Bihar: Monks light candles near India's largest reclining statue of Lord Buddha

ANI May 13, 2025 249 views

Buddhist monks in Bihar held a candlelight prayer near the massive reclining Buddha statue on Buddha Purnima. The ceremony, led by Bhante Arya Pal, commemorated Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing. PM Modi and President Murmu shared messages of peace inspired by Buddha’s teachings. The event emphasized harmony and non-violence as core Buddhist values.

"Lord Buddha’s messages, based on truth and harmony, guide humanity towards compassion and peace." – PM Narendra Modi
Bihar: Monks light candles near India's largest reclining statue of Lord Buddha
Gaya, May 13: On the occasion of Buddha Purnima on Monday, Buddhist monks gathered near the Sleeping Buddha statue on the banks of river Niranjana in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, and lit candles to pray for peace in India and around the world.

Key Points

1

Monks led prayers at India’s largest reclining Buddha statue

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Ceremony marked Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death

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PM Modi and President Murmu extended Buddha Purnima wishes

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Event highlighted global peace and Buddhist teachings

Dozens of monks participated in the candlelight prayer held late in the evening to mark Lord Buddha's 2069th birth anniversary. The ceremony was led by Bhante Arya Pal, the Founder Secretary of the Buddha International Welfare Mission.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhante Aryapal said, "Today is Vaishakh Purnima. It is a very special day because Lord Buddha was born on this day. At the age of 25, he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, and later, at the age of 80, he passed away in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. All these important events happened on Vaishakh Purnima."

He added, "That is why this day holds great importance for all followers of Lord Buddha around the world; for people who know and respect Buddha truly honour him from the heart."

Buddha Purnima (also known as Vesak), which was celebrated on May 12 this year, marks Gautama Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana (death).

Earlier on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended wishes on the occasion of Buddha Purnima and said that Lord Buddha's life will always inspire the world community towards "compassion and peace."

"Best wishes to all countrymen on Buddha Purnima. Lord Buddha's messages, based on the principles of truth, equality and harmony, have been a guide for humanity. His life dedicated to sacrifice and penance will always inspire the world community towards compassion and peace," PM Modi posted on X.

President Droupadi Murmu conveyed her heartfelt greetings to the people of India and to followers of Lord Buddha worldwide.

"On the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima, I extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens and the followers of Lord Buddha worldwide. The immortal message of non-violence, love and kindness given by Bhagwan Buddha, the embodiment of compassion, is the basic mantra for the welfare of mankind. His ideals strengthen our faith in eternal values of equality, harmony and social justice. His teachings inspire us to live a life based on morality," President Murmu said.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.
Beautiful ceremony! 🙏 It's heartwarming to see Bihar's Buddhist heritage being celebrated like this. The Sleeping Buddha statue is truly magnificent - visited last year during my Bodh Gaya trip. More such events should be organized to promote peace tourism in India.
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Priya M.
While I appreciate the peaceful message, I wish our government would pay equal attention to preserving all religious sites across India. Many ancient Buddhist monuments in Bihar need better maintenance. Still, a lovely gesture by the monks!
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Amit S.
Buddha's teachings are more relevant than ever in today's violent world. "Non-violence is the greatest weapon" - we Indians should remember this when dealing with our neighbors too. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
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Sunita R.
As someone from Gaya, I'm proud to see our city in the news for positive reasons! The candle lighting ceremony has become a beautiful annual tradition. Next time, media should show more of our local culture - the delicious litti chokha stalls nearby are famous!
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Vikram J.
Interesting that all three major events in Buddha's life happened on the same day. Makes you think about the cosmic significance. India gave the world such profound philosophies - we should take more pride in our spiritual heritage beyond just politics.
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Neha P.
The PM's message was perfect - Buddha's teachings unite all Indians regardless of faith. But I wish politicians would follow these ideals more in practice! Peace begins at home, as they say. Still, a beautiful event that shows India's cultural diversity.

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Buddha Purnima Bodh Gaya Bihar Buddhist monks PM Modi President Murmu Vesak