"Happy Buddha Purnima": US State Secy Blinken conveys wishes to Buddhists around world

Washington, DC [US], May 23 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed his wishes to Buddhists around the world on Thursday on the occasion of Vesak Day.

In a post on X, Blinken wrote, "Wishing Buddhists around the world who are celebrating Vesak Day today a Happy Buddha Purnima."

Earlier today in Nepal's Lumbini province, thousands of devotees and monks celebrated the 2568th birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha at his birthplace in Lumbini.

Nearly 100 monks, half of them from the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) joined the event. India also held a special pooja next to the pond in the Maya Devi Temple premises for world peace.

Joined by hundreds of others, the monks then rallied to the International Buddhist Conference to celebrate the birth anniversary of the "Light of Asia" Gautam Buddha.

The event was organized by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) in cooperation with Lumbini Development Trust and was attended by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, and Tourism Minister Hit Bahadur Tamang.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava along with the Secretary General of BIMSTEC, Indra Mani Pandey and ambassadors as well as Deputy Chief of Mission of various diplomatic missions in Nepal.

Buddha, regarded as the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was born on Shukla Purnima of Baisakh month in the lunar calendar. There is a coincidence that the dates (lunar calendar) the Buddha got birth, wisdom, and Mahaparinirvan (passing away) fall on the same.

The Buddhist communities in the world including Nepal observe the Day with much reverence.

The birth anniversary of Buddha, the apostle of non-violence and peace, is being observed with spiritual leaders and gurus at monasteries.

Buddha was born in the royal family of King Suddhodhan and Queen Mayadevi had left his palace at the age of 29 for penance. He is regarded also as the 'Light of Asia.'

Buddhist philosophy is taught in internationally acclaimed universities like Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard.

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