Buddhism It began with a wealthy prince called Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini, which was then in India and is now in Nepal. He became very distressed about thoughts of old age, illness and death. He could not understand how people could cope with such things.
He decided to meditate under a fig tree – which is sometimes called a Bodhi tree – until he reached enlightenment, and understood everything there was to know about spirituality.
Bodhi Day After Siddhartha reached enlightenment, having already given up all his worldly goods, he became the Buddha. He began to teach others how to meditate, learn how to accept things in life and reach spiritual understanding. The day he reached enlightenment became known as Bodhi Day. When Bodhi Day is celebrated depends upon where Buddhism is followed. Different countries follow different forms of Buddhism.
Bodhi Day is celebrated in a calm, meditative and quiet way. Buddhists will often spend time reflecting on the teachings of Buddha and praying. They may think about how The Eightfold Path and The Four Noble Truths are carried out in their own lives and how they can be of use to others.
Bodhi Day Celebrations At home, Buddhists might decorate a Bodhi tree with lights and display statues of Buddha around the house. There will be a lot of colour in Buddhists’ houses during Bodhi Day, as this is representative of enlightenment being achieved in many different ways. Candles, which represent enlightenment, will be lit for thirty days and a traditional meal of rice and milk will be eaten, as this was the first meal the Buddha ate after he reached enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.