Upcoming Festival-When is Budha Purnima in the Year 2021

Budha Jayanti or Budha Purnima is the most revered festival of the Buddhists. The word Purnima means a full moon day. It is observed as the birth anniversary of Lord Gautam Budha, the originator of Buddhism. 

 

Budha Purnima also known as Budha Jayanti is the most sacred festivals of Budhist. Budha Purnima is celebrated in remembrance Lord Budha. It falls on the full moon night in Vaisakha (according to the Hindu calendar that usually falls in April or May). Lord Budha was the founder of the Budhist religion and is said to be the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu. It was on Budha Purnima that the three important events of Budha's life took place i.e. his birth, his enlightenment and his death (nirvana).

 

Legend of Budha Jayanti :

 

Gautam Buddha or Siddhartha was born in 563 BC to King Suddhodhana, the king of Lumbini in Nepal and his wife Mayadevi. At the age of 16, he married a girl named Yashodhara and after a few years they had a son who was named Rahul. One night he renounced his wife, family and kingdom and went in search of ‘Bodhi’, the celestial knowledge.

He wanted to end the human sufferings of old age, sickness and death. One day he sat for meditation under a sacred treed called ‘Bodhi Briksha’ and gained enlightenment at the age of 36. There after he preached extreme penance and austerity to attain Nirvana which became known as Buddhism. Kings like Ashoka became his devotee and preached Buddhism across the world.

 

Ritual and Celebration of Budha Jayanti :

 

On the day of Budha Purnima, devout Buddhists assemble before Budha temples to witness the hoisting of Buddhist flag. Praises and hymns are sung in honor of Lord Budha, his Dharma or teachings and the Sangha, union of his disciples. Budhists wear white dresses and spend their day in meditation.

Devotees lay offerings of flowers and light candles at the feet of their great teacher. This, in a way symbolizes the brevity of human life.

 

Significance of Budha Jayanti :

 

Lord Gautam Budha is considered to be the 9th incarnation of Brahma, the Lord of all cosmos according to Hindu mythology. Budha Purnima is celebrated to commemorate the 3 most important events in the life of Lord Budha, that of his birth in 623 BC, his enlightenment or attainment of wisdom through meditation in 558 BC and his attainment of Nirvana or freedom from the cycles of life and death at the age of 80.