Buddhist Calendar 2026: Important Festival Dates

Know All Buddhist Holidays 2026 in Detail

Buddhist Calendar 2026 offers you brief details on all the Buddhist festivals of the year. Starting from the birth month of Lord Buddha, it is a lunisolar calendar. Read to know more.

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Buddhist Calendar 2026: Dates and Festivals

Here are Buddhism important dates in the Buddhist calendar 2026 India and abroad. These dates are very sacred in Buddhism and to the people who follow it.

January Buddhist Festival 2026

Festival	Day & Date
Mahayana New Year	3 January 2026 Saturday

Mahayana New Year: This is Buddhist New Year 2026 when Mahayana Buddhist people pray in the name of Lord Buddha.

February Buddhist Calendar 2026

Festival	Day & Date
Nirvana Day	15 February 2026 Sunday
Chinese New Year	17 February 2026 Tuesday

Nirvana Day: Important for Mahayana Buddhists, this festival marks the day when Lord Buddha passed away (Parinirvana - when the soul leaves the body).
Chinese New Year: This is the Buddhist New Year 2026, celebrated in China. This is different from Mahayana Buddhist New Year.

March Buddhist Festival 2026

Festival	Day & Date
Magh Puja Day	3 March 2026 Tuesday

Magh Puja Day: This is a worship ritual in Buddhism celebrated on the full Moon day in the Magha month.

April Buddhist Calendar 2026

Festival	Day & Date
Theravada New Year	13 April 2026 Monday

Theravada New Year: This Buddhist New Year 2026 is celebrated for 3 days and is followed by the Theravada Buddhist community.

May Buddhist Festival 2026

Festival	Day & Date
Budh Purnima	1 May 2026 Friday

Budh Purnima: Also called Vesak-Buddha day, it recalls the birth, enlightenment and Parinirvana (death) of Gautam Buddha on the Vaisakha full Moon day.

June Buddhist Calendar 2026

There is no Buddhist festival in July Buddhist calendar 2026 India and abroad.

July Buddhist Festival 2026

Festival	Day & Date
Asala - Religion Day	29 July 2026 Wednesday

Asala - Religion Day: It marks the day when Lord Buddha first sermon (moral speech) after attaining enlightenment, and is one of Buddhism important dates.

August Buddhist Calendar 2026

Festival	Day & Date
Obon	13 August 2026 Thursday

Obon: Also called Bon, it is a festival in the Buddhist calendar 2026 India and abroad, when people pray and honour the souls of their ancestors.

September Buddhist Festival 2026

No Buddhist festival in September Tibetan Buddhist calendar 2026 and abroad.

October Buddhist Calendar 2026

There are no Buddhist holidays 2026 in October.

November Buddhist Festival 2026

No Buddhist festival in November Tibetan Buddhist calendar 2026 and abroad.

December Buddhist Calendar 2026

Festival	Day & Date
Bodhi Day	8 December 2026 Bodhi Day

Bodhi Day: This festival falls on the 8th lunar day of the last Buddhist month when Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment.

Summary

The Buddhist Calendar 2026 is a luni-solar calendar that is counted from the day Lord Buddha was born, a full Moon day. It helps mark important Buddhist festivals of the year, where people who follow Buddhism, especially monks, meditate, fast and recall Buddha's life principles.

Read Other Important 2026 Calendar India Dates

Indian Calendar
2026

Hindu Calendar
2026

Islamic Calendar
2026

Jain Calendar
2026

Sikh Calendar
2026

Christian Calendar
2026

Frequently Asked Questions

The year 2026 is the Buddhist year 2569 BE as per the Buddhist calendar 2026 India and abroad. It is calculated from the day when Lord Buddha was born.

Budh Purnima or Vaishakh - Budha Diwas is the biggest festival in the Buddhist community. It is celebrated on the full Moon day of May, recalling the birth, enlightenment and physical passing of Lord Buddha.

The Buddhist Era (BE) or Buddhist Year is calculated by adding 543 years to the Gregorian year, based on the traditional date of Buddha’s passing (Parinirvana). This way, it helps mark Buddhist holidays 2026.

The Buddhist calendar is based on the historical and religious tradition, starting from Lord Buddha’s birth and referred to in BE (Buddhist Era). The Gregorian Calendar begins from the birth of Jesus Christ and is referred to in BC (Before Christ).

The Buddhist Calendar or Year is important for religious observances, festivals and official purposes for people who follow Buddhism. It helps preserve cultural and spiritual traditions.

Though there are different sects within Buddhism, the Buddhist calendar is the same in all countries, but may differ by Moon’s position. The Buddhist sects are - Theravada (the 'Way of the Elders'), Mahayana (the 'Great Vehicle'), and Vajrayana (the 'Diamond Vehicle'),