Bodhi Day
bodhi day buddhist holiday commemorates day gautama buddha shakyamuni said attained enlightenment also known bodhi sanskrit pali according tradition siddhartha recently forsaken year extreme ascetic practice resolved sit peepal tree also known bodhi tree ficus religiosa simply meditate found root suffering liberate oneself tradition vary happened say siddhartha made great vow nirvana earth find root suffering die trying tradition meditating harassed tempted god mara literally killer sanskrit demon illusion tradition simply state entered deeper deeper state meditation confronting nature self pali canon several discourse said buddha related story longer discourse saccaka mn buddha describes enlightenment three stage first watch night buddha discovered past life cycle rebirth realizing born reborn countless time second watch buddha discovered law karma importance living noble eightfold path third watch buddha discovered four noble truth finally reaching nirvana word heart thus knowing thus seeing released fermentation sensuality released fermentation becoming released fermentation ignorance release knowledge released discerned birth ended holy life fulfilled task done nothing world tradition agree third watch night siddhartha finally found answer sought became enlightened experienced nirvana done siddhartha became buddha awakened one enlightenment buddha yearly celebrated many buddhist country bodhi day observed many mainstream mahayana tradition including traditional zen pure land school china korea japan vietnam philippine service tradition vary amongst buddhist sect service commemorate buddha achievement nirvana mean buddhism today individual may choose commemorate event additional meditation study dharma chanting buddhist text sutra performing kind act towards being buddhist celebrate traditional meal tea cake reading japanese zen known rōhatsu rōhachi 臘八 japanese word literally mean th day th month typical zen monk layperson follower stay entire night rōhatsu practicing meditation holiday often preceded intensive sesshin observed gregorian date december result westernization japan meiji restoration – tendai japanese sect called either shakajōdōe 釈迦成道会 simply jōdōe 成道会 chinese version festival called laba 臘八 mean eighth day la twelfth month chinese lunar calendar often observed first half january may happen date winter solstice december chinese new year january february bodhi day popularly celebrated vesak day birth enlightenment nirvāna passing away parinirvāna gautama buddha celebrated list buddhist festival