PM Modi Extends Greetings on Buddha Purnima, Says “May The Ideals Of Lord Buddha Keep Showing Light…”

BUDDHA PURNIMA 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday extended his greetings on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. “Greetings on Buddha Purnima. May the ideals of Lord Buddha keep showing light and giving strength to us all,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter. PM also shared a video.

Buddha Purnima, which is also known as Buddha Jayanti, honours the birth anniversary of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known to be the founder of Buddhism. It is a significant festival for Buddhists around the world, and is marked with great pomp and vigour.

This year, in 2023, Buddha Jayanti is being celebrated today on May 5. This day commemorates the birth of Buddha, which is an essential part of the Vesak festival that honours three significant events in his life – his enlightenment, birth, and death.

Buddha Purnima has a rich history dating back over 2,500 years. It is believed that Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, around 563 BCE. He was born into a royal family and was named Siddhartha Gautama. At the age of 29, he renounced his luxurious life and set out on a spiritual quest to find the truth about life and suffering. After six years of intense meditation and spiritual practice, he attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. He spent the rest of his life teaching the path to enlightenment.

The celebration of Buddha Jayanti varies from region to region, but it usually involves visiting temples, offering prayers, and lighting candles and incense. Many Buddhists also participate in community service, such as feeding the hungry or donating to charity.

In some countries, such as Sri Lanka and Thailand, elaborate processions are held where people dressed in traditional clothing carry statues of Lord Buddha.

This year Buddha Purnima is also coinciding with Lunar Eclipse. A lunar eclipse is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon’s surface. There are three types of lunar eclipses- total, partial, and penumbral, each with its unique characteristics.

During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon appears to turn a deep shade of red, while a partial lunar eclipse results in only a part of the Moon being covered by the Earth’s shadow. In contrast, during a penumbral lunar eclipse the Moon may appear slightly dimmer but Earth’s shadow is not distinctive.

Observing a lunar eclipse is a captivating experience that offers a chance to appreciate the moon’s magnificence and expand the understanding of our solar system and the movements of celestial entities.

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