The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (777 page)

iva and anointing of the
li
ga
;
Hol
(during Phalgu
a, a carnival of reversals and riot).
Buddhism
Among Buddhists, festivals depend on the country and style of Buddhism: since Buddhism absorbed rather than obliterated the customs of the countries into which it spread, the accumulation of festivals makes it impossible to list them. However, certain major days are held by
Therav
din
or
Mah
y
na
Buddhists. Among Therav
dins, the full moon dominates. New Year is observed with ceremonies of cleansing. Full moon in the month Vesakha is the major celebration (Vesakha P
j
) of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and parinibbana (
nirupadhi
esa-nirvana
). On the next full moon (in
ri Lank
) is Poson, celebrating the arrival of Buddhism in
ri Lank