2008 Poya (full Moon) Schedule
Poya is the Buddhist full moon day in Sri Lanka, Poya day
ceremonies are conducted from dawn until dusk at all
temples. This includes Dhamma sermons, meditation,
administration of the precepts, and pirit-chanting of
protective Suttas (discourses). Before the birth of Buddhism
in the ancient times when there were no calendars; they made
it a practice on full moon days to engage themselves
in religious activities. The Buddha adopted this
practice and from this developed the preaching of the
Buddhist texts and commentaries in monasteries and temples
on full moon Poya days. When venerable Arahata Maha
Mahinda introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka in 247 B.C he also
introduced the Poya tradition. Following is a brief
description of the 12 poyas in the Buddhist colander.
| Duruthu |
Load Buddha's first visit to
Sri Lanka. This visit too took place in the first
year of the lord Buddha's supreme enlightenment. |
Sun,20 Jan |
| Navam |
Load Buddha's first proclamation of a code
of ethical precepts for the Sangha |
Sat,16 Feb |
| Medin |
The day Load Buddha first
visited his father after enlightened as a Buddha |
Sat,15 Mar |
| Bak |
The second visit of Lord
Buddha to Sri Lanka which took place in the fifth year
of his Supreme Enlightenment. |
|
| Vesak |
The Buddhist calendar begins with the
month of Vesak. On Vesak Day, Buddhists world over
commemorate the triple anniversary of Sakyamuni
Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha. Triple anniversary means,
The Buddha was born, attained supreme Enlightenment at
the age of thirty five, and after a successful ministry
of forty five years attained parinirvana or passed away
on a Vesak (May) full moon Poya Day. It was also on a
Vesak full moon Poya Day, in the eighth year of his
enlightenment, that the Buddha made his third and final
visit to Sri Lanka. |
Sat,17May |
| Poson |
It commemorates the
introduction of Buddhism to Sri lanka by Arahat Maha
Mahinda (son of king Asoka of India) at Mihintale in the
third century B.C. |
Sat,21 Jun |
| Esala |
It commemorates the deliverance of the
first sermon to the five ascetics and setting in motion
the Wheel of the Dhamma (Dhammacakka) at Saranath
Benares, India. Also Sangha began to observe the three month retreat. |
Sat,19 Jul |
| Nikini |
It commemorates the conducting
of the first Dhamma Sangayana during the month of
August. This was held three months after the passing
away of the Buddha. |
Sat,16 Aug |
| Binara |
Lord Buddha preached the
Ariyavamsa sutta and beginning of the nun's order. |
Sat,13 Sep |
| Vap |
The end of Vas and conclusion
of Lord Buddha's teaching of Abhidhamma **Kathina
Pinkama |
Sat,11 Oct |
| II |
The dispatch of the first
sixty Arahats, the first messengers of Lord Buddha |
Sat,15 Nov |
| Unduvap |
Nun Sanghamitta, daughter of Emperor Asoka,
brought a sapling of the sacred Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka |
Sat,20 Dec |
Vesak Annual Vesak celebration will be
held on May Saturday, 17 2008 Katina
Annual Kathina Celebration will be held on Nov 01 2008 from 10am to
4pm
|