BUDDHA PURNIMA "VESAK"

“बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि: मैं बुद्ध की शरण लेता हूं

धम्मं शरणं गच्छामि: मैं धर्म की शरण लेता हूं

संघं शरणं गच्छामि: मैं संघ की शरण लेता हूं”

Buddha Purnima – “Vesak”, the Day of the Full Moon in the month of Vishaka, is the most sacred day to millions of Buddhists around the world. It was on the Day of Vesak two and a half millennia ago, in the year 623 B.C., that the Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha in his eightieth year passed away. Even though many Buddhists observe Buddha’s historical birth on April 30th, the exact date remains in question. Although modern archaeological and historical research confirms that Prince Siddartha Gotama lived around this time

A JOURNEY FROM “SIDDHARTHA GAUTAM” TO “LORD BUDDHA”

 A scientific quote says “Curiosity is the mother of Invention”. This curiosity led the “Siddhartha Gautama”, the prince of Kapilavastu, the son of Suddhodhan, the king of Lumbini, Nepal to renounce the his entire kingdom (to which he was the heir) and wander in deep woods for the quest to search the eternal truth of life.

He took the life of an ascetic and started to meditate as this mode was the only medium to get his queries answered. He decided for meditation and a 49 days continuous meditation under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, gifted him the power of enlightenment also called “Nirvana”. Soon after getting enlightenment, he started to preach to a group of followers and made them realised the value of life, karma, birth and rebirth.

After enlightenment Siddhartha got the most honored title of his life ‘Gautama Buddha’. This was the place where a new religion “Buddhism” was born. This was the pious journey of Siddhartha Gautam to Lord Buddha. 

He gave his first discourse called Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta or Turning the Wheel of Dhamma, to five ascetics in the deer park at Isipatana in Benares (present-day Varanasi). These five ascetics became his first disciples and his teachings attracted many followers, who then joined the Sangha, the community of monks. Lord Buddha thereafter visited his ailing father to preach the Dhamma. After hearing his teachings, the king attained arahatta (perfect sanctity) before he passed away. This was followed by The Buddha preaching the Abhidhamma or the Higher Doctrine to his former mother, who was reborn as a deva with other deities in the Tavatimsa heaven. He then founded the order of Buddhist nuns. During his long ministry that lasted forty-five years, Lord Buddha walked throughout North India, and taught about the suffering of life, how to end it, how to attain peace and nibbana, to all those who listened.

BUDDHA PURNIMA AND BODHGAYA

Over the years, this festival has come up like a social, religious, spiritual and cultural festival. At Bodh Gaya, the Mahabodhi temple drapes a festive look and is lavishly decorated with flowers and flags. Special prayers, meditation, religious speeches, recitation of Buddhist scriptures, processions along with worshipping of Lord Buddha Statue are organised. Several events like Bodhidroom Mela, Sutrasraban, Sutrapath, Ashtasheel, Panchsheel, are also organised which attracts tourists from all over the globe. Thousands of Buddhists and the members of the international Buddhist Council take part in the procession and other activities. The festival is celebrated by a visit to common Viharas in white attire. The statue of Lord Buddha is placed in a basin filled with water and decorated with flowers. This is a ritualistic bath which symbolises the day as a pure and new beginning. The festival and the teachings of Buddha also depict that donating and helping the poor is the doorway to heaven. On the occasion of Buddha Purnima monks and organisations donate money and food which can help the poor and elderly people who are sick. Another destination “Sarnath '' also celebrates Buddha Purnima with great show and grandeur. It’s a location where Buddhist monks throng in a huge number to celebrate the festivity

“In separateness lies the world’s greatest misery; in compassion lies the world’s true strength.”