Buddha_Moon

Buddha Purnima- Happy birthday to Gautam Buddha

Buddha Purnima is a festival celebrated with great fervor in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore and Indonesia.

Buddha’s full name is Gautam Buddha and apparently, my youngest brother’s name is Gautam 🙂

The birthday of Gautam Buddha is celebrated as Buddha Purnima across the world. It falls on a full moon day in the month of Vaisakh (April/May) according to the Hindu calendar. In Theravada Buddhism, it is also observed as the day Buddha, born as prince Siddhārtha Gautama (c. 563-483 BCE), attained Nirvana (salvation) under the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, Bihar, and as his death anniversary.

Buddha Purnima celebration at Bodh Gaya
Buddha Purnima celebration at Bodh Gaya – India | © Indianexpress

Devotees visit temples, light candles, and incense sticks pray and offer sweets and fruits before the statue of Lord Buddha. Sermons on the life and teachings of Buddha are held and attended by followers in larger numbers. People usually dress in white and distribute cheer – the favorite (sweet Milk and rice porridge) as according to Buddhist lore, on this day a woman named Sujata had offered Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.

A devotional painting of Buddha Pointing at the Full-Moon

In India, a large fair is held in Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site where Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. The relics of the Buddha are taken out for public display in a procession. The day is also marked by prayers and festivities in Gaya, Kushinagar and all across the world. In India, Buddha Festival has a high significance in Sikkim, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, North Bengal (Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Kurseong). People in India and Hindu scholar and Vaisnava believe that the Buddha is the ninth incarnation (avatar) of Lord Vishnu.

We wish you a Happy Buddha Purnima (Full Moon).

On this beautiful day: I am so grateful for starting my day at the KCL Meditation Center in Heidelberg, Practicing Ashtanga Yoga in Mysore style and today as it is Buddha Purnima/ Full Moon day, it was beautiful to meditate at the beautiful shrine.

KCL Meditation Center – Handschusheim, Heidelberg | 10.05.2016 – Buddha Purnima

We highly recommend you to visit this beautiful Buddihst Meditation Center in Handschusheim, Heidelberg. They have excellent events and workshop. Please follow the link to know more: http://www.kcl-heidelberg.de | Address: Karma Chang Chub Chöphel Ling Friedensstrasse 20 69121 Heidelberg

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