Buddha Purnima - Rituals and Celebrations (Part 1)

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Buddha Purnima - Rituals and Celebrations (Part 1)

Buddha Purnima (Buddha Jayanti) is the birth anniversary of the

Buddha which falls on the full moon day in the month of Vaisakh

(April/May). Buddha was born on the Full Moon day in the month of

Vaisakh in 563 BC. On the same date, Buddha achieved enlightenment

and nirvana (salvation). So Buddha Jayanti also marks the death

anniversary of Gautam Buddha (who died at the age of 80). For the

Tibetans, it is the full moon day in the fourth month of the Tibetan

calendar. In Sikkim, Buddha Purnima is called "Saga Dasa"

and "Vaishakh Pooja" in the Thervada tradition.

 

According to Buddhist legend, Buddha's wife Yashodhara, his

charioteer Channa, his disciple Ananda, and his horse Kantaka were

all born on the same day. Hindus consider Buddha the ninth avatar of

Vishnu.

 

Buddhists offer prayers in their temples on this day. Prayers,

sermons, recitation of Buddhist scriptures are the activities

performed by the followers. Monks and devotees meditate and worship

the statue of Gautam Buddha. Offerings of fruits, flowers, candles

are made to the Buddha statue.

 

Along with the Buddha statue, even the Bodhi tree (pipal tree) is

worshipped as Buddha achieved enlightenment at the age of thirty-six

under a bodhi tree in Gaya. The branches of the trees are garlanded

and decorated with coloured flags. Lamps are lit around the trees.

Milk and scented waters are sprinkled on its roots.

 

On this day, Buddhists wear only white clothes and gather in praying

halls to give alms to the monks. Many of them spend almost the whole

day in Vihara listening to the discourses on the life and teachings

of Buddha. They also reaffirm their faith in the five basic

principles of Buddhism called Panchsheel. They are: not to take

life, not to steal, not to lie, not to drink alcohol or other

intoxicants, and not to commit adultery.

 

Meat eating is avoided on this day. Most of the houses make kheer

(rice pudding in milk) as the sweet dish. People distribute food and

clothes to poor and also free birds from cages. Buddha Purnima is

celebrated all over the world. Bodh Gaya in Bihar, Sarnath in Uttar

Pradesh, Sanchi and Kushinagar are the main centers of celebration

of this festival. In Delhi the mortal remains of the Buddha are

taken out at the National Museum for public viewing.

 

In Sanchi, on this holy day, images and portraits of Buddha are

taken out in a procession. On this day, there is a great fair held

at Lumbini in the Rupandehi district, which is the birth place of

Lord Buddha. In Sri Lanka all the houses are brightly illuminated.

In Japan, Buddhists have fixed the eighth of April as the Buddha's

birthday. On this day, they make replicas of shrines with spring

flowers and place a small idol of the Buddha on them. They bathe and

worship these idols. In Burma, the Buddhists set a day apart every

month in honour of the Buddha.