Nirvana Day

Nirvana Day (Parinirvana) is the day when Buddhists from the Mahayana tradition remember the death and enlightenment of the Buddha at the age of 80.

Who celebrates?

Nirvana Day is celebrated by some Mahayana Buddhist traditions.

How do people celebrate?

• The day is a time to remember friends and family who have died in the past year
• Many Buddhists will use the day to meditate and reflect on their lives and how to achieve enlightenment. They may also visit temples or monasteries.

What should I know?

• Nirvana is considered the perfect state of peace, happiness and enlightenment, which the Buddha found before his death
• Parinirvana means nirvana with no end
• Some Buddhist traditions celebrate on the 8th February
• In the 2011 census 0.5% of the UK identified as Buddhist.

How can I support others?

• Ask people if they or their families will be celebrating
• Use the additional resources to learn more about Buddhism
• Ask people internally and externally about their faith and whether they’d be willing to share what it means to them
• Familiarise yourself with the diversity of religion in your area and how representative your organisation is of the community you serve.

BBC: The death of Budha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4uQyG6OZUQ

BBC: What is Nirvana Day: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zh4mrj6/articles/zvtxgwx

The Buddhist society resources: https://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/page/resources