Bodhi Day


Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali. According to tradition, Siddhartha had recently forsaken years of extreme ascetic practices and resolved to sit under a Ficus religiosa, now known as the Bodhi Tree, and simply meditate until he found the root of suffering, and how to liberate oneself from it.

Shakyamuni's awakening

Traditions vary on what happened. Some say Siddhartha made a great vow to Nirvana and Earth to find the root of suffering, or die trying. In other traditions, while meditating he was harassed and tempted by the god Mara, demon of illusion.
In the Pali Canon, there are several discourses said to be by the Buddha himself, related to the story. In the Longer Discourse to Saccaka, the Buddha describes his Enlightenment in three stages:
  1. During the first watch of the night, the Buddha discovered all of his past lives in the cycle of rebirth, realizing that he had been born and reborn countless times before.
  2. During the second watch, the Buddha discovered the Law of Karma, and the importance of living by the Noble Eightfold Path.
  3. During the third watch, the Buddha discovered the Four Noble Truths, finally reaching Nirvana.
In his words:
All traditions agree that in the third watch of the night, Siddhartha finally found the answers he sought and became Enlightened, and experienced Nirvana. Having done so, Siddhartha now became a Buddha or "Awakened One".

Festivals celebrating the Buddha's enlightenment

The enlightenment of the Buddha is yearly celebrated in many Buddhist countries.

Bodhi Day

Bodhi Day is observed in many mainstream Mahayana traditions including the traditional Zen and Pure Land schools of China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Services and traditions vary amongst Buddhist sects, but all such services commemorate the Buddha's achievement of Nirvana, and what this means for Buddhism today. Individuals may choose to commemorate the event through additional meditation, study of the Dharma, chanting of Buddhist texts, or performing kind acts towards other beings. Some Buddhists celebrate with a traditional meal of tea, cake and readings.

Rōhatsu

In Japanese Zen, it is known as Rōhatsu or Rōhachi. In Japanese, the word literally means 8th day of the 12th month. It is typical for Zen monks and layperson followers to stay up the entire night before Rōhatsu practicing meditation, and the holiday is often preceded by an intensive sesshin. It is observed on the Gregorian date of December 8 as a result of the Westernization of Japan during the Meiji Restoration. In Tendai and other Japanese sects, it is called either Shaka-Jōdō-e or simply Jōdō-e.

Laba

The Chinese version of this festival is called Laba which means the Eighth Day of the La Month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. It is most often observed in the first half of January, but it may happen on a date between the Winter Solstice and the Chinese New Year.

Vesak Day

Bodhi Day is not as popularly celebrated as Vesak Day, on which the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Gautama Buddha are celebrated.