On May 10, Buddhists from different parts
will observe Buddha Purnima, irrespective of their different sects
On the full moon day of the month Vaisakha, Buddhists across the world celebrate Buddha Purnima signifying the three most important events of Buddha’s life: birth, enlightenment and passing away.
Gautam Buddha, also known as Shakyamuni Buddha, taught that every human being is born with the ability to become happy, as each individual possesses the potential for enlightenment.
Also called as Vesak, significance of this day lies with Gautam Buddha’s teaching of creating a world of happiness. As Buddha achieved nirvana on this day, many Buddhists refer to this day as his passing away to nirvana and not as his death.
At the first conference of World Fellowship of Buddhist that took place in Sri Lanka in 1950 it was formally decided to celebrate Vesak as Buddha’s birthday.
Proclaiming that one is responsible for their own happiness or unhappiness, Buddha asserted happiness doesn’t amount to a life without problems, but it comes with the ability to overcome the difficulties with strength and wisdom. And this strength can only come from challenging one’s weaknesses and a firm determination to change from within.
On this day, followers light lamps, decorate houses, offer flowers to idols and worship the Bodhi tree. Many visit Bodhgaya, as Gautam Buddha gained enlightenment under a pipal tree there. While Buddhists reaffirm his teachings of life, death and karma on Vesak, according to Hindu scriptures Buddha is considered to be the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Though Buddhist teachings do not rely on the Vedas, various modern Vaishnava organisations believe that Buddha was the avatar who promoted ahimsa (nonviolence).
Different sects
Buddha preached various sutras to his disciples in order to help people actualise their own inner potential of becoming happy. But over the years, different schools of Buddhism based on different sutra’s rose to light, with Hinayana and Mahayana as the two key schools.
Hinayana also referred to as Theravada Buddhism is mainly associated with South East Asian regions, making it closer to Indian form of Buddhism. The Mahayana Buddhism is spread across Tibet and China. The Theravada Buddhism focuses more on the individual — the liberation or nirvana, while Mahayana focuses more on society as a whole giving importance to the role of the Boddhisattva path.
The Dharmachakra
The Wheel of Dharmachakra has eight spokes reflecting the Eightfold Paths of Buddhism.
Eightfold Paths are Right View, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Samadhi.
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