Buddha Purnima is the celebration of the birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha, also referred to as Buddha Shakyamuni. Buddha gave to the world the religion of Buddhism and was born in Lumbini, Nepal. He attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today and is located in Bihar, India. Buddha attained Mahaparnirvana at Kushinagar, India. Some other important places on the Buddha trail in India are Sanchi, Rajgir, Nalanda, and many more. Budhha Purnima is celebrated on the full moon of the Vaisakh Month and usually occurs during the month of April or May.

Buddha Purnima – Essence of Buddha’s Teachings

Buddha who was born to the royal pleasures of the world, gave freed himself of all worldly attachments in his search for the truth. After enlightenment, Buddha started preaching the tenets of Buddhism to his disciples. Buddha Purnima is an opportune time to recall the basic essence of Buddha’s teachings.

Buddha Purnima – Basic Tenets of Buddhism

Buddhism rests on the precept that there is no Supreme God or Deity. Buddha is considered an enlightened being, but not God. Followers of Buddhism pursue the goal of enlightenment and inner peace through the doctrines propounded by Buddha.

Buddha Purnima – The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

The fulcrum on which the principles of Buddhism rests is the four noble truths propounded by Buddha. The four noble truths are as under:

• The truth of Dukkha (Suffering)
• The truth of the cause of the suffering (Samudaya)
• The truth about the cessation of suffering (Nirodha)
• The truth of the path towards freedom from suffering (Magga)

Buddha Purnima – Five Precepts of Buddhism

Buddhism prescribes a code of conduct for right living. This is embodied in the five precepts which are the pillars of the Buddhist way of life or religion.

• Refrain from taking any life (killing)
• Refrain from taking what is not yours and not given to you (stealing)
• Refrain from the misuse of the senses (Indulging in lustful behavior)
• Refrain from wrong speech (Lying, gossiping)
• Refrain from all intoxicants as they cloud the mind (Alcohol, drugs)

Buddha Purnima – The Eight Fold Path

While Buddhism lays down the code of conduct and also talks about the Noble Truths, it also gives its followers a road map in the form of the Eight Fold Path. Following this path Man can put an end to suffering and move towards enlightenment.

The Eight Fold Path of Buddhism is made up of the following components:

• Right View – Understanding our actions and consequences
• Right Intention – The giving up of worldly pleasures in the pursuit of the truth
• Right Speech – Speech should not harm others or lie
• Right actions – One should not harm others or overindulge in sensual pleasures
• Right Livelihood – Practice a minimalistic lifestyle with having what is necessary to sustain life
• Right Effort – The use of restraint on the senses and focus on the goal
• Right Mindfulness – Be aware and conscious of ones’ actions and their cause and effect
• Right Samadhi – The use of the proper techniques of meditation to delve deep into the inner consciousness

Buddha Purnima – Different Forms of Buddhism

Buddhism over the centuries has evolved and there are different forms of Buddhism, though they all stand firmly on the precepts given by the Buddha. There are three main forms of Buddhism as practiced today across the world.

• Mahayana Buddhism which generally practiced in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, and some other countries
• Tibetan Buddhism is generally practiced in Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, parts of India, and some other countries
• Theravada Buddhism is generally practiced in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and some other countries

Buddha Purnima – Sacred Texts of Buddhism

Buddhism and its tenets have been preserved in the world through various texts, treatises, commentaries, and Sutras, by Buddha and the various Buddhist masters that followed him. The three main sacred texts of Buddhism are the following:

• Tripitaka is believed to be the oldest texts of Buddhism, they are Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pittaka, and Abhidamma Pitaka
• Sutras are more than 2,000 sacred teachings of the Buddha that form the basis of Mahayana Buddhism
• Bardo Thodol is the Tibetan Book of the Dead which gives an account of the ‘afterlife”

Buddhism which has its roots in India, and was a powerful religion centuries ago. However, Buddhism slowly disappeared from India except for some pockets. Buddhis is one of the oldest religions in the world and is in many ways a way of life.

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Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Gautama Buddha

 

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