Duruthu Poya Day Celebration in Kandy. – By Dr harold Gunatillake
On January 25th this year, Sri Lanka celebrated the Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day. This festival falls on the first full moon in January, commemorating Gautama Buddha’s first visit to Sri Lanka. It is an important religious and historical event in Sri Lanka’s calendar, as it occurred in the ninth month after the Buddha attained Enlightenment.
During his visit, the Buddha travelled to Mahiyanganaya in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka, where he gave sermons to two warring tribes to end their conflicts. The tribes listened to his teachings and stopped fighting with each other, and instead began to treat each other with respect.
The local God, Sumana Saman, was impressed by the Buddha’s teachings and invited him to leave his sacred footprint on the peak of Samanala Mountain, which is now known as Adam’s Peak.
To this day, the pilgrimage season to Samanala Mountain begins on Duruthu poya, as people flock to worship the Buddha’s footprint.
In Sri Lanka, every Poya day is observed as a public holiday, and businesses and shops usually remain closed. The sale of alcohol and meat is also prohibited on these days. Recently, I visited the festivities at the Dalada Maligawa premises along with my family. The festival mainly includes Buddhist men, women, and children performing ata sil on this day. On this day, Buddhist people who observe the five precepts are required to follow eight precepts when observing Sil, including
meditation practice. The 8 precepts are based on the Five Precepts, with the third precept extended to prohibit all sexual activity. Additionally, three precepts are highly supportive of meditation practice..
The Eight Precepts: I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures. (2). I undertake the precept to refrain from taking what is not given. (3) I
undertake the precept to refrain from sexual activity. (4) I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech. (5) I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.
(6) I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the forbidden time (i.e., afternoon). (7) I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, seeing entertainment, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics. I undertake the precept to refrain from lying in a high or luxurious sleeping place.
When people observe the eight precepts, others get merit by offering them food.
Sugeeva, my nephew, Michelle, my niece and the grandchildren visited the temple premises and offered them yoghurt as a meritorious act.
Though it was a public holiday, the streets in Kandy were chock-blocked with vehicles and people.
So, viewers, that is how we spent this holy day in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Dana is not payment for goods or services rendered; it is given from the heart. In the Buddhist tradition, the teachings are given freely because they are considered priceless; in the Buddhist tradition, we also practice dana, or generosity, by making monetary offerings for the teachings.
