Buddha Purnima 2023: Date, Time, Puja Rituals, Worship Method, Significance And Celebrations

Buddhism is the most popular and avidly followed religion with a massive number of devotees spread every corner across the globe. Buddha's birthday is celebrated based on the Asian lunisolar calendars. It is primarily celebrated in the Vaisakha month according to the Buddhist calendar and as per the Gregorian calendar, it falls in the month of April or May.

May is the month it is usually celebrated in. Buddha Purnima is a conglomeration of three major events in buddhas life. Three occasions in his life, namely, birth, salvation and death are celebrated on this day which the Buddhists call the "thrice-blessed festival day." Let us know more about the date, time, puja rituals, worship method, significance and celebrations associated with Buddha Purnima.

Buddha Purnima 2023: Date And Time

This year marks the 2585th Birth Anniversary of Gautama Buddha. It will be celebrated on Friday, May 5, 2023. Purnima Tithi begins at 11:44 pm on 04 May 2023 and Purnima Tithi ends at 11:03 pm on May 05, 2023.

Buddha Purnima 2023: Gautama Buddha's Early Life

Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was a scion of a royal family, born around 563/480 BCE in Lumbini Gardens in Nepal. Buddha's birth anniversary is a momentous occasion for Buddhists all over the world, especially for the East Asian followers of Buddha, who celebrate it in the traditional style so as to relieve the spirit of his times. Buddha attained enlightenment after practising penance for six years when he was 35 years of age.

The first few years of penance were spent in rituals and fasting observances that did not yield the results he strove for. Finally at the Gaya, in Bihar, under a pipal tree, he performed a very rigorous tapasya (penance) for 7 continuous days. On the 7th day, he attained Buddhahood. Travelling widely all over India with the sole purpose of spreading his knowledge, he met with scores of fellow human beings whom he initiated into his religious cult and finally attained maha parinirvana (samadhi) at the age of 80 in Kushinagar.

However, in countries belonging to the Mahayana tradition, Buddhists celebrate these three occasions on three separate days, during different times, in a year. they observe Buddha's birthday on Vesak day, in some other Buddhist countries, it is conducted as a week-long celebration. In Japan, it is always observed on 08 April, as per the modern calendar.

Buddha Purnima 2023: Puja Rituals Or Vidhi

Almost all the Buddhists hang lanterns, arrange festive dinners and rath/path yatras, and visit temples with naivedya offerings on the day of the Buddha. There is a famous tradition of "Washing the Baby Buddha" which has very symbolic connotations. this is how the story goes. when Buddha was born, he was able to stand up, walk seven steps further, and say " I am the honoured one."

He pointed his fingers heavenwards, and then down, indicating that he was indeed born to appease and conquer the three worlds, through his Tapasya (penance). The seven steps that he walked is believed to point in seven different directions. They were north, south, west, east, up, down and here. This is exactly why the ceremony of washing the baby Buddha is conducted. The figurine the Buddhists choose for washing is a small standing idol, with the right hand pointing upwards, and the left pointing down. It is placed on an altar where people submit their prayers and offerings, and then do the abhisheka from a ladle filled with tea or water.

Buddha Purnima 2023: Worship Method

White robes are prescribed for wearing on this day, as the white colour is believed to exude peaceful vibrations that have a beneficial impact on the mind. Buddhists sit down in the temples to meditate and imbibe Buddha's principles. It is said that invoking him in their hearts will be possible in the serene ambience of the shrine, as it will be easier to connect with his beneficence internally in a calm atmosphere. Only vegetarian food is advised to be consumed on this day and kheer is prepared and distributed in all Buddhist homes. Those who can visit the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya Bihar, can pay a visit and cleanse themselves of impurities at all three levels.

Charitable activities, like donating alms for the poor and the needy, bring out the good Samaritan in you and allows you to relate to and see the sufferings of your fellow co-travellers in a new light. It is time to merge into the sea of humanity and share the milk of human kindness with others, that need it. You will be able to merge with the sea of universal humanity.

Buddha Purnima 2023: Celebrations

The Buddha's Birthday is a day which is earmarked for celebrations as well as for introspective reflections for devotees. Theravada Buddhist groups celebrate all three occasions, that is, birth, enlightenment and nirvana on the same day of Vaisakha or Vesak month, Tibetan Buddhists also follow this same tradition and combine these three events into one day of Saga Dawa Duchen normally in June.

This day is also known as Buddha Purnima or Vaisakhi Buddha Purnima or Vesak. Some of the devotees stay at home and pray to him whereas many others prefer to visit the temple, to stay there the whole day, and even beyond the wee hours the next morning. Continuous praying, alms donation to the needy, doing many charitable deeds that suit your convenience, sharing food, and discussing the teachings and tenets with each other, goes on throughout the day, and night of the full moon.

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