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Buddha Purnima 2025, falling on May 12, marks Lord Buddha's birth anniversary. Buddha Purnima 2025 is celebrated with prayers, sermons, and peaceful processions.
PWOnlyIAS
May 10, 2025
Buddha Purnima 2025 also known as Buddha Jayanti or Vesak, is one of the most significant festivals in Buddhism. Celebrated with deep reverence across South Asia and Southeast Asia, the festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment (nirvana), and death (Mahaparinirvana) of Gautam Buddha. The year 2025 marks the 2587th birth anniversary of this great spiritual teacher.
Buddha Purnima 2025, also known as Vesak or Buddha Jayanti, marks the birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana (death) of Lord Gautama Buddha. It is one of the most sacred days for Buddhists across the globe, celebrated with great reverence, spiritual fervour, and cultural significance. Observed on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Vaishakha, Buddha Purnima is a public holiday in several countries and a time for peace, compassion, and mindfulness.
| Buddha Purnima 2025 Overview | |
| Particulars | Details |
| Festival Name | Buddha Purnima 2025 |
| Also Known As | Vesak, Buddha Jayanti |
| Date | Thursday, May 15, 2025 |
| Tithi (Hindu Calendar) | Vaishakha Purnima |
| Significance | Commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death (Nirvana) of Lord Buddha |
| Observed By | Buddhists and followers of Buddhism worldwide |
| Holiday Type | Public/Religious Holiday |
| Major Locations of Celebration | India (especially Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar), Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, and other Southeast Asian countries |
| Rituals & Activities | Prayer, meditation, chanting, offering alms, visiting monasteries, lighting lamps |
According to the Hindu lunar calendar, Buddha Purnima 2025 will fall on the full moon (Purnima) day of the Vaishakha month. As per Vedic timing:
| Buddha Purnima 2025 Date and Time | |
| Event | Date & Time |
| Purnima Tithi Begins | May 11, 2025, at 8:01 PM |
| Purnima Tithi Ends | May 12, 2025, at 10:25 PM |
| Moonrise | May 12, 2025, at 6:57 PM |
| Celebration Day | Monday, May 12, 2025 |
As per traditional norms of observing Udaya Tithi, the celebration will take place on May 12, making it the formal Buddha Purnima 2025 date.
The Buddha Purnima is celebrated to honour Gautam Buddha, whose life teachings continue to guide millions around the world. What makes Buddha Purnima 2025 truly special is that it commemorates:
What Teachings Of Buddha Are Most Relevant Today
For devotees, Buddha Jayanti is a day to reflect on the core teachings of compassion, mindfulness, and renunciation, which Gautam Buddha exemplified throughout his life.
Buddhist Philosophical Schools
Gautam Buddha, born as Siddhartha Gautama around 563 BCE in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal), was a prince of the Shakya clan. His father, King Shuddhodana, tried to protect him from the harsh realities of life.
At the age of 29, Siddhartha ventured outside his luxurious palace and encountered an old man, a sick person, a corpse, and a meditating ascetic. These “Four Sights” deeply impacted him and led him to renounce his royal life in search of truth and liberation from human suffering.
He meditated under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya (present-day Bihar, India) and attained enlightenment at the age of 35. From then on, he became known as The Buddha, or “The Enlightened One”. He spent the rest of his life teaching the Dharma — the path to liberation — until he passed away at age 80 in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
Interesting FactIn many North Indian Hindu traditions, Gautam Buddha is revered as the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. |
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On Buddha Purnima 2025, the rituals and observances across the globe will include:
In many parts of Southeast Asia and China, people also release birds and animals as a symbolic gesture of liberation.
On Buddha Purnima 2025, devotees visit the four holy sites associated with Gautam Buddha’s life:
Pilgrimages to these places during Buddha Jayanti are considered highly auspicious.
One of the most iconic symbols of Buddha Purnima is the Dharmachakra or “Wheel of Dharma,” which represents the Noble Eightfold Path:
These principles form the ethical and spiritual core of Buddha’s teachings, aimed at ending suffering (dukkha).
Buddha Purnima 2025 is not just a religious event—it’s a celebration of peace, wisdom, and compassion. Whether you’re visiting a serene monastery or simply reflecting quietly at home, the day offers a powerful reminder of Gautam Buddha’s teachings: to live mindfully, help others selflessly, and seek the truth within.
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