Buddha Purnima 2024 – Date, Importance, Story and Puja Vidhi

Buddha Purnima has special significance in Buddhism which is a famous festival dedicated to Lord Buddha. Mahatma Buddha is known for his search for truth in the world. Buddha Purnima also known as Vesak is one of the most important festivals for people who follow Buddhism. This Purnima is also called Satya Vinayak Purnima. Buddha Purnima is a Buddhist festival celebrated to commemorate the birthday of Gautam Buddha.

Buddhist Festival

On this day, large-scale Buddhist festivals are organized in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal etc. According to the Hindu calendar, Buddha Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of Vaishakh month. The festival of Vesak usually falls in May or April. The childhood name of Gautam Buddha was Siddhartha Gautam who was a spiritual master.

Buddha Purnima 2024 Date

Buddha Purnima on Thursday, 23 May 2024

Purnima Date Start – 22 May 2024 at 6:47 pm
Purnima Date End – 23 May 2024 at 7:22 pm

Buddha Purnima Importance

Today we will know the importance of Buddha Purnima. It is believed that Buddha Purnima has special significance for both Hindu and Buddhist religions. Gautam Buddha was born on the purnima day of Vaisakha month. This day is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha. It is celebrated only on this day and it is also believed that he attained enlightenment on this day. According to him, he gave his first sermon in Sarnath. Only after this Buddhism started. The special significance of Buddha Purnima is that Hindus and Buddhists from all over the world come together on this day. People visit the holy pilgrimage sites of Lord Buddha and worship him. Bathing in Ganga on the day of Buddha Purnima has great significance.

Buddha Jayanti

Vaishakh Purnima is celebrated as Buddha Jayanti. Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha is also celebrated on this day. Lord Buddha’s birth, attainment of knowledge and Mahaparinirvana, all three took place on the same day i.e. on Vaishakh Purnima. This did not happen with any other great man. According to Hindu religions, Lord Buddha is the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Buddha told the four noble truths, which all human beings should believe in.There is a reason for sadness. One gets relief from suffering. This is the only way to get relief from suffering. 

According to Lord Buddha, to live a holy life a man should avoid both types of excesses. A person should neither do excessive penance nor indulge in worldly pleasures. He stressed the importance of the middle path. Once Lord Buddha came out of the house he saw an extremely ill man, when he went a little further he saw an old man and finally a dead man. Seeing these scenes his mind became disturbed and he decided to take retirement. At the age of 29, he left home and took retirement.

Vesak 

Vesak Day, also commonly known as Buddha Purnima, is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Vaishakha. On this date, Gautam Buddha, the originator of Buddhism, was born, attained enlightenment and also attained Mahaparinirvana. It is the most important Buddhist festival celebrated across the world as it is related to the 3 biggest events in the life of Buddha. This festival is the most sacred day of the Buddhist calendar. It is a day to pay homage to Buddha, reflect on his teachings and apply them in one’s life. It is also called ‘Buddha Day’ or Vaishakh Day.

Buddha Purnima Story

It is generally accepted that Lord Buddha lived between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, although the exact date and time of his birth and death are unknown. Prince Siddhartha, now known as Gautam Buddha, was born in Lumbini, Nepal. 

Long before his birth people had predicted that he would become a great king or sage. Siddhartha’s parents brought him up in royal comfort and protected him from the hardships of everyday life until he reached the age of 20. 

Faced with illness, aging, and death, the 29-year-old prince decides to leave his royal palace and move out. On a mission to find the cause of all suffering. He meditated on other teachings over the coming years, but was unable to discover liberation until one night when he went into a deep state of meditation and woke up with all the solutions he had discovered. 

Thus Siddhartha Gautama, who was 35 years old at the time, evolved into the Buddha, also known as the Awakened One. He spent the rest of his life propagating the Dharma to guide others towards enlightenment. Gautam Buddha died at the age of 80 in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. According to legend, Gautam Buddha’s birth, attainment of enlightenment and salvation all took place on the same day of the year. 

Due to this coincidence, this day has immense importance in Buddhism. In May 1960, the World Fellowship of Buddhists verdict to celebrate the anniversary of the Buddha birth on the since Vaisakha Purnima.

Buddha Purnima Puja Vidhi

• On the day of Buddhist Purnima, wake up in the morning and clean the house.
• After this take bath with Ganga water.
• After this worship the idol of Lord Vishnu and Gautam Buddha.
• On this day, worship can also be done by going to the temple.
• Donating on the full moon day is considered best, so donate only as per your capacity.

Buddha Purnima Remedies

• Offering holy water to the roots of the Peepal tree will welcome the blessings and grace of Lord Buddha and pave the way for inner peace and stability.
• Meditating can help a person feel more connected to the universe and their spiritual energy.
• Offering fruits and flowers to Lord Buddha can ensure his blessings, which will help people improve their lives.
• People should donate things like food and clothes.
• By donating sesame seeds and honey, people can get rid of their past sins.

Wrapping Up

An important Buddhist festival called Buddha Purnima honors the life, enlightenment and demise of Gautam Buddha. Celebrating this day with greater grandeur, Buddha Purnima is a time for followers of Buddha to pray, meditate and seek blessings and is also a time for people to gather and commemorate the teachings of Buddha. If you want to know more information about Buddha Purnima Vrat, then you can get the information by taking online astrology consultation.