When is Bodhi Day 2023
Bodhi Day 2023
Friday, December 08, 2023
When is Bodhi Day 2024
Bodhi Day 2024
Sunday, December 08, 2024
Why we celebrate Bodhi Day?
Bodhi Day, or Enlightenment Day, as it is also known, is one of the major Buddhist festivals. People celebrate it in honour of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who achieved ‘awakening’ and became a Buddha. It was on this day he renounced his old practices, was able to immerse himself in nirvana and receive answers to all his questions.
It is believed that this holiday began to be celebrated on the same day that Siddhartha Gautama became “enlightened”. Earlier in Japan, this holiday was celebrated according to the Chinese lunar calendar. This remained so until the Japanese switched to the Gregorian calendar in the 19th century. It was then that Bodhi Day had its own fixed date.
What Do People Do?
The holiday is usually celebrated quietly by Buddhists, without fireworks, fanfare or parades. It is believed that this should not be done on Enlightenment Day. On this holiday, people who consider themselves particularly religious usually pray, meditate, study ‘dharma’ (laws), burn incense and chant Buddhist texts. Ordinary people are more inclined to do some good deeds. For example, they help the poor, feed homeless animals, and make donations. In many places, Buddhists plant Bodhi (ficus) trees and hold tea ceremonies, read and prepare treats for relatives and friends.
How to Celebrate Bodhi Day?
In Japan, this holiday is celebrated on 8 December. In other East Asian countries, the date is not so precise as it changes from year to year, like the date of Easter celebrations. For the Japanese, the holiday is also not an official holiday, as the number of Buddhists in the country is only 34% of the total population. If you are one of them, you can have a small tea party, offer to help someone, do a good deed and pray on Bodhi Day.
Bodhi Day Observances
List of dates for other years
| Weekday | Date | Year | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 08 December | 2020 | Bodhi Day |
| Wednesday | 08 December | 2021 | Bodhi Day |
| Thursday | 08 December | 2022 | Bodhi Day |
| Friday | 08 December | 2023 | Bodhi Day |
| Sunday | 08 December | 2024 | Bodhi Day |
| Monday | 08 December | 2025 | Bodhi Day |
| Tuesday | 08 December | 2026 | Bodhi Day |
| Wednesday | 08 December | 2027 | Bodhi Day |
| Friday | 08 December | 2028 | Bodhi Day |
| Saturday | 08 December | 2029 | Bodhi Day |
| Sunday | 08 December | 2030 | Bodhi Day |
| Monday | 08 December | 2031 | Bodhi Day |
| Wednesday | 08 December | 2032 | Bodhi Day |
| Thursday | 08 December | 2033 | Bodhi Day |
Bodhi Day Video
Bodhi Day Cards
List of Common Holidays in 2023
| Date | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|
| January 2023 | ||
| Jan 1 - Tues | New Year's Day 2023 | National holiday |
| Jan 6 - Sun | Epiphany 2023 | Christian |
| Jan 7 - Mon | Orthodox Christmas Day 2023 | Orthodox Christian |
| Jan 14 - Mon | Orthodox New Year 2023 | Orthodox Christian |
| Jan 15 - Tues | Makar Sankranti 2023 | Hindu |
| Jan 21 - Mon | Tu B'Shevat 2023 | Jewish |
| Jan 21 - Mon | Martin Luther King Day 2023 | National holiday |
| February 2023 | ||
| Feb 1 - Fri | National Freedom Day 2023 | Observance |
| Feb 1 - Fri | National Wear Red Day 2023 | Observance |
| Feb 2 - Sat | Groundhog Day 2023 | Observance |
| Feb 5 - Tues | Chinese New Year 2023 | Observance |
| Feb 12 - Tues | Lincoln's Birthday 2023 | Observance |
| Feb 14 - Thurs | Valentine's Day 2023 | Observance |
| Feb 18 - Mon | Presidents' Day - Washington's Birthday 2023 | National holiday |
| March 2023 | ||
| Mar 1 - Fri | Read Across America Day 2023 | Observance |
| Mar 1 - Fri | Employee Appreciation Day 2023 | Observance |
| Mar 5 - Tues | Maha Shivaratri 2023 | Hindu |
| Mar 5 - Tues | Mardi Gras 2023 | Christian |
| Mar 6 - Wed | Lent 2019 | Christian |
| Mar 6 - Wed | Ash Wednesday 2023 | Christian |
| Mar 10 - Sun | Daylight Saving Time - begins 2023 | Daylight Saving |
| Mar 17 - Sun | St. Patrick's Day 2023 | Observance |
| Mar 20 - Wed | Spring/Fall - March equinox 2023 | Season |
| Mar 21 - Thur | Purim 2023 | Jewish |
| Mar 21 - Thurs | Holi 2023 | Hindu |
| April 2023 | ||
| Apr 1 - Mon | April Fools' Day 2023 | Observance |
| Apr 3 - Wed | Isra and Mi'raj 2023 | Muslim |
| Apr 13 - Sat | Thomas Jefferson Birthday 2023 | Observance |
| Apr 14 - Sun | Rama Navami 2023 | Hindu |
| Apr 14 -Sun | Palm Sunday 2023 | Christian |
| Apr 15 - Mon | Tax Day 2023 | Observance |
| Apr 16 - Tues | National Library Workers Day 2023 | Observance |
| Apr 18 - Thurs | Maundy Thursday 2023 | Christian |
| Apr 19 - Fri | Good Friday 2023 | Christian |
| Apr 20 - Sat | Holy Saturday 2023 | Christian |
| Apr 20 - Sat | Passover - Starts 2023 | Jewish |
| Apr 21 - Sun | Laylat al Bara'at 2023 | Muslim |
| Apr 21 - Sun | Easter 2023 | Christian |
| Apr 21 - Sun | Earth Day 2023 | Observance |
| Apr 22 - Mon | Easter Monday 2023 | Christian |
| Apr 24 - Wed | Administrative Professionals Day 2023 | Observance |
| Apr 25 - Thurs | Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2023 | Observance |
| Apr 26 - Fri | Orthodox Good Friday 2023 | Orthodox Christian |
| Apr 26 - Fri | Arbor Day 2023 | Observance |
| Apr 27 - Sat | Passover - Final Day 2023 | Jewish |
| Apr 28 - Sun | Orthodox Easter 2023 | Orthodox Christian |
| May 2023 | ||
| May 1 - Wed | May Day 2023 | Observance |
| May 2 - Thur | Yom Hashoah 2023 | Jewish |
| May 2 - Thurs | National Day of Prayer 2023 | Observance |
| May 5 - Sun | Cinco de Mayo 2023 | Observance |
| May 6 - Mon | National Nurses Day 2023 | Observance |
| May 6 - Mon | Ramadan starts 2023 | Muslim |
| May 12 - Sun | Mothers' Day 2023 | Observance |
| May 15 - Wed | Peace Officers Memorial Day 2023 | Observance |
| May 18 - Sat | Armed Forces Day 2023 | Observance |
| May 22 - Wed | National Maritime Day 2023 | Observance |
| May 23 - Thurs | Lag BaOmer 2023 | Jewish |
| May 27 - Mon | Memorial Day 2023 | National holiday |
| May 30 - Thurs | Ascension Day 2023 | Christian |
| Jun 1 - Sat | Laylat al Qadr 2023 | Muslim |
| June 2023 | ||
| Jun 1 - Sat | Laylat al Qadr 2023 | Muslim |
| Jun 5 - Wed | Eid al-Fitr 2023 | Muslim |
| Jun 6 - Thurs | D-Day 2023 | Observance |
| Jun 9 - Sun | Shavuot 2023 | Jewish |
| Jun 9 - Sun | Pentecost 2023 | Christian |
| Jun 10 - Mon | Whit Monday 2023 | Christian |
| Jun 14 - Fri | Flag Day 2023 | Observance |
| Jun 16 - Sun | Fathers' Day 2023 | Observance |
| Jun 20 - Thurs | Corpus Christi 2023 | Christian |
| Jun 21 - Fri | Summer/Winter Solstice 2023 | Season |
| July 2023 | ||
| Jul 4 - Thurs | Rath Yatra 2023 | Hindu |
| Jul 4 - Thurs | 4th of July - Independence Day 2023 | National holiday |
| Jul 28 - Sun | Parents Day 2023 | Observance |
| August 2023 | ||
| Aug 4 - Sun | Friendship Day 2023 | Observance |
| Aug 11 - Sun | Day of Arafat 2023 | Muslim |
| Aug 11 - Sun | Tisha B'Av 2023 | Jewish |
| Aug 11 - Sun | Eid al-Adha 2023 | Muslim |
| Aug 14 - Wed | Raksha Bandhan 2023 | Hindu |
| Aug 15 - Thurs | Assumption of Mary 2023 | Christian |
| Aug 19 - Mon | National Aviation Day 2023 | Observance |
| Aug 21 - Wed | Senior Citizens Day 2023 | Observance |
| Aug 23 - Fri | Krishna Janmashtami 2023 | Hindu |
| Aug 26 - Mon | Women's Equality Day 2023 | Observance |
| Aug 31 - Sat | Muharram 2023 | Muslim |
| September 2023 | ||
| Sept 2 - Mon | Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 | Hindu |
| Sep 2 - Mon | Labor Day 2023 | National holiday |
| Sep 8 - Sun | National Grandparents Day 2023 | Observance |
| Sep 10 - Tues | Ashura 2023 | Muslim |
| Sep 11 - Wed | Patriot Day 2023 | Observance |
| Sep 17 - Tues | Constitution Citizenship Day 2023 | Observance |
| Sep 23 - Mon | Fall/ Spring - September equinox 2023 | Season |
| Sept 29 - Sun | Navratri 2023 | Hindu |
| Sept 30 - Mon | Rosh Hashana 2023 | Jewish |
| October 2023 | ||
| Oct 7 - Mon | Child Health Day 2023 | Observance |
| Oct 7 - Mon | Dussehra 2023 | Hindu |
| Oct 9 - Wed | Leif Erikson 2023 | Observance |
| Oct 9 - Wed | Yom Kippur 2023 | Jewish |
| Oct 14 - Mon | Sukkot 2023 | Jewish |
| Oct 14 - Mon | Columbus Day 2023 | National holiday |
| Oct 16 - Wed | Boss's Day 2023 | Observance |
| Oct 21 - Mon | Shemini Atzeret 2023 | Jewish |
| Oct 22 - Tues | Simchat Torah 2023 | Jewish |
| Oct 27 - Sun | Diwali 2023 | Hindu |
| Oct 31 - Thurs | Halloween 2023 | Observance |
| November 2023 | ||
| Nov 1 - Fri | All Saints' Day 2023 | Christian |
| Nov 2 - Fri | All Souls Day 2023 | Christian |
| Nov 3 - Sun | Daylight Saving Time - ends 2023 | Daylight Saving |
| Nov 10 - Sun | The Prophet's Birthday 2023 | Muslim |
| Nov 11 - Mon | Veterans Day 2023 | National holiday |
| Nov 28 - Thurs | Thanksgiving Day 2023 | National holiday |
| Nov 29 - Fri | Black Friday 2023 | Observance |
| December 2023 | ||
| Dec 2 - Mon | Cyber Monday 2023 | Observance |
| Dec 1 - Sun | Advent 2023 | Christian |
| Dec 6 - Fri | St Nicholas Day 2023 | Christian |
| Dec 7 - Sat | Pearl Harbor Remebrance Day 2023 | Observance |
| Dec 17 - Tues | Wright Brothers Day 2023 | Observance |
| Dec 22 - Sun | Winter/Summer Solstice 2023 | Season |
| Dec 23 - Mon | Hanukkah/Chanukah - Starts 2023 | Jewish |
| Dec 24 - Tues | Christmas Eve 2023 | Christian |
| Dec 25 - Wed | Christmas Day 2023 | National holiday |
| Dec 26 - Thurs | Kwanzaa -thru Jan 1 2023 | Observance |
| Dec 30 - Mon | Hanukkah/Chanukah - Final Day 2023 | Jewish |
| Dec 31 - Tues | New Years Eve 2023 | Observance |
