Day: May 1, 2026

Happy Buddha Purnima.

Buddha Purnima—the first full moon in May—is considered an important day in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the one who became the Buddha.

Thus have I heard that he was born on this day in north east India in Lumbini over 25 centuries ago, attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya on this day, and died in Rajgriha on this day.

In 1993, I went on a pilgrimage which I call “Following the footsteps of the Buddha.” Of course, I didn’t walk. I took cars, buses and trains. I spent a day in Lumbini at the place where he was born, sat under the tree (a descendent of the original) under which he attained enlightenment, visited the garden in Sarnath where he gave his first sermon (“the Turning of the Wheel of Dharma”), sat in contemplation at the shrine where he died in Rajgriha at the age of 80.

Of the three dharmas, all of which originated in India, only Buddha dharma left India to become a world religion. Hindu dharma and Jain dharma continued to be nearly exclusively Indian. The dharmas have a family resemblance (just as the religions do.) They share core ideas such as karma, dharma, kama, and moksha. Alan Watts, who knew the dharmas as well as any layperson can, described Buddhism as Hinduism packaged for export. Continue reading “Heart Sutra on Buddha Purnima”