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Home > Other Astrological Information > Events / Festivals > Events 2007 >Buddha Poornima
Lord Gautama Buddha, actually named Siddhartha by his parents, was born on the Full Moon night in the Lunar month of Vaisakh (Also known as Vaisakha or Vesak as in Sinhalese). Gautama Buddha was the founder of the Buddhist religion and is believed to be an avatar of Lord Vishnu by the Buddhist community.
Prince Siddhartha born around 543 BC is believed to have lived a very sheltered life till the age of 29 under his father's instructions and was kept completely ignorant of the tragedies of everybody in day to day life. Once, he persuaded one of his charioteers to take him out of the palace walls to the outside world. A tour in the kingdom however made Siddhartha see some shocking incidents. Siddhartha saw the harsh realities of life. He saw an old man, a sick and disabled person and a dead body for the first time in his life.
The fourth vision was of an ascetic who looked peaceful, led Siddhartha to search for the true meaning of life, renounce the luxury and worldly pleasures and look for enlightenment. He wandered over many places and ultimately got attainment in Bodhgaya under a Peepal tree. Since then, Siddhartha became to be known as Gautama Buddha.
Incidentally, Buddha Poornima is also the day on which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Lord Buddha is popular for his Five Principles of Life and the Path of Eightfold Truth. Lord Buddha attained 'Nirvana' or left the mortal world on the Buddha Poornima day. Thus, Buddha Jayanti celebrates the three most important events in Gautama Buddha's life.
Pilgrims from all over the world come to Bodh Gaya in India to participate in the Buddha Poornima celebrations that highlight prayer meets, religious discourses, recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation, processions and worship of the statue of Buddha.
Buddha Poornima falls on the following days in the respective years:
2007: Tuesday, May 2
2006: Saturday, May 13