Buddha Purnima 2024: When and How Buddha's Birthday Celebrated in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Other Asian Countries?

Buddha Purnima is the biggest day for Buddhists and commemorates three important events of the Buddha's life: his birth, his attaining enlightenment, and his death, Paranirvana. Also, known as the Thrice Blessed Festival, the day is celebrated with great reverence across various Asian countries, each adding its own unique cultural touch. In China and Hong Kong, it is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. Japan celebrates it on April 8th with processions and floral decorations. Other Asian nations like Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand also observe this auspicious day with distinctive ceremonies and community activities, reflecting the rich diversity and shared devotion within the Buddhist world.

Read this article to know when and how the day is celebrated in different Asian countries. 

Buddha Purnima 2024 Dates

Is Buddha Purnima a National Holiday? Check Date, History & Significance

China

China has the largest population of Buddhists, approximately 244 million or 18.2% of its total population. Hence, Buddha Purnima, generally and commonly called Fódàn or Yùfú Ji, is celebrated with pomp and fervor. Buddhists celebrate this day at temples by bathing the Buddha, reciting sutras and lighting incense. 

Hong Kong

Buddha Jayanti, or birthday, is observed as a public holiday. On this day, lanterns are lit to symbolise the Buddha's enlightenment and many people visit the temple to pay their respects. Also, the bathing of statues of Buddha is a major feature of Buddha's birthday celebrations in the city. 

Japan 

Buddha's birthday is popularly known as Kanbutsu-e or Hanamatsuri and is held on April 8. On this day, temples hold a special ceremony where Japanese people pour ama-cha (a special beverage) on small Buddha statues decorated with flowers, as if bathing a newborn baby. Lion dancing is also a major tradition practiced during Buddha's birthday and has become associated with the festival in Japan.

Bangladesh 

Every year, Buddhist followers enjoy a public holiday on the occasion of Buddho Purnima. In the days leading up to Purnima, Buddhist monks and priests adorn temples with vibrant decorations and candles. On the festival day, the President and Prime Minister give speeches on the history and significance of Buddhism and religious harmony. Buddhists gather in a monastery for a convocation where the chief monk speaks about Buddha, the Three Jewels (tri-ratna), and living an ideal life. This is followed by a prayer to Buddha, lighting candles, and reciting the Three Jewels and Five Precepts.

Cambodia

Buddha's birthday is also known as Visak Bochea in Cambodia. On this day, celebrated as a public holiday, monks around the country carry the Buddhist flag, lotus flowers, incense, and candles to acknowledge Vesak. The Buddhist followers also take part in alms-giving to the monks.   

Nepal 

Buddha Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of May in Nepal. In keeping with the essence of Buddhism, the occasion is observed with a calm and gentle fervor. People dressed in white go on Viharas to observe a full-length Buddhist sutra that is observed for a longer period of time than usual, akin to a service. Also, non-vegetarian food is avoided, and kheer, or sweet rice porridge, is served, recalling the story of Sujata, a maiden who offered the Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.

Indonesia

Buddha's birthday is celebrated as Waisak in Indonesia. The day marked by a public holiday is commemorated with huge gatherings of devotees. Also, a procession begins in Mendut, Java, and ends at Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world.

Sri Lanka

Buddha Purnima is observed as a public holiday in Sri Lanka. People adorn their homes and streets with lanterns made of bamboo frames, candles, and paper lanterns. It is customary to give people free food and drink, a practice known as dansalas. Pandols, or ornamental gateways, are constructed all over the nation, and devotional songs known as Bakthi Gee are sung. Devotees bring offerings and burn incense during festivals held at temples across the nation. Another noteworthy feature of the nation's Vesak celebrations are electric light displays that tell tales from the life of the Buddha. 

Singapore

The nation of Singapore observes Buddha's birthday, also known as Vesak, as a public holiday. Buddhist temples hold celebrations and are decorated with Buddhist flags and flowers. On this day of utter significance, devotees bring offerings to the temples.

Buddha Purnima, beyond boundaries, holds profound cultural and spiritual significance. The day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha. Celebrated with prayers, meditation, and acts of kindness, it underscores the Buddha's teachings on compassion, wisdom, and the quest for enlightenment, fostering a sense of unity and peace among Buddhists worldwide.

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