President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended greetings on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
“On Buddha Purnima, greetings to fellow citizens and to the global Buddhist community. Lord Buddha’s message of non-violence, love and compassion provides us the strength to work for the welfare of others. May his teachings guide us towards universal fraternity,” the President said.
On Buddha Purnima, greetings to fellow citizens and to the global Buddhist community. Lord Buddha’s message of non-violence, love and compassion provides us the strength to work for the welfare of others. May his teachings guide us towards universal fraternity #PresidentKovind
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 30, 2018
Modi said: “The teachings of Lord Buddha are extremely relevant in the 21st century.
“His was a life devoted to alleviating suffering and removing injustice from society. His compassion has endeared him to millions. Buddha Purnima greetings to everyone.”
PM Modi also shared pictures of his visits to different Buddhist shrines across the globe on his Twitter handle.
The message of Lord Buddha spread far and wide. Here are some glimpses from my visits overseas, during which I have had the honour to pay tributes to Lord Buddha. pic.twitter.com/vgD4fFJHWt
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 30, 2018
Buddha Purnima is the birthday holiday traditionally celebrated in most of East Asia to commemorate the birth of the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later the Gautama Buddha and founder of Buddhism.
It is also celebrated in South and Southeast Asia as Vesak which also acknowledges the enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
Gautama was born in Lumbini in modern-day Nepal, in the year 623 B.C., according to the Nepalese Account, and raised in Kapilavastu. At the age of 35, he attained enlightenment (nirvana) underneath a Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya (modern day India). He delivered his first sermon at Sarnath, India.
He died at the age of eighty in Kushinagar, India.
(With inputs from IANS)