Buddha Jayanti

Buddha Jayanti is also known as Buddha Purnima (the day Lord Buddha was born). It is one of the most sacred festivals of Buddhist religion and Nepali people. It is celebrated in remembrance of Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha is the great person who founded Buddhism in this world. This day falls on the full moon of the fourth lunar month (month of Baisakh) i.e. April or May. This day commemorates three important events of Buddha’s life i.e.

• His birth in 623 BC
• His enlightment i.e. attainment of supreme wisdom, in 588 BC
• His attainment of Nirvana i.e. the complete extinction of his self at the age of 80

Lord Buddha is said to be the ninth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu (Preserver in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer). Lord Buddha lived and died in about fifth century before the Christian era. Buddha means “the enlightened one” – someone who is completely free from all the faults and mental obstructions.

The teachings and practices of Buddha are solely to liberate human beings from misery and sufferings of life. According to Buddha, sorrow and desire are the main causes of all evil and suffering of this world. Lord Buddha advocated the Eightfold Path consisting of precepts like right conduct, right motive, right speech, right effort, right resolve, right livelihood, right attention and right meditation to gain mastery over suffering.

It is only after following this path one can reach the ultimate aim of Nirvana. Nirvana is the transcendental state of complete liberation. Gautama Buddha lived and taught in Nepal in the 6th Century B.C.

Buddha used to travel far and wide teaching hundreds of followers. Even after his death his followers continued to spread his teachings.

Rich and poor people both were attracted by the simplicity of Buddha’s teaching and his emphasis on complete equality of all.

Though Buddhism originated in Nepal, the religion has gained tremendous popularity throughout the Far East in Asia, there are many people practicing Buddhism in the world. The number of Buddhists in the world ranges from less than two hundred million, to more than five hundred million.