Buddha Purnima in Bodh Gaya

Hi Friends, We all celebrate Buddha Purnima all over the world. However, Have you ever witnessed Buddha Purnima in Bodh Gaya?

Buddha Poornima, which falls on the full moon night in the month of Vaisakha (either in April or May), commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, founder of Buddhism. Notwithstanding the summer heat, pilgrims come from all over the world to Bodh Gaya to attend the Buddha Poornima celebrations.

The day is marked with prayer meets, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha, religious discourses, continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation, processions, worship of the statue of Buddha. People gather under the Bodhi tree for special prayer where the adorers pray for the world peace. The Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look and is decorated with colourful flags and flowers.

This year we'll celebrate Buddha Purnima on 9th May, 2009.

Thanks Poonam for the enlightening information. I haven't visited Bodh Gaya, but am really fascinated reading stories of Buddha since I was a child.

Buddha Purnima is indeed a day of celebration, which rarely happens - Gautam Buddha was born on this day, attained Supreme enlightenment or Nirvana beneath the Bodhi-tree at Bodh Gaya on the same day, and forty-five years later at the age of eighty, he finally passed away in Parinivana on the same day of the year at Kushinagar.

Please tell us more about how Buddha Purnima is celebrated in Bodh Gaya. It must be a different experience I believe.

Buddha Purnima, is the birth anniversary of the Lord Buddha. He was born as Prince Siddhartha in 544 BC, in Lumbini, now in Nepal. Very few people are aware that that Siddhartha’s wife, Yashodara his charioteer Channa and even his horse were born on the same day.
My friend tells me that Buddha Purnima is marked by prayers, recitation of Buddhist scriptures, and sermons by the senior monks in monasteries. Incense, flowers and candles are offered at the statue of the Buddha. Bodhi trees are decorated with garlands and traditional red and yellow coloured flags. It is considered pious to water the Bodhi tree on this day and lamps are also lighted beneath the tree.
I would like my fellow ILites to share their experience of the festival.

Celebrating Buddha Purnima in Bodh Gaya is an experience in itself. Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world flock to Bodh Gaya to attend the Buddha Poornima celebrations. The day is marked with prayer meets, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha, religious discourses, continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation, processions, worship of the statue of Buddha and symposia.

The Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look and is decorated with colourful flags and flowers. On this holy day, the Buddhists bathe and wear only white clothes. They gather in their viharas for worship and give alms to monks. Many spend their entire day at the vihara listening to discourses on the life and teachings of the Buddha or invite monks to their homes.

You really need to visit Bodh Gaya to experience this divine celebration.

Thank you all for such enlightening information. Celebrating Buddha Purnima in Bodh Gaya must be an altogether different experience in itself. Are the rituals followed in Bodh Gaya any different from those practiced in any other places?

Have you seen the Bodhi tree?

Oh yes! The Peepal or Bodhi Tree is no less than an institution in itself. What you see now, the present Bodhi tree is probably the fifth succession of the original tree under which the Buddha had attained enlightenment. The Mahabodhi Temple stands east to the Bodhi Tree.

On Buddha Purnima, Buddhists eat kheer, rice cooked in milk and sugar, which they share with the poor. They set up stalls in public places to offer others clean drinking water and also show kindness to animals. The Chinese scholar, Fa-Hien has recorded celebration of this festival in Bodh Gaya as a divine experience.