May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

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Lombardi4
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May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by Lombardi4 »

If the dates for the Buddha's birth, Enlightenment and passing away as Full Moon of May 563BC, 528BC and 483BC are true, then, according to this website, the precise dates in May are:

Birth: 21 May 563BC
Enlightenment: 24 May 528BC
Death: 7 May 483BC

http://astropixels.com/ephemeris/phases ... escat.html
thomaslaw
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Re: May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by thomaslaw »

Stiphan wrote: Wed Dec 20, 2017 8:54 pm If the dates for the Buddha's birth, Enlightenment and passing away as Full Moon of May 563BC, 528BC and 483BC are true, then, according to this website, the precise dates in May are:

Birth: 21 May 563BC
Enlightenment: 24 May 528BC
Death: 7 May 483BC

http://astropixels.com/ephemeris/phases ... escat.html
It seems we do not really have the precise dates of the historical Buddha:

http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT ... 115791.htm

https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/21122/1/21122.pdf
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pilgrim
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Re: May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by pilgrim »

Wesak is a celebration of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha, not the anniversary of these events. The suttas do not say that these events occurred on a Full Moon day or in the month of Vesak.

According to the Encyclopedia of Buddhism (Govt of Sri Lanka), "information about Vesak fullmoon day, completely absent from the Pāli canonical texts of all strata, is confined to Pāli commentarial and post-commentarial literature and Buddhist works written in the native languages of the Theravāda Buddhist countries."
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Mahāparinibbāna Sutta wrote:185. The Blessed One further exhorted the monks, saying, “Behold, monks, I exhort you, saying, all compounded things must decay (vayadhammā saṅkhārā). Strive with diligence (appamādena sampādetha). The final demise of the Tathāgata will take place before long. Three months from now the Tathāgata will die!”
This statement about the time of the Buddha’s demise is interesting, occurring as it does at the end of the Rains Retreat in October. Three months from October would be in January. Traditionally, most Buddhists of the Theravāda school celebrate the thrice-sacred day on the Full-moon of May, which is said to commemorate the Birth, Enlightenment, and Final decease of the Blessed One. See where the Buddha states that he is more than eighty years of age, so if the tradition were true he would have died at eight-one years of age, if it occurred on the following May.
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Lombardi4
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Re: May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by Lombardi4 »

The Buddha was born 566BC, attained Enlightenment 531BC, and passed away in 484BC. Just for your information. (Yes he died at the age of 82. Don't worry about how I know this. It's true.)
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Re: May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by DNS »

Stiphan wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:54 pm The Buddha was born 566BC, attained Enlightenment 531BC, and passed away in 484BC. Just for your information. (Yes he died at the age of 82. Don't worry about how I know this. It's true.)
I noticed you changed the birth year from the OP. Does this change the May 21 date too?
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dylanj
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Re: May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by dylanj »

yes but we should observe the date by its lunar phase & not as we would a birthday
Born, become, arisen – made, prepared, short-lived
Bonded by decay and death – a nest for sickness, perishable
Produced by seeking nutriment – not fit to take delight in


Departure from this is peaceful – beyond reasoning and enduring
Unborn, unarisen – free from sorrow and stain
Ceasing of all factors of suffering – stilling of all preparations is bliss
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dylanj
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Re: May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by dylanj »

Stiphan wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:54 pm The Buddha was born 566BC, attained Enlightenment 531BC, and passed away in 484BC. Just for your information. (Yes he died at the age of 82. Don't worry about how I know this. It's true.)
:? uhhhh
Born, become, arisen – made, prepared, short-lived
Bonded by decay and death – a nest for sickness, perishable
Produced by seeking nutriment – not fit to take delight in


Departure from this is peaceful – beyond reasoning and enduring
Unborn, unarisen – free from sorrow and stain
Ceasing of all factors of suffering – stilling of all preparations is bliss
thomaslaw
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Re: May dates of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing away

Post by thomaslaw »

Stiphan wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:54 pm The Buddha was born 566BC, attained Enlightenment 531BC, and passed away in 484BC. Just for your information. (Yes he died at the age of 82. Don't worry about how I know this. It's true.)
Good on you! :clap: :jumping:
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