional thoughts. Buddha establishes the system of philosophical, spiritual, and social importance in life.

The life of Siddhartha is often referring as the elimination of suffering. Lord buddha created the path that all human beings can follow to ultimately become free from suffering. Buddhism is based on “the Nobel eightfold path” or the “middle way path” formed by lord buddha.

Gautam Buddha has sacrificed his life to teach people to understand the true meaning of life. He told the entire world that the cycle of birth and rebirth depends on Karma. Gautam buddha was a great personality who was a guide to religion and spirituality. He inspired people to help each other in need and maintain peace among people.

People remember the four Nobel paths drawn by lord buddha in Buddha Jayanti. Gautam Buddha taught people the importance of good works rather than other things in life. He left all the privileged as the king to make the world a better place to live. Lord Buddha is also important for Hindu people because he is taken as the ninth form of lord Vishnu.

What is the eightfold path set by lord buddha?

We all know that how lord buddha spends his entire life teaching people to respect each other and have humanity among all pants and animals. Although buddha came from a privileged life he chooses to sacrifice his life for the welfare of the entire world.

• Right Speech (Samma vaca)

Right to speech means avoiding or not lying, backbiting and slander. Or saying any kind of thing that many causes negativity among people which results in conflict, enmity, hatred, and disunity among people. You should also always speak good about people and spread positivity among people.

 

• Right action (Samma kammanta)

This path created by lord buddha focus on promoting moral and peace among society. People in today’s generation have been destroying other’s life, stealing, being dishonest.  People are losing honorable life, so buddha teaches people to create peace to live meaning full life.

• Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)

right to live means that we should live our life by not harming any other being. One should not believe in evil works such as trading arms or weapons, drinking alcohol, or killing animals. According to lord buddha, you should not give pain to other living beings just to fulfill our needs. We should respect every living being on this planet.

• Right effort (Samma Vayama)

 

Right to efforts implies preventing evil thoughts from life.  One should also always put efforts to kill the evil thoughts in their life and become better from our life. For that, you should see the positive side of everything. You should develop and try to bring perfection to everything.

• Rightful mildness

People should have the right mindfulness i.e., having sensation or feelings toward everybody and right thoughts among everything. One should always keep others’ feelings in regard. You should not have any negative thoughts about any things. You should not have hatred in your mind against anything. We also need to always try to keep peace in everything that we do.