Buddhists have six main special days of celebration, festivals, and holidays; Sangha Day, Buddhist New Year, Wesak, Dharma Day, Parinirvana Day, and Kathina. Buddhists festival vary from country to country and between Buddhist traditions. Buddhist occasions are always joyful.
- Sangha Day: Sangha Day is the second most important Buddhist festival. The holiday usually occurs on the day of full moon in March. This festival is also known as Fourfold Assembly or ‘Magha Puja Day’. It is a celebration in honour of the Sangha, or the Buddhist community. On this day, Buddhists believe that the Buddha gave his desciples a message called “Ovadha Patimokha” and amazing things happened. It is a chance for people to reaffirm their commitment to Buddhist practices and traditions. The celebrations vary but can include chanting, meditation, cleaning, studying the “Ovadha Patimokha”, lighting of oil lamps, and the reaffirmation of people’s commitment to Buddhist practice.
- Buddhist New Year: Buddhists celebrate New Year’s Day in certain countries such as Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Lao. The new year is celebrated for three days after the first full moon of April. In Mahayana countries, the new year starts on the first full moon day in January. The time it is celebrated depends on the country and people. As for example, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese celebrate late Januaty or early February according to the lunar calendar. The Tibetan New Year is called “Losar”. It also lasts for three days. On the first day, they celebrate with their families, on the second and third days, they celebrate with friends. On these days, people clean their towns, get new clothing and refresh themselves.
- Vesak: It is Buddha’s birthday what is also known as Vesak, Buddha Day or Visakah Puja. Wesak is the major Buddhist festival of the year as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha on the one day. It is celebrated at the first full moon day in May, except in a leap year when the festival is held in June. It is also an opportunity for Buddhists to try to gain their own enlightenment. Buddhists celebrate the day by cleaning and decorating their houses and they bring flowers, candles and food to the temple. They also pour water on the statue of Buddha to remind them to purify their minds of selfishness. The food offered is often vegetarian because Buddhists do not like to kill living creatures such as animals.
- Dharma Day: This holiday is celebrated at the beginning of winter. It is a day celebrating the beginning of the Buddha’s teaching. This day symbolizes the Buddha’s search after his enlightenment to inform his previous disciples of his enlightenment. It recognizes the beginning of Buddhism. This is also known as the ‘First Wheel of Dharma’. The word ‘dharma’ translates as ‘truth’ or ‘path to enlightenment’. Dharma Day is seen as an opportunity for Buddhists to show their gratitude to the Buddha.
- Parinirvana Day: This day is also known as ‘Nirvana Day’. It is usually celebrated on 8th of February and this holiday marks the Buddha’s death. It is significant to celebrate Buddha’s death because he left the world of physical pain and suffering and achieved enlightenment. Buddha taught enlightenment for 40 years, and was 80 years old when he died. Buddha died while in a meditative state and entered nirvana, a state in which he would no longer die and be reborn again. This day is celebrated by going to the monasteries or temples. They meditate and think about those that recently passed away to support them in their afterlife.
- Kathina: It is a holiday that occurs after Dharma Day at the time of year when Buddhists give large amounts of money to the poor or needy, called giving alms. It is celebrated in October and November at the end of the Vassa time, when there are typically monsoons in many Buddhist countries. At this time of year, Buddhist monks have been in seclusion for three months, and Kathina allows them to come out into public. When they come out, the monks are offered cloth by citizens. The offerings and celebrations can last an entire month.