Buddha Purnima 2026 — How Many Days Until Buddha Purnima?

About Buddha Purnima

Buddha Purnima — also known as Vesak or Buddha Jayanti — is the most important festival in Buddhism, celebrating the birth, enlightenment, and death (parinirvana) of Siddhartha Gautama — the Buddha — all of which are believed to have occurred on the same full moon day of Vaishakha (April or May). It is observed by Buddhists worldwide and is a gazetted national holiday in India.

Siddhartha Gautama was born around 563 BCE in Lumbini (now Nepal) into a royal family. At the age of 29, he renounced his royal life after encountering the suffering of ordinary people. He meditated under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya for 49 days and attained enlightenment (Bodhi) at the age of 35. He spent the next 45 years teaching the Dhamma — the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path. He attained parinirvana (final nirvana, death) at Kushinagar at the age of 80.

In India, the most significant celebrations are held at Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Sarnath (Varanasi), and Kushinagar — the three most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Thousands of monks, nuns, and lay Buddhists gather, temples are decorated with flags and flowers, and the teachings of the Buddha are recited.

Buddha Purnima celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha — all on the same full moon
It is observed on the full moon of Vaishakha — typically in April or May
Bodh Gaya in Bihar is the most sacred Buddhist site — where the Buddha attained enlightenment
Vesak (another name for Buddha Purnima) is recognised as a UN international observance day
Buddhism has approximately 500 million followers worldwide

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Buddha Purnima?

Buddha Purnima falls on the full moon day of Vaishakha in the Hindu/Buddhist calendar — typically in April or May. The exact Gregorian date changes each year.

Is Buddha Purnima a public holiday in India?

Yes — Buddha Purnima is a gazetted national public holiday in India, observed across all states.

Why is the same full moon said to mark birth, enlightenment, and death?

According to Theravada Buddhist tradition, all three major events in the Buddha's life occurred on the full moon of Vaishakha — though scholars debate whether this is historically precise or a religious convention for unified commemoration.