Buddha Purnima holds immense significance for Buddhists, marking one of the most important days of the year. It pays homage to Gautama Buddha’s enlightenment and birth in Lumbini, Nepal, and stands as a globally celebrated festival. Observed on a full moon day in the month of April or May, corresponding to the Vaisakha Month in the Hindu calendar, this occasion is considered auspicious for charity, reflection, and puja. If you’re curious about the specific date of Buddha Purnima in 2023, read on.
Buddha Purnima Tithi (Date & Time) in 2023
The Buddhist community celebrates Buddha Jayanti with great enthusiasm and dedication. This holy day every year falls on a Purnima, or full moon day, in the Hindu month of Vaisakha. According to Hindu calendars, the date generally falls in April or May.
This year we are going to celebrate the 2585th Birth Anniversary of Gautam Buddha. The Buddha Jayanti date of 2023 in India and Nepal this year is on 5th May.
Buddha Purnima:
- Begins on May 04, 2023, at 11:44 PM
- Ends on May 5, 2023, at 11:03 p.m.
Buddha Purnima’s significance is discussed in the following subsections.
Significance of Buddha Purnima
Buddha Purnima is a significant Buddhist holiday that honors Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. With parades, processions, and cultural events, the day is most grandly celebrated in countries with large Buddhist populations. Overall, Buddha Purnima/ Jayanti is a time for believers and devotees to pray, reflect, and seek blessings, as well as a time for people to gather and recall Buddha’s teachings and ethics.
History of Buddha Purnima
Though scholars assume Lord Buddha lived between the sixth and fourth centuries BC, the precise year and time of his birth and death remain unknown. Legends propose that Prince Siddhartha emerged as a destined great king or sage long before his birth in the Royal Family in Lumbini, Nepal. Siddhartha, raised in the royal family, remained sheltered from the hardships of human life until his late twenties. However, after experiencing disease, old age, and death, the 29-year-old prince decided to leave his royal palace and embark on a mission to discover the source of all sorrow.
Over the next few years, he studied various teachings but was unable to discover emancipation until one night when he went into profound meditation and awoke with all the answers he had been seeking. At the age of 35, Siddhartha Gautama attained the title of Buddha or the Awakened One. He spent the rest of his life preaching the Dharma and guiding others to Enlightenment. Gautama Buddha died in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, at the age of 80.
Importance of Buddha Purnima
Buddha Purnima is celebrated because it claims that Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born on the Purnima Tithi (full moon day) in 563 BC in Lumbini Grove (modern-day Nepal). To understand the Importance of Buddha Purnima, we have to go history of Lod Buddha’s life. After giving up his status as a Prince and enduring suffering for six years, he obtained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya to become Gautama Buddha on the full moon day of May. Gautam Buddha died at the age of eighty at Kusinara on the full moon day of May after 45 years of preaching his Truth.
It is appropriate to reflect on his life and teachings, as well as to recognize his contribution to humanity. The event celebrates his values of compassion, wisdom, and awareness, and serves as a reminder to all to strive for inner peace and enlightenment.
How is Buddha Purnima Celebrated?
Buddhists and Hindus all around the world celebrate Buddha Purnima, mainly in Asian countries from India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Bhutan, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Korea, Singapore, to Indonesia. Laos, Vietnam, and Mongolia, on the other hand, each have their own style of celebrating Buddha Purnima. To mark the beginning of this festival people, start with worshipping the statue of Baby Buddha. People in India traditionally bathe in the sacred river Ganga to wash away their sins.
Offering Candles, Flowers and Reciting Rhymes
After Buddha Purnima, Buddhist monasteries, residences, and temples actively adorn themselves with garlands and bright flags.
Visiting Lord Buddha’s Temple
Devotees pilgrimage to sacred temples like the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya, the Sarnath temple in Varanasi, and the Dhaulagiri in Orissa. On this auspicious day, people from Thailand, Bhutan, Tibet, and various parts of the world gather at these revered sites to seek blessings.
Offering Sweet Dishes
On this auspicious day, people prepare and distribute sweet treats like Kheer or milk porridge to the needy and loved ones.
Observing the ethics of Lord Buddha’s Non-Violence & kindness
Devotees from around the globe visit sacred temples such as the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya and the Sarnath temple in Varanasi. Additionally, the Dhaulagiri in Orissa attracts pilgrims seeking spiritual enlightenment. On this auspicious day, individuals hailing from diverse regions like Thailand, Bhutan, and Tibet join the pilgrimage. They flock to these temples to seek blessings and experience a profound connection with their spirituality.
Let us celebrate Buddha Purnima 2023 by remembering his life and teachings together. If You are looking for more information regarding Buddha Purnima, chat with the expert Astrologers at Astropush. Download the App Now!
