Buddha Purnima: PM Narendra Modi recalls principles of Lord Buddha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the principles of Lord Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima on Monday and sent out greetings to mark the day. The Prime Minister spoke about thoughts that can make the planet more “peaceful”.

In a tweet, PM Modi said, “On Buddha Purnima, we recall the principles of Lord Buddha and reiterate our commitment to fulfill them. The thoughts of Lord Buddha can make our planet more peaceful, harmonious and sustainable.”

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PM Modi will on Monday visit Lumbini in Nepal on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. He will be visiting the Mayadevi Temple where he will attend a special prayer. He will also be performing Bhoomi Poojan and laying the foundation stone of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage.

Lumbini is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama – also known as Gautama Buddha. The place is based in the Terai region of Southern Nepal and is very close to the Indian Nepalese border.

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PM Modi, ahead of his visit to Nepal, will visit Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh to mark the occasion.

Buddha Purnima – also known as Buddha Jayanti or Vaisakhi Buddha Purnima or Vesak, is celebrated as it marks the birth of Gautam Buddha.

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The festival falls on a full moon day in the month of Vaisakh (April/May) as per the Hindu calendar.

The day is marked by prayers and festivities across India, especially in Gaya, Kushinagar, Sikkim, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, and North Bengal. It is also celebrated with great fervour in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and numerous other South East Asian countries including Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia and Indonesia.