Nirvana Day: A Buddhist Festival

Buddhism has been viewed as being enlightened with life and its worth. It teaches rebirth and followers believe that life is influenced by past karma. It directs to a way of life that shuns self indulgence and self centeredness. Buddhism has no supreme god or deity and is simply a way of life for its followers.

The Start of Buddhism:

Buddhism started in India about 2,500 years ago. Sidhatta Gotama, who would later be referred to as Buddha, discovered Buddhism and its teachings. He was a prince born into a rich family in a place that is now known as Nepal. He lived an easy life but was appalled by the suffering of sickness, death and old age. This prompted him to abandon his easy life in the palace and seek some truth and enlightenment among the holy men in those days. Six years into his search, enlightenment came to him while he was meditating under a Bodhi Tree.

He learned that suffering is a universal truth. People undergo different degrees and kinds of suffering. Suffering has its origin and is due to having desires. Its cessation happens only when you overcome those desires. One should seek the path that leads to the cessation of suffering through the Eightfold Path. He called this the Four Noble Truths. The Eightfold Path means doing things with the right understanding, the right thought, the right speech, the right action, the right livelihood, the right effort, the right mindfulness and the right concentration. He discovered the Five Moral Precepts of living, and these are refraining from harming living things, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, lying or gossiping and taking intoxicating substances such as drugs or alcohol. He then dedicated his life to spreading what he has learned. Buddhism now has over 376 million followers throughout the world and the number is still increasing until today.

Buddhists eventually followed Buddha’s example. They believe that meditation is the fundamental method to understanding the cause of suffering, which is desire and to be free from suffering through the Eightfold Path. Buddhists normally seek a quiet area on which to meditate. They usually focus on the natural breathing to be in tuned with their inner self.

Nirvana Day:

Nirvana is believed to be the end of rebirth. Buddhists believe that a person who has passed away without reaching this state will be reborn time and time again until he reaches the moment when all wants and sufferings are gone.

Nirvana day is celebrated annually on February 15. This date marks the celebration of the death of Buddha when he reached total Nirvana at the age of 80. It is also referred to as the Parinirvana. During this day, Buddhists reflect on their lives and how they can achieve the perfect peace of Nirvana that Buddha himself had done. It is celebrated by meditating in monasteries and temples and sometimes food is prepared and Buddhists bring presents such as household materials, clothes and money for the monasteries.