Essay on Buddha purnima

Purnima Buddha also known as Jayanti Buddha is the most sacred holiday of the Buddhists. Purnima Buddha is celebrated in memory of Lord Buddha. It falls on the full moon night (according to the Hindu calendar which usually falls in April or May) in Vaishakh. Lord Buddha was the founder of Buddhism and will be the ninth incarnation of Vishnu. It is on the full moon Buddha that three important events of Buddha's life took place, his birth, his knowledge and his death (nirvana). It is believed that Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment and died on the same day. Buddha Purnima is also known as Buddha Jayanti, Vesak, Vaishakh and Buddha Birthday.

Divine Life of Gautama Buddha:

The Buddha was born in 563 BC in the name of Siddhartha Gautama. He was a true historical figure, a prince of Shakal, a small kingdom bordering modern India and Nepal. He lived in a time of prosperity and social healing. At the age of sixteen, Siddharth married a beautiful woman and had a son. The turning point in his life came when Siddhartha was twenty-seven years old and lived outside the palace.

Facing the sufferings of samsara (old age, sickness and death), he lets his wife, his son and his wealth wander in search of enlightenment to become ascetic. He wandered in many places and finally at the age of thirty-five, he came to Bodh Gaya, where he was sitting under a tree. He swore that he would not rise until he attained enlightenment. After forty-seven days of solitude, he reached nirvana, a state of stability. He thus became Buddha "One who is fully awake

Festivals and Rituals:

The main festival of Jayanti Buddha takes place in Bodh Gaya. For Buddhists, Bodhgaya is the most important pilgrimage centre associated with the life of Gautama Buddha. Bodhgaya, the sanctuary that marks the spot of the light of Mercury. Bodhgaya is a small town in the Gaya district of Bihar, India.

A large number of faithful Buddhists from all over the world come together to pay homage to Lord Buddha. Apart from decorating the temple and the area with colourful Buddhist flags, Buddhists decorate their houses with lights, candles and lamps. After the morning prayer, a colourful procession of monks, a puja with large offerings, sweets and snacks are distributed.

Elsewhere, prayers, discourses and continuous recitations of Buddhist scriptures take place in monasteries, religious halls and homes. On this day, Buddhists bathe and wear only white clothes. People offer incense, flowers, candles and fruits to the statue of Lord Buddha. The Mahabodhi tree, also known as the "Peepal-tree" or the sacred fig tree, is worshiped and offered offerings.

It is known as the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. Classically, Buddhists are pure vegetarian. People who are not vegetarian do not eat meat that day. Sweet dishes, kheer, are prepared at home. In many places, it is also a practice to free birds from cages. They spend their entire day listening to speeches on the life and teachings of the Buddha.

For Siddharth and Nirvana, it was not easy to find the truth. He killed an ascetic. In Bodh Gaya, he sat under a tree on a long journey of meditation and decided not to get up until he was enlightened.

He meditated directly for 49 days, creating a body of knowledge that was ready to bring humanity a new religion. Shortly after enlightenment, the Buddha preached to a small group who quickly became his disciples. From there the Buddha became a spiritual teacher. After years of teaching, he finally freed himself from the cycle of rebirth and attained salvation

Buddha Purnima 2020: How is it Celebrated? In India, Buddha Purnima is celebrated by visiting common monasteries, where Buddhists follow the Buddhist sutra, which is more like a service, than normal and full length. Books pdf download 

Usually dressed in white, Buddhists avoid eating non-vegetarian food. Kheer is considered to be the most suitable porridge till date. The Buddha statue is placed in a basin filled with water and decorated with flowers. People see this day as a symbol of a pure and new beginning.

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