Festival · Vaishakha Purnima
Buddha Purnima 2026
On the full moon of Vaishakha, the Buddhist tradition remembers Gautama Buddha: his birth, his enlightenment and his passing. In Maharashtra the viharas keep the day with deep devotion.
Date, tithi and timing
Times are for Mumbai. The app gives times for your city.
Date by city
The date is the same in every city listed.
Next year, 2027
Quick facts
- Also known asBuddha Jayanti, Vesak, Vaishakha Purnima
- WhereAll of India, especially Maharashtra; and the Buddhist world
- Puja forGautama Buddha
- In one lineThe birth, enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha, remembered on one day.
Buddha Purnima, in a little more detail
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About the festival
In the Buddhist tradition three great moments of the Buddha's life belong to this full moon: his birth at Lumbini, his enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, and his passing at Kushinagar.
The Buddha taught a middle way: neither drowning in pleasure nor punishing the body. His teaching is set out in the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.
It is a day for reflection and quiet: keep the precepts, sit in meditation, and act with compassion.
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From Siddhartha to the Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama was the son of Shuddhodana, a Shakya king, and Queen Maya. Growing up in the palace he saw four things: an old man, a sick man, a dead body, and a wandering ascetic. Why is there suffering? The question would not leave him.
One night he left the palace. For years he lived as a harsh ascetic, until his body was skin and bone. Still no answer. Then he accepted a bowl of milk-rice from a girl named Sujata, and his strength came back.
At Bodh Gaya he sat under a pipal tree, resolved not to rise until he understood. There he became the Buddha. He gave his first teaching in the Deer Park at Sarnath, and at about eighty he passed away at Kushinagar.
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In Maharashtra and beyond
In Maharashtra the day carries special weight. On 14 October 1956, at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar embraced Buddhism with about four lakh followers. Since then Buddha Purnima has been a great day for Maharashtra's millions of Buddhists.
In the viharas the sutta recitation runs longer than usual, followers take the precepts and meditate. In the Theravada tradition white is worn today.
In many places kheer is shared, in memory of the milk-rice Sujata gave the Buddha. The public holiday for Buddha Purnima was begun by Dr Ambedkar when he was Law Minister.
At the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya the shrine is decorated and devotees pray under the Bodhi tree. Sri Lanka, Thailand and other countries keep the same day as Vesak.
How the day is kept
In short: A visit to the vihara, Buddha vandana, the Trisharan and Panchasheel, the Dhamma, and giving.
- 1Go to a nearby vihara, or keep images of the Buddha and of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar at home.Maharashtra's viharas keep Babasaheb's image beside the Buddha. In many places the Panchasheel flag is raised.
- 2Offer white flowers, and light a candle or a lamp.Flowers and lamps are a reminder that everything changes. But the Buddha asked for practice more than offerings.
- 3Say the Buddha vandana, and take the Trisharan and the Panchasheel.At Nagpur's Deekshabhoomi, Buddha vandana goes on all day.
- 4Listen to a Dhamma talk, read the Dhammapada, or sit quietly in meditation for a while.Some lay followers keep the eight precepts on this full moon.
- 5Give: food for others, kheer to share, or help for someone in need.Kheer is shared in many places, in memory of Sujata's milk-rice.
- 6Keep the Panchasheel through the day: harm no one, no intoxicants, and gentle speech.Many eat only vegetarian food today.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the Trisharan and the Panchasheel?
The Trisharan is taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. The Panchasheel are five precepts: not to kill, not to steal, no sexual misconduct, not to lie, and no intoxicants.
Should I fast today?
A fast is not the rule; keeping the precepts is what matters. Some lay followers keep the eight precepts on the full moon, and many eat only vegetarian food today.
Can someone who isn't Buddhist visit a vihara?
Yes. Go quietly and with respect, sit in silence during the vandana, and follow the ways of the place.
How is it different from Dhammachakra Pravartan Din?
Buddha Purnima remembers the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing. Dhammachakra Pravartan Din remembers Babasaheb's embrace of the Dhamma at Nagpur's Deekshabhoomi, and is kept there every year.
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