Buddha Purnima, also known as Vesak or Buddha Jayanti, is an important festival celebrated by Buddhists around the world. Buddha Purnima 2023 was observed on 5th May. The festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Buddha Purnima falls on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Vaishakh, which usually falls in April or May.
Gautam Buddha :
Buddha Purnima (also known as Buddha Jayanti) celebrates the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama – a Nepalese prince who later became known as the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The word ‘Purnima’ is Sanskrit for ‘full moon’, which explains why it is celebrated on the full moon day, and ‘jayanti’ means ‘birthday’. The word Buddha is given to those who attain ‘bodhi’ or enlightenment, hence the name given to Siddhartha after he attained enlightenment.
Gautama Buddha is the figure behind the origins of Buddhism, who teaches about the art of striking a balance between greed and austerity and detachment from worldly pleasures in order to walk the path of enlightenment. He is known to have traveled throughout northern India to teach about the ultimate path to enlightenment. Buddha Purnima is widely celebrated among people living in countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia etc.
Qns : When was celebrated Buddha Purnima in 2023?
(A) 24th May
(B) 5th May
(C) 1st May
(D) 18th May
Ans : (B) 5th May
