Navam full moon poya day has special significance for the Buddhists in Sri Lanka and in the world. The two very significant incidents that took place on the Navam Pura Pasalosvaka Poya Day were the first ever Buddhist congregation and the appointment of two chief disciples of Gautama Buddha as Aggasavakes namely Sariputta and Moggallana.
Today is Duruthu Poya Day, which is the observance of the Buddha’s first visit to Sri Lanka.
Before proceeding to Sri Lanka, on an earlier Duruthu Poya Day the Buddha put the very arrogant Kassapa brothers on the correct path. The Kassapa brothers, Uruwela Kassapa, Gaya Kassapa and Nadi Kassapa were presumptuous Jatilas with matted hair who spent ascetic lives at Uruwela with one thousand followers.
This is the last Poya in the rainy season. On ill Full Moon Poya Day was the receipt of permission (Niyatha Vivarana) by Bodhisatta Maitriya to be the next Enlightened One or the Future Buddha Maitriya.
Siriwaddana had entered the Buddhist Order as Bhikku Maitriya. The Buddhas with his divine vision and insight predicted that in Benares there will be a kingdom known as “Kethumathi” and a king called Sanka whose advisor Subrahamme and his wife Brahamawathi will be parents of Future Buddha Maitriya and that he will attain enlightenment under Banyan Tree.
Significance of Vap Poya (full moon Poya day in October) From time immemorial, Vap is known as the period of sowing. The major cultivation season is known as „Maha‟ which begins with the inter monsoonal rain around the month of October.
The rainy season commenced three months ago. It is known as „Vassana Kalo‟ and it comes to an end with the Vap Poya and Katina season ushers in the Buddhist Calendar with the month of Vap, which is popularly known as “Cheevara Masaya”.
Binara Pasalosvaka Poya occupies a significant place in the history of Buddha Sasana. It is on this Poya day, Bhikkhuni Sasana was founded.
The Vinaya Pitaka and Anguttara Nikaya give the following account on setting up the monastic order for women thus: At one time the Buddha was in Kapilavatthu and his step-mother, Maha-Pajapati Gotami asked permission to go forth into the homeless life.
Nikini Full Moon Poya Day, the second Poya in the Vas season (Rainy-retreat) is observed today.
Vesak is considered a religious as well as a cultural festival in Sri Lanka.
Buddhists commemorate the important events that took place in the life of Lord Buddha on this Vesak Full Moon Poya Day. First comes the birth of Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini in Nepal which took place under the arbor of Sat trees where queen Mahamaya gave birth to him. The second event was Siddharta Gautama's supreme attainment as the Buddha, the Enlightened One. The third event was Lord Buddha's Parinibbana over 2500 years ago at Kusinagar.
Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
English
සිංහල