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BUDDHA PURNIMA
The Thrice Sacred Day
Celebrated on the full moon day of Vaishakha, this Buddhist festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
Buddha Purnima means the `fullmoon of the Buddha`. Called SagaDasa in Sikkimese and Vishakha Puja in the Thervada tradition, it is the most important of all Buddhist festivals. Commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha, the day is considered more auspicious than any other day of the year. Observed on the full moon day ofthe 4th month of the Tibetan calendar, corresponding to Vaishakha, it is a public holiday in India.
Gautam Buddha was born in 544BC in Lumbini, Nepal. Buddhist mythology is replete with legends relating to his birth. According to aTibetan belief, Buddha Kashyapa had prophesied that he would be reborn in human form. This would happen when the life-span of people living on earth became 100 years. His immortal incarnation would be called Buddha Shakyamuni and he would be a teacher to both the gods and humans. When the time was right, Buddha Kashyapa took the form of a six-tusked young white elephant and entered the body of Queen Mayadevi, wife of King Suddodhana of Lumbini, through the right side of her ribcage. Mayadevi carried him in her womb for ten months. One day, while strolling in her garden, she felt that she would so ongive birth to her child. She grasped the branch of a Sal (Shorea robusta) tree and yawned. Immediately, amidst anaura of light, the child was born from under her right arm. He walked seven steps in each direction and the earthshook in homage. The child was named Siddhartha.
Another legend suggests that the Buddha was an incarnation of Airavata, the elephant of Indra. Airavata is considered by many Hindus to be anincarnation of Vishnu because he emerged during the samudra manthan, as a six-tusked young, white elephant. According to this story, Queen Mayadevi was strolling in the garden at Lumbini. Feeling tired, she sat under a Sal (Shorea robusta) tree and fell asleep. She dreamt that a six-tusked white elephant had entered her body. Frightened, she rushed back to her husband and related what had happened. King Suddodhana consulted the royal astrologer, who told him that an unusual saviour of mankind was to be born to them.
After the birth of the child, named Siddhartha, his horoscope was made. It predicted that he would become either a world monarch or a great ascetic. Since Suddodhana did not want his son to become a hermit, he raised him in great luxury. Shielding him from the harsh realities of life, he created a paradise for him on earth. Nothing sador painful was allowed to touch the life of Siddhartha. In an effort to get him more deeply involved in worldly affairs and to add to his joys, the young prince was married to Princess Yashodhara at the age of 16.
One day, while the prince was travelling in his royal chariot, he chanced upon an old man, a sick person, a dead body and an ascetic. Exposed to the suffering in the world for the first time in his life, he was deeply distressed. He realised that he had led a very sheltered life. Restless and dissatisfied with his opulent lifestyle, Siddhartha decided to renounce his kingdom, even his wife and son, though he was just 29 years old, to find some answers to the questions of life. In his quest for truth, he considered all the known forms of meditation, but true knowledge evaded him. During his search, he travelled to distant lands. Finally, he sat and meditated under a Peepal (Ficus religiosa) tree for six years, until he attained enlightenment. The tree came to be called the Bodhi tree and the place where this happened is still known as Bodh Gaya (in present-dayBihar).
It is believed that he attained nirvana on the day of the full moon in the month of Vaishakha. Called Buddha Purnima since then, it was also on this day that Prince Siddhartha became Gautam Buddha and the day he gave his first sermon at Sarnath. He also liberated himself from the cycle of rebirth and achieved mahaparinirvana on Buddha Purnima.
According to Buddhist legend, his wife Yashodhara, his charioteer Channa, his disciple Ananda, and his horse Kantaka were all born on this thrice-sacred day. The Bodhi tree under which he attained nirvana was also believed to have been created on this day.
The celebration of this festival has been recorded by Fa-Hien. The rituals include prayers, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha, continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures, meditation by monks and devotees, and the worship of the statue of Buddha. Offerings of incense, flowers, candles and fruit are made by believers, who prostrate several times in front of the idol. The Bodhi tree is also revered. Its branches are decorated with garlands and coloured flags. Rows of lamps are lit around the tree, and milk and scented waters are sprinkled on its roots. Good deeds are performed on Buddha Purnima with zeal, for it is believed that the blessings earned for a virtuousact performed on this special day are many hundred times greater than on other days. Buddhists free birds from cages, distribute fruit and clothes to the sick and refrain from eating meat. The mortal remains of the Buddha are taken out at the National Museum in Delhi for public viewing. Many people assemble there to offer prayers.
The entire month of Vaishakha is considered sacred, so special prayers are held on all its days in various monasteries. On Buddha Purnima, every sect of Buddhism in India observes some distinctive rituals. In the monasteries of Sikkim, the lamas are engaged in recitations of the scriptures from early morning. Devotees visit gompas, and light oil lamps in front of the statue of the Buddha. The Mahayana Buddhists organise a colourful procession of monks with gyalings and rabdungs. Kangyur texts are also read.
The Ambedkar Buddhists also organise a pageant, but they include a photograph of Ambedkar with that of the Buddha in their tableaux. Many seminars and lectures are held in which eminent people participate. The poor and needy are given food and money.
The Thervada Buddhists offer ceremonial prayers to the idol of Buddha. They also donate clothes and food to Buddhist monks and the poor. At night, the Buddha vihar and its adjoining areas are illuminated with candles and oil lamps.
Buddhists honour their founder, spread his message and re-dedicate themselves to his teachings on Buddha Purnima.
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