Buddhist Festivals

Question 1

Buddha Purnima

Answer 1

Budha Jayanti
Birth anniversary of Lod Buddha
celebrated widlely in parts of North East India

Called Saga Dawa (Dasa) in Sikkim
Visakha Puja in the theravada tradition

North India - Sarnath in UP, Bodh Gaya in Bihar

Mahayana Buddhists : organised procession with musical instruments ( as gyalings) and read Kangyur text
Thervada Budhists : only concenrate on offering ceremonial prayers to idols of Buddha

Question 2

Songkran

Answer 2

Spring Cleaning
celebrated for several days
clean house, wash cloths and sprinkling perfumed water on monks

Question 3

Ploughing Festival

Answer 3

Buddha’s first moment of enlightenment

he was 7 year old and he went with his father to watch ploughing

two white oxen pull a gold painted plough followed by 4 girls dressed white who throw rice seeds from baskets

Question 4

Ulambana

Answer 4

1st to 15th days of the eighth lunar month

Believed that the gates of Hell are opened on the 1st day and ghosts visit the world for 15 days

Food offering to relive suffering from ghosts

On 15th day ( Ulambana or Ancestor Day)

Visit to cemeteries to make offerings to the departed souls

Question 5

Hemis Gompa

Answer 5

at Hemis Gompa Monastery in Ladakh celebrates victory of good over evil

Birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) found of Tibetan Buddhism and fought the evil forces

Main attraction : mask dance performed by the lamas