The full moon date in the month of Vaishakh is one of the most important days for Buddhists. It marks the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. This day is also called Buddha Purnima, Buddha Jayanti, or Vesak. Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born on this day at a place called Lumbini in Nepal. Buddha is said to be the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This time Buddha Purnima will be celebrated on Monday, May 16, 2022. Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Java, Indonesia, Tibet, and Mongolia all these countries celebrate the special day of Buddha Jayanti as a big festival.
According to amarujala.com, Vaishakh Purnima is also considered a special date due to three important things in the life of Lord Buddha – the birth of Buddha, Buddha attained enlightenment, and Buddha’s nirvana. Gautam Buddha gave four sutras, which are known as the ‘Four Noble Truths’. The first is sorrow, the second is the cause of sorrow, the third is the solution to the misery and the fourth is the path through which the sorrow is removed. Gautam Buddha was born in the 6th century BC. Maya, the wife of King Suddhodhana of Kapilavastu gave birth to a son in the forest. That son was named Siddhartha. Siddhartha Gautama later founded Buddhism and was called Mahatma Buddha.
The full moon of Vaishakh month is known as Vaishakhi Purnima, Peepal Purnima, or Buddha Purnima. The month of Vaishakh is considered holy. Due to this, thousands of devotees bathe in holy pilgrimage sites and earn merit.