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Festivals
The Buddha advised his followers that if they were to thrive they should meet together regularly and in large numbers. So festivals are central to the life of the Nottingham Buddhist Centre. They provide an opportunity for celebration and the expression of devotion and gratitude to the Buddha and his teachings. The principal festivals celebrated at the Centre are devoted to the Three Jewels, which symbolise the three most important aspects of the Buddhist spiritual life. WESAK, OR BUDDHA DAY, is the day on which we celebrate the Enlightenment of the Buddha. Since this is the central event in Buddhist history, Wesak is the most important festival of the Buddhist year. DHARMA DAY marks the occasion of the Buddha’s first teaching, the first time that his vision was communicated SANGHA DAY is a celebration of both the idea of spiritual community and the actual spiritual community that we are creating at the Centre. Other festivals are also important to us: PARINIRVANA DAY marks the end of the Buddha’s physical life. On this day we remember friends and relations who have died during the previous year, as well as celebrating the positive approach Buddhism has to death and change. On PADMASAMBHAVA DAY we celebrate the life of the legendary teacher who established Buddhism in Tibet, and to whom many of us look for inspiration in our efforts to practice Buddhism in the West. In April we join with people from all over the FWBO in the UK for a national celebration of the founding of our Movement. This years festival dates (Please Note: We may not celebrate the festival on the exact date, but may move it to the nearest weekend. Contact the Buddhist Centre for details)
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