How It Works
Theravada holidays are tied to full moons in specific lunar months, calculated using synodic month intervals. Mahayana holidays like Bodhi Day (December 8) follow fixed Gregorian dates. The calculator provides dates for both traditions.
Buddhist Holiday Calculator
Calculate approximate dates for Vesak, Makha Bucha, Asalha Puja, and other Buddhist observances across Theravada and Mahayana traditions.
About Buddhist observances
Most Theravada holidays follow a lunisolar calendar and fall on full-moon days (Uposatha). Mahayana traditions often use fixed Gregorian dates. Tibetan Buddhism follows its own lunar calendar.
Dates shown are approximate. Theravada and Mahayana traditions may observe the same event on different dates, and local calendars can vary by a day or more.
Major observances in 2026
- Makha Bucha Theravada
- Mar 3, 2026
- Commemorates a gathering of 1,250 enlightened monks who came to pay respect to the Buddha without prior arrangement. Observed on the full moon of the 3rd lunar month.
- Vesak All
- May 31, 2026
- The most sacred Buddhist holiday, celebrating the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Observed on the full moon of the 4th or 6th lunar month.
- Asalha Puja Theravada
- Jul 29, 2026
- Marks the day the Buddha delivered his first sermon at the Deer Park in Sarnath. Observed on the full moon of the 8th lunar month.
Other observances
- Parinirvana Day Mahayana
- Feb 15, 2026
- Commemorates the death of the historical Buddha and his entry into final nirvana. Observed on February 15 in Mahayana traditions.
- Losar Tibetan
- Feb 17, 2026
- Tibetan New Year, celebrated on the first day of the first Tibetan lunar month. Festivities typically last for fifteen days.
- Vassa Theravada
- Jul 30, 2026
- The three-month Buddhist Lent or Rains Retreat begins the day after Asalha Puja. Monks remain in their monasteries for intensive meditation and study.
- Pavarana Theravada
- Oct 25, 2026
- Marks the end of the Vassa retreat. Monks invite fellow monks to point out any faults they may have committed during the retreat.
- Kathina Theravada
- Oct 26, 2026
- A ceremony during the month following Pavarana in which laity offer cloth and other necessities to monks. One of the most important merit-making events.
- Bodhi Day Mahayana
- Dec 8, 2026
- Celebrates Siddhartha Gautama's attainment of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Fixed on December 8 in Mahayana traditions.
Note on traditions
Theravada Buddhism (predominant in Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Laos, and Cambodia) observes holidays based on the lunisolar calendar, with most falling on full-moon days. Mahayana Buddhism (predominant in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam) often uses fixed Gregorian dates. Tibetan Buddhism follows its own lunar calendar. The same event may be observed on different dates across traditions.
Also in Religious Holidays
Dates & Time
Buddhist Holiday Calculator
Calculate approximate dates for Vesak, Makha Bucha, Asalha Puja, and other Buddhist observances across Theravada and Mahayana traditions.
Tradition Differences
Theravada and Mahayana schools often observe the same events on different dates. Vesak, for example, is celebrated on the full moon of the fourth lunar month in Theravada countries but on a different date in East Asian Mahayana traditions.
Frequently asked questions
Vesak (also called Buddha Day or Buddha Purnima) commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. It is the most important Buddhist holiday, observed on a full moon day typically in May.
Vassa is the three-month rainy season retreat observed by Theravada monks, beginning the day after Asalha Puja and ending at Pavarana. Lay Buddhists often increase their practice during this period.
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