Buddha Purnima 2025: All You Need to Know About the Festival of Enlightenment

Introduction

Buddha Purnima is celebrated the world over as the birthday of Gautama Buddha or Lord Buddha. The date varies as per the regions it is celebrated in. Buddhists in South Asia and South-east Asia celebrate this day as a part of the festival of Vesak (on the day of the full moon) as a celebration of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment and attainment of Nirvana. This festival is celebrated in the Vaisakha month of the Buddhist calendar and the Hindu Vikram Samvat calendar. This year, Buddha Purnima is on 12^th May 2025.

Buddha Purnima (Purnima means the full moon day in Sanskrit) is also known as Buddha Jayanti (Jayanti means birthday in Sanskrit). This festival is celebrated in various ways around the world.

Journey from prince to Buddha

Lord Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini, Nepal. At his birth, astrologers predicted that he would become a sage. Thus, to protect him, he was confined to the palace and prohibited from venturing outside lest he become influenced to become a sage, thereby making the prophecy come true. However, when he was 29 years old, he decided to explore the world outside the confines of the palace. He saw an old man, a sick man, and a corpse on his travels. It was his charioteer who explained to him about old age, sickness and death. The Prince also saw a monk, who was so calm and peaceful. This was the deciding factor that motivated him to seek why and how the monk could be so peaceful, and what was the cause of human suffering. He left his palace and began his life as a wanderer. He learnt meditation and practised asceticism for a long period.

It had been six years since he had left the palace. One day, he was meditating under a Bodhi tree. After seven days of meditation, he was freed from the bonds of human suffering and became the Enlightened One or “Buddha.” He attained Nirvana, i.e. he became free from worldly desires and suffering and from the cycle of birth and death.

He later moved from one destination to another, with these disciples, teaching people about dhamma for 49 years. He became the founder of Buddhism, and his teachings hold true even to this day.

Teachings of lord Buddha

The four noble truths

The Noble truth of suffering: Suffering exists.
The Noble truth of the Cause of Suffering: Causes of suffering are greed, ignorance, wrong idea of pleasure, the urge to want more
The Noble Truth of End of Suffering: Suffering can be ended by changing our views and notions and removing the causes of suffering. So we can lead a peaceful life and attain Nirvana.
The Noble Truth of Path to end suffering : This is the path to end all the suffering, also called the eight fold path or the middle way.

The eight-fold path

Right view: This is the knowledge about the cause, the end, and the path to end suffering.
Right intentions: To identify between right and wrong and become free of the shackles of ill will.
Right speech: Cease lying and speaking ill of others.
Right Conduct: Never cause harm to others by way of criticism, behaviour and actions.
Right Livelihood: Never resort to illegal measures or harm others to earn your livelihood.
Right Effort: Always try to do good to others.
Right Mindfulness: Always be aware of your thoughts, actions, words, and deeds.
Right Concentration: Focus on one thing at a time.

The triple jewel

The Buddha is the guide
The Dhamma is the path
The Sangha is the teachers and companions we meet along the way.

The five percepts

Avoid killing
Avoid taking anything which is not yours
Avoid sexual misconduct
Avoid lying
Avoid any false drinks/ alcohol

It is to be noted that these teachings are prevalent in today’s world as well. Just imagine if everyone followed these teachings, the world would be such a happier and peaceful place.

Celebrations

Buddha Purnima is celebrated the world over. The Buddhist temples/ Pagodas are decorated with light, flowers, and Buddhist flags. Incense and candles are lit. Buddha idols are bathed with scented water. The devotees partake of vegetarian meals. Monks give sermons about Lord Buddha’s teachings. Community meals are prepared for everyone. Small skits about the teachings are enacted at fairs, held. Devotees visit monasteries to seek blessings. Devotees give alms as well as offer food to the monks. Processions with floats are taken out on the streets. In Japan, lion dancing is a major tradition practised on Buddha Purnima. People offer prayers and chant. People visit Viharas to observe longer than usual Buddhist sutras, a type of service. Houses, streets are adorned with candles, paper lanterns and bamboo-framed lanterns.