The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, Government of India, will celebrate  Ashadha Purnima on 3 July, 2023 as the Dharma Chakra Pravartana Divas at National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi. It is the annual flagship event of IBC and the second most sacred day for Buddhists after the Buddha Purnima or the Vaishakha Purnima.

A video address by  the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu will be presented at the programme. The programme highlight will be the screening of the film on IBC’s special project in Lumbini (Nepal) – “India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage”. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Centre at Lumbini in Nepal last year on Buddh Purnima.

The programme will include Dhamma talk on the Significance of Ashadha Purnima by His Holiness 12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa and the Special Address by Minister of Culture and External Affairs Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi. Many other dignitaries and Patriarchs of Buddhist Sanghas, eminent Masters, Scholars, and diplomatic representatives based in New Delhi will be participating in the event.

In keeping with the historical legacy of India, the land of Buddha’s enlightenment, his turning of the wheels of Dhamma, and Mahaparinirvana, IBC is hosting the Ashadha Purnima celebrations at the National Museum, Janpath where the Sakhyamuni’s Holy relic is enshrined.

It was at Sarnath that Buddha gave his first sermon and set the wheel of dharma in motion. The auspicious day of Ashadha Purnima which falls on the full moon day of the month of Ashadha as per Indian lunar calendar is also known as Esala Poya in Sri Lanka and Asanha Bucha in Thailand. The day marks Buddha's first teaching after attaining Enlightenment to the first five ascetic disciples   (pañcavargiya) on the full-moon day of Ashadha at ‘Deer Park', Ṛiṣipatana Mrigadaya in the present day Sarnath, near Varanasi, India.

The Rainy Season retreat (Varsha Vassa) for the Monks and Nuns also starts with this day lasting for three lunar months from July to October, during which they remain in a single place, generally in their temples dedicated to intensive meditation.  The day is also observed as Guru Purnima by both Buddhists and Hindus as a day to mark reverence to their Gurus.

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NB/SKT