Buddhist Holidays and Celebrations
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Chinese buddhists celebrate many different holidays. Most holidays are typically celebrated by going to the temple to pray and give offerings of fruits, prayers, flowers and other donations. Along with visiting the temple it is a tradition to only eat vegetarian food on holidays. The large holidays are celebrated by all buddhists, but other small celebrations are only celebrated by certain branches of buddhism such as Theravada and Mahayana buddhists.
List of Buddhist Holidays using the Lunar Calendar
8.12 — Buddha Sakyamuni's Enlightenment Day
30.12 — Avatamsaka Bodisattava's Day
1.1 — Maitreya Buddha's Birthday
9.1 — Sakra Devaraja's Brithday
8.2 — Sakyamuni's Renunciation Day
15.2 — Sakyamuni Buddha's Mahaparinirvana Day
19.2 — Birthday of Kuan Shih Yin P'usa
21.2 — Birthday of Pu Hsien P'usa
16.3 — Birthday of Cundi P'usa
23.3 — Birthday of Marichi Devata
4.4 — Birthday of Wen-shu P'usa
8.4 — Birthday of Buddha Sakyamuni
15.4 — Vesak Day
28.4 — Birthday of Yao-Wang P'ua (Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva)
3.6 — Birthday of Wei-to
10.6 — Birthday of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava)
19.6 — Enlightenment Day of Kuan Shih Yin P'usa
13.7 — Birthday of Ta-Shih Chi P'sua
15.7 — Yu-lan-pen (Ullambana) Ceremony, for feeding hungry ghosts
30.7 — Birthday of Ti-tsang P'usa
28.8 — Birthday of Buddha Jan-teng (Dipankara Buddha)
19.9 — Kuan Shih Yin P'usa's Renunciation Day
30.9 — Birthday of Yao-shi Fwo (Bhaisajyaguru Buddha)
5.10 — Anniversary of the death of Ta-mo (Bodhidharma)
17.11 — Birthday of O-mi-to Fwo (Amitabha Buddha)
30.12 — Avatamsaka Bodisattava's Day
1.1 — Maitreya Buddha's Birthday
9.1 — Sakra Devaraja's Brithday
8.2 — Sakyamuni's Renunciation Day
15.2 — Sakyamuni Buddha's Mahaparinirvana Day
19.2 — Birthday of Kuan Shih Yin P'usa
21.2 — Birthday of Pu Hsien P'usa
16.3 — Birthday of Cundi P'usa
23.3 — Birthday of Marichi Devata
4.4 — Birthday of Wen-shu P'usa
8.4 — Birthday of Buddha Sakyamuni
15.4 — Vesak Day
28.4 — Birthday of Yao-Wang P'ua (Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva)
3.6 — Birthday of Wei-to
10.6 — Birthday of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava)
19.6 — Enlightenment Day of Kuan Shih Yin P'usa
13.7 — Birthday of Ta-Shih Chi P'sua
15.7 — Yu-lan-pen (Ullambana) Ceremony, for feeding hungry ghosts
30.7 — Birthday of Ti-tsang P'usa
28.8 — Birthday of Buddha Jan-teng (Dipankara Buddha)
19.9 — Kuan Shih Yin P'usa's Renunciation Day
30.9 — Birthday of Yao-shi Fwo (Bhaisajyaguru Buddha)
5.10 — Anniversary of the death of Ta-mo (Bodhidharma)
17.11 — Birthday of O-mi-to Fwo (Amitabha Buddha)
Nirvana Day
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Nirvana day is typically only celebrated by Mahayana buddhists, but can also be considered a holy day for Theravada buddhists as well. The holiday is around may 15th and commemorates the historical Buddha's death and entry into Nirvana. One this day many monasteries and temples hold meditation retreats. Others open their doors to laypeople, who bring gifts of money and household goods to support monks and nuns.
Buddha died at the age of eighty in the company of his monks. He new his life was at an end and his final words were, “All conditioned things are subject to decay. Strive for your liberation with diligence.”
Buddha died at the age of eighty in the company of his monks. He new his life was at an end and his final words were, “All conditioned things are subject to decay. Strive for your liberation with diligence.”