Buddha Purnima 2024: Buddha Jayanti date, history, significance and all you need to know about Buddha’s Birthday
The auspicious festival of Buddha Purnima marks the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Gautama Buddha and founded Buddhism.
The sacred festival is also known as Buddha’s birthday, Buddha Day or Buddha Jayanti. Primarily a Buddhist festival, the day is celebrated in most of South, Southeast and East Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and more. It is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Vaisakha, which falls in April or May. Buddhists celebrate the day with great devotion and joy, participating in various religious ceremonies and rituals. Know the date, history, significance, and more about the festival inside.
Buddha Purnima 2024 Date:
This year, Buddha Jayanti falls on Thursday, May 23. This year marks the 2586th birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha.
Buddha Purnima Timings:
Purnima Tithi Begins: 6:47 pm on May 22, 2024
Purnima Tithi ends at 7:22 pm on May 23, 2024
Buddha Purnima 2024 History and Significance:
While the precise dates of Buddha’s birth and death are unknown, historians typically estimate his lifespan to be between 563-483 BC. Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, and attained Nirvana at 35. Buddha Purnima is observed as a day for reflection on the core principles of Buddhism: peace, compassion, and enlightenment. In some parts of South and Southeast Asia, the festival coincides with Vesak – a celebration of Buddha’s enlightenment and his passing into Nirvana. The festival offers a chance to spread the message of peace and harmony.
Meanwhile, the full moon holds significance in Buddhism as three significant events in Gautam Buddha’s life took place on this day. The full moon in May is especially important as Prince Siddhartha was born at Lumbini Grove. Secondly, Prince Siddhartha Gautam attained enlightenment under the shade of the Bodhi tree and became Gautama Buddha at Bodh Gaya after six years of hardship. Thirdly, after 45 years of teaching the Truth, when he was eighty, at Kusinara, he passed away to Nibbana (Nirvana) – release from the cycle of rebirth.