Buddha Purnima 2024: Date, Time, And Celebrations

Gautam Buddha’s birthday, which is a significant day for most people who practice Buddhism, is celebrated worldwide during Buddha Purnima 2024. The people of Lumbini, Nepal, celebrate the day of Buddha Purnima, which commemorates the birth of Gautam Buddha.

People observe Gautam Buddha Purnima in the Vaishakha month on a bright full moon day. On Gautam Buddha Purnima, people dedicate the day to charity, contemplation, and puja.

Siddhartha Gautam was the childhood name of Gautam Buddha. He became a spiritual teacher who taught Buddhism and later founded this culture. Gautam Buddha’s birthdate and death dates were unknown. Thus, most historians mark the lifetime of Gautam Buddha between 563-483 B.C.

The place where Gautam Buddha died was in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh at the age of 80. Lumbini and Nepal are considered to be the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. Bodhgaya is the most popular pilgrimage site for people who want to see Gautam Buddha’s life.

Kushinagar, Sarnath, and Lumbini are the three most important pilgrimage sites in Buddhism. Gautam Buddha first learned dharma in Sarnath and achieved enlightenment in Bodhgaya, according to mythology.

Buddha Purnima 2024 is the day when he enlightened and Buddha Purnima also referred to as Vesak, Buddha Jayanti, Vaishaka, and Buddha’s birthday. In North India, people regard Lord Krishna as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and they regard Buddha as the ninth. South Indian tradition, people never see Buddha as a Vishnu Avatar.

In South India, people regard Krishna as the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, while they regard Balarama as the eighth. Many Vaishnava organizations regard Balarama as a manifestation of Vishnu. Even Buddhists disagree that the Buddha is a manifestation of Lord Vishnu.

Buddha Purnima 2024: Date And Time

The Buddhist society will celebrate Buddha Purnima with lots of enthusiasm and fervour this year in 2024. Buddha Purnima 2024 falls in the Vaishaka month on a bright full moon day. This generally falls in April and May month according to Asian lunisolar calendars. If there would be a leap year, buddha Purnima comes in June month. 

Buddhists in Nepal and India will celebrate Buddha Purnima 2024 on 23rd May 2024. The Vaishaka festival celebrates Gautam Buddha’s birth, representing three major occasions of life: birth, death, and enlightenment.

• Buddha Purnima 2024 Tithi Begins at At 06:00 PM on May 22, 2024
• Buddha Purnima 2024 Tithi Ends At 07:00 PM on May 23, 2024

According to the 2024 year date, let’s find out the significance, history, and other information related to Buddha Purnima.

Buddha Purnima 2024 Date	23 May 2024
Day	Thursday
Anniversary	2586th Birth Anniversary
Buddha Purnima 2024 Tithi Begins	At 06:00 PM on May 22, 2024
Buddha Purnima 2024 Tithi Ends	At 07:00 PM on May 23, 2024
Also Called as	Gautma Buddha Jayanti, Vesak, Phat Dan, Saga Dawa, Vesak Bochea, Visakha Puja
Significance	Birth of Gautama Buddha

 

Who Was Gautam Buddha?

In Buddhism, people celebrate Buddha Purnima and discuss the history of Gautam Buddha in the next section. What teachings did Gautam Buddha impart to the people?

Siddharth Gautam knew Gautam Buddha in his childhood, and he was born in the palace of King Suddhodana. Siddharth Gautam was the founder of Buddhism and also a great teacher, philosopher, and guide.

According to historians, he lived somewhere between 563 and 483 BC. However, we do not know the Buddha’s birth date with certainty. People regard Buddha as Lord Vishnu’s ninth avatar in North India.

The Buddha, who acquired enlightenment in Bodh Gaya at the age of 29, spent years in meditation in quest of the truth before delivering his Dharma address in Sarnath.

History Of Buddha Purnima

It is generally accepted that Lord Buddha lived between the sixth and fourth centuries BC, although the exact date and hour of his birth and passing are unknown. Prince Siddhartha, who is now known as Gautam Buddha, was born in Lumbini, Nepal. Long before his birth, people foretold that he would become a great king or sage.

Siddhartha’s parents raised him in princely comfort and shielded him from the difficulties of everyday life until he reached his late 20s. The 29-year-old prince decided to leave his royal palace and embark on a mission to discover the reason for all suffering after coming into contact with illness, ageing, and death.

He looked into other teachings throughout the ensuing years but was unable to discover emancipation until one night when he entered a deep state of meditation and awoke with all the solutions he had been looking for. 

This is how Siddhartha Gautama, then 35 years old, evolved into the Buddha, also known as the Awakened One. He preached the Dharma to guide others toward enlightenment for the remainder of his life. In Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, Gautama Buddha died at the age of 80.

According to legend, the birth, enlightenment, and salvation of Gautama Buddha all took place on the same day of the year. The day has enormous significance in Buddhism because of this coincidence. In May 1960, the World Fellowship of Buddhists chose to commemorate the anniversary of Buddha’s birth on the first Vaisakha full moon day.

Buddha Purnima Celebrated In The Places

The festival of Buddha Purnima 2024 is being celebrated in Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Ladakh. Buddhists and people of different religions celebrate Buddha Purnima with full devotion and reverence around the world. Buddha Purnima will be observed at various places, and you will get to know the teachings of Lord Buddha during the event.

Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya is the place where Gautam Buddha taught enlightenment. This is one of the popular pilgrimage sites. Devotees can visit the Mahabodhi temple, which is described as a UNESCO World Heritage site, during the Buddha Purnima.

Around the world, people gather at Bodh Gaya and perform religious sermons and discourses. 

Ladakh

Ladakhis participate in a variety of festivities to mark this auspicious day, including meditation, spiritual discussions on Buddhist texts, prayers, and dialogue about the life of Buddha. Regardless of their allegiance with a particular religion, people visit the monasteries that the monks decorate with flowers.

Sikkim

Saga Dawa in Sikkim celebrates Buddha Purnima, also known as Vesak. Monks carrying the Tsuklakhang Palace Monastery’s Holy Book are seen here in a procession to the sound of horns and drums. Several monasteries hold folk dancing performances.

Sarnath

Another sacred place where pilgrims can go on the Buddha Purnima is Sarnath. The relics of Buddha are performed in procession in this very great place. In Sarnath people observe the Buddha Purnima having vegetarian foods, offerings, and chanting hymns. 

Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh is another pilgrimage site where religious processions occur and a huge number of people gather to bring a statuette of Lord Buddha and perform holy scripts.

From the Theravada Buddhist monastery to the Thupten Ga-Tselling monastery devotees chant Buddhist mantras regarding spiritual significance. 

Reason To Celebrate Buddha Purnima

The reason to celebrate Buddha Purnima 2024 is to mark the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha who was a religious teacher, guide, great leader, and an ascetic.

In the world Buddha, Purnima is celebrated in the countries Sri Lanka, Nepal, Korea, China, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The belief is Gautam Buddha was the first who taught Dharma after obtaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya on this day. 

Rituals To Celebrate Buddha Purnima

To celebrate the Buddha Purnima 2024 we can do some rituals chant hymns, offerings, and vegetarian delicacies including the celebration of Gautam Buddha’s birthday. The occasion of Buddha Purnima is the day of enlightenment, marking the birth and death of Gautam Buddha. Followers should observe Buddha Purnima with great devotion and enthusiasm.

Gautam Buddha is the founder of the Buddhist community and that is why we are going to discuss the key elements of Buddha Purnima celebrations:

• On the day of Buddha Purnima, the people can visit the Buddha temple and offer flowers recite rhymes and spread the about life, teachings, and principles of Gautam Buddha.
• The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Sarnath Temple in Varanasi, Dhaulagiri in Orissa, and many other holy temples attract throngs of worshippers. Therefore, on this wonderful day, you are welcome to visit these temples and ask for blessings.
• Every Buddhist participating in the event must abide by a set of norms and regulations, which include practising kindness and non-violence. They must abstain from meat consumption and dress in white to represent peace and goodwill towards the less fortunate.
• Devotees decorate the sculptures of the Lord Buddha with new flowers and clean them with water. Additionally, devotees provide food, clothing, and money to the needy. People also commemorate special occasions by releasing caged birds or animals in several regions of China and Southeast Asia.
• Spreading joy and happiness on this auspicious day, folks could prepare delectable dishes like Kheer or milk porridge and present them to the less fortunate and dear to their hearts.
• On this day, a lot of individuals also take the opportunity for prayer and meditation to connect with the spiritual core of Lord Buddha’s teachings.

Advantages Of Buddha Purnima 2024

On the occasion of Buddha Purnima 2024 worshipping Gautam Buddha gives many spiritual benefits so let’s go look into the benefits of Buddha Purnima:

Mantras might help people find inner quiet and tranquillity if they are dealing with problems in their lives. One can lessen the negative impacts of planetary movements by chanting daily.

Buddha’s interests involve knowledge, wisdom, and enlightenment. Consequently, regular recitation of this mantra helps raise one’s consciousness and develop their intelligence. Regular worshippers of Lord Buddha often notice improvements in their verbal and written communication abilities.

They can communicate their ideas more clearly as a result. Moreover, praying to the Lord has a calming impact on the body and mind, encouraging relaxation and lowering stress levels. Additionally, it can aid in cultivating a centred and focused frame of mind, enhancing one’s general well-being.

Final Thoughts

An important Buddhist celebration called Buddha Purnima honours the life, enlightenment, and demise of Gautama Buddha. Communities with sizable Buddhist populations celebrate the day more opulently, organizing parades, processions, and cultural activities.

Generally speaking, Buddha Purnima is a time for followers of the Buddha to pray, meditate, and seek blessings as well as a time for people to gather and commemorate the Buddha’s teachings.

Let’s commemorate Buddha’s life and teachings together as we celebrate Buddha Purnima in 2024.

Happy Buddha Purnima 2024!!

Frequently Asked Question

Q. What is Buddha Purnima?

A.Buddha Purnima is celebrated to celebrate Gautam Buddha’s birthday worldwide, which is a significant day for most people who practice Buddhism. The day of Buddha Purnima is celebrated in Lumbini, Nepal, and enlightens the birth of Gautam Buddha.

Q. On which day does Buddha Purnima fall?

A.In the Vaishakha month on a bright full moon day, Gautam Buddha Purnima is observed. The day of Gautam Buddha Purnima is dedicated to charity, contemplation, and puja.

Q. Who was Gautam Buddha?

A. Gautam Buddha was known by Siddharth Gautam in his childhood and he was born in the palace of King Suddhodana. Siddharth Gautam was the founder of Buddhism and also a great teacher, philosopher, and guide.

Q. Why is Buddha Purnima celebrated?

A. The reason to celebrate Buddha Purnima is to mark the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha who was a religious teacher, guide, great leader, and an ascetic. In the world Buddha, Purnima is celebrated in the countries Sri Lanka, Nepal, Korea, China, Thailand, and Indonesia. The belief is Gautam Buddha was the first who taught Dharma after obtaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya on this day.

Q. What are the countries where Buddha Purnima is celebrated?

A. The festival of Buddha Purnima is celebrated in Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Ladakh. Buddha Purnima is celebrated with full devotion and reverence around the world and religions.

Q. What are the other names Buddha Purnima called?

A. Gautma Buddha Jayanti, Vesak, Phat Dan, Saga Dawa, Vesak Bochea, and Visakha Puja are the other names Buddha Purnima called.