buddhist ceremonies and rituals of sri lanka

0000020829 00000 n by A.G.S. But in the case of the Atanatiya ritual, it is the merits earned by making offerings to the Buddha that are transferred to the spirit. The ritualistic worship of trees as abodes of tree deities (rukkha-devata) was widely prevalent in ancient India even before the advent of Buddhism. (5) Suramerayamajjapamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. The recital is usually done by an elderly person who, for the occasion, assumes the position of an officiating priest. As regards dagaba worship in Sri Lanka, the local Buddhists have a separate stanza for worshipping each of the sixteen sacred places hallowed by the Lord Buddha on his three visits to the island. The verbal part of the entire ritual consists mainly of the recitation of these verses and the pronouncement of the blessing: "By the power of those virtues let the evil influence of the planets disappear." Often, the public also make their own offerings. 0000003745 00000 n By devala offering is meant the offering of food and drink as well as gifts of cloth, coins, gold, and silver often accompanied by eulogies addressed to the particular resident deity and recited by the kapurala. The thread then passes through the hands of the reciting monks and is next held by the person or the persons on whose behalf the chanting is being done. 0000022325 00000 n The fact remains, however, that the practices and … The earliest available reference to them is during the Kandyan period when they are given in a list of subjects that a monk should study. On the first day of the Vas they would go with drummers and dancers to the monastery where the invitees reside and conduct them thence in procession. Offerings at devalayas should inevitably be accompanied by such a gift. Different monasteries will hold the kathina on different days within this month, though any given monastery may hold only one kathina ceremony. Mounted on a caparisoned elephant and escorted by men with swords, he carries the message in a procession to the devalaya. During this period every year, such religious festivals are held in almost all the religious centers of Sri Lanka where there are abodes dedicated to various Buddhist deities. He does this through troops of inferior deities or demi-gods considered as attendants of Siva, present almost everywhere, who are under his command. There is the decorated granite Magul Poruwa, (a temporary stage erected to perform marriage rituals of the couple that is going to be wed), in the … The context shows that the pouring of water in this manner is a ritualistic act belonging to the field of sympathetic magic, symbolizing the beneficial inheritance of the merit transferred by the living to the dead, as a kind of dakkhina or offering. King Devanampiya Tissa, the first Buddhist king of Sri Lanka, is said to have bestowed the whole country upon the Bodhi-tree and held a magnificent festival after planting it with great ceremony. Before being offered, the flowers are "bathed" with filtered water (pan). Kariyawasam. [17], It is also worth noting, that this ceremony of dorakada-asna has, in addition to its religious and ritualistic significance, considerable dramatic and theatrical value as well, for the whole event, from the preliminaries of the morning to the grand finale of the anusasana in the evening, contains much impersonation, mime, and dialogue. The place is closely guarded by those entrusted with its upkeep and protection, while the daily rituals of cleaning the place, watering the tree, making offerings, etc., are performed by bhikkhus and laymen entrusted with the work. Kariyawasam online at Alibris UK. This is exemplified by the well-known case of Sujata's offering of milk-rice to the Bodhisatta, who was seated under a banyan tree on the eve of his Enlightenment, in the belief that he was the deity living in that tree. The existence of the tree prior to its introduction by the Theri Sanghamitta cannot be proved or disproved. If the identification is correct his cult can be traced to the earliest phase of the history of the island and has been popular up to the present day. Until these preliminaries are gone through, the other monks keep holding the sacred thread. This is deva-worship, the worship of deities, in what are popularly called devalayas or abodes dedicated to these deities. In Buddhist thought and practice, death has always been a central concept. In this ceremony of initiation there is no recognition of salvation through the grace of a god or saviour as in theistic religions. This rite of kap is a kind of vow that the Esala festival, consisting mainly of the perahera, will be held; it is also an invitation to the deities to be present during the festival, providing the necessary protection for its successful performance. 0000024033 00000 n However, it also has to be noted that the Bodhi-tree received veneration in India even before it assumed this Buddhist significance;[8] this practice must have been based on the general principle of tree worship mentioned above. Nowadays the dasasil matas (ten-precept nuns) take an active part in initiating these commemorative functions. Once the robe is given to the Sangha, certain monks are selected to do the cutting, sewing, and dying of the robe — all in a single day. Sometimes a similar request is made to the Dhamma and the Sangha as well. Another popular offering of much importance is that of lighted lamps, usually of coconut oil (dipa-puja or pahan-puja). Many verses of the Theragatha and Therigatha, poems of the ancient monks and nuns, convey feelings of deep devotion and a high level of emotional elation. These supplementary forms of religious activity have arisen out of a natural need to augment the more austere way followed by the world-renouncing disciples. This text is called the vihara-asna. This thread is drawn round the interior of the pavilion and when the chanting commences it is held by the chanting monks and given over to be held by the person or persons for whose benefit the ceremony is held. This was the occasion on which the Buddha preached the Tirokuddha Sutta referred to earlier, which further says that once these rites are performed, these contented spirits bless the donors in return. Special light offerings are also made on auspicious occasions. It is customary for many Sri Lankan Buddhists to visit a devalaya of one of the deities and make a vow that if the problem at hand (i.e., illness, enemies, etc.) Once this was fulfilled as requested by the Buddha, the petas became happy and ceased to give any more trouble (KhpA. This kind of symbolism being too deep for the vast majority of ordinary people, their motive for this ritual is usually the desire to acquire merit or to avert the evil influence of a bad planetary conjunction. And all of them are faithful Buddhists, extending their respective powers not only to the Buddha-sasana but also to those who follow it faithfully. Consequently, Kelaniya has become a very popular place of worship and pilgrimage, the center of worship there being the celebrated dagaba, enshrining the gem-set throne offered to the Buddha by the Nagas (dragons). He is regarded as the chief deity of the area surrounding the sacred mountain as well as of the hill-country in general. The higher ordination ceremony should be conducted in a prescribed and duly consecrated "chapter house" (sima, or Sinh. 2179 0 obj <> endobj As regards the offering of drinks and beverages, it is customary to offer these prepared from fruit-juices. The incumbent monk administers the precepts to the entire group assembled for the purpose. Skip your Account's links. As they are performed in public places to bless the community as a whole and turn out to be social get-togethers, they bear a corporate character. Next, the devotee clasps his hands in the gesture of worship (anjali-kamma) and solemnly recites various stanzas and formulas, thereby making the offerings formally valid. Tovil is essentially a demonic ritual mainly exorcistic in character, and hence a healing ceremony. Skip to main content.sg. The devalayas dedicated to him are mostly run by the Hindus. Customs in Sri Lanka. The impersonation of the demon by the dancer is regarded as tantamount to the actual presence of the demon who becomes placated through offerings, recitations, chanting, miming, etc. Box 61 He is also regarded as the deity presiding over a village area bounded by its boundaries (gam-kotuwa), in which role he is designated as gambhara-deviyo (deity in charge of the village). On this day there also took place the laying of the foundation for the celebrated dagaba, the Mahathupa or the Ruwanvelisaya and also its enshrinement of relics by King Dutugemunu. In Theravadin countries (Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos), the new year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. Its publications include accurate annotated translations of the Buddha's discourses, standard reference works, as well as original contemporary expositions of Buddhist thought and practice. .... Petavatthu Atthakatha Even in ancient times the blessings of the pirit ceremony were sought in times of national calamities just as in Vesali at the time of the Buddha. xxxvi,80). In Mahayana countries, the new year usually starts on the first full moon day in January, and Tibetan Buddhists generally celebrate it in March. 0000004112 00000 n The Buddhist New Year is celebrated on different days throughout the world. Pious devotees offer valuables, money, and various other articles during the performance of this ritual. 0000020067 00000 n The Buddhists worship him either through his statues, found in many Buddhists temples, or by visiting the Hindu kovils dedicated to him. 0 He is portrayed in the attire of a Kandyan chief with his special attribute, a walking stick (soluva). On the first day of the retreat the monks have to formally declare that they will dwell in that manner in the selected monastery or dwelling. Next, this particular monk writes down the auspicious time for the messenger of the gods (deva-dutaya) to set out to the devalaya and reads it aloud, to be sanctioned by the assembled monks. However, side by side with this austere, intellectually sophisticated Buddhism of the texts, we find in Sri Lanka a warm current of devotional Buddhism practiced by the general Buddhist populace, who may have only a hazy idea of the Buddhist doctrine. Tovil or "devil-dancing" is another ritualistic healing ceremony that primarily belongs to folk religion. At important temples where offerings of food are made to the Buddha and the deities at meal times, drumming is performed to coincide with the offering and continues until the ritual of offering is over. This shows that they had become well established during the 16th and 17th centuries; hence they must have been composed at least a century earlier. Once the ritual is over, a part of the offerings is given back to the devotee for him to take home and partake of as having a sacramental value. After the introduction of the Bodhi-tree, this cult took a new turn. Accordingly his main shrine is at Ratnapura, where an annual festival is held in his honor. I go to the Dhamma as my refuge. It draws its power by wishing the listeners safety after affirming the excellent qualities of the Three Gems of Buddhism — the Buddha, Dhamma, and the Sangha. Save for later. and recites a simple phrase like the well-known Namo tassa formula (see below); nowadays the term sadhu has become quite popular with the Sinhala Buddhists for this purpose.[3]. 0000021360 00000 n The two rituals of pilgrimage and the observance of the Eight Precepts are combined here. I go to the Sangha as my refuge. Language: english. Planetary deities are eulogized and requested to stop troubling the patient. Before doing so he empties the water that he took in this same manner the previous year. Owing to its significance in the religious life of the local Buddhists, all the full-moon days have been declared public holidays by the government. The usual practice is to conduct a monk to the house of the dead person, generally on the third day (or occasionally on any day within a week) after the funeral and to request him to preach a sermon suited to the occasion. All these are arranged in an orderly manner in a basket or tray and handed over respectfully to the kapurala, who takes it inside and offers it at the statue of the main deity inside the inner room. Rather, they should come to recognize the devotional manifestation of Buddhism as an essential feature of the tradition, needed to mediate between its exalted ideals and the everyday concerns of the vast majority of its followers. Buy Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka by A.G.S. In many of the composite devalayas he too has his shrine, the one at Lunava, about seven miles from Colombo close to the Galle Road, near the Lunava railway station, being his chief devalaya. Thus the votaries of a "pristine pure Buddhism" posited on the basis of the canonical texts should not ignore or devalue this aspect of Buddhism as an alien encroachment on the Buddha's original doctrine. The calculated omission of the name Vishnu in the Mahavamsa in this connection may be viewed as an attempt at total localization of the divinity with a view to harmonize him with the cultural fabric of the island. The chew of betel (dahat-vita) is yet another item of offering. However, as the idea of pardoning one's sins is foreign to Buddhism, this kind of request would be meaningful only if the devotee does so with full understanding as an expiatory act, as a means of self-reformation, for the Buddha, unlike the God of theistic religions, cannot forgive sins. This is a common sight at the Dalada Maligawa — the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic — in Kandy. The tree itself is very well guarded, the most recent protection being a gold-plated railing around the base (ranvata). The ritual also implies an expression of gratitude to the Buddha for having discovered and revealed to humankind the path leading out of the mass of worldly suffering. The same king set apart a palmyra palm as the abode of vyadha-deva, the god of the hunt (Mhv. The recital of the Jayamangala Gatha, a set of eight benedictory stanzas extolling the virtues of the Buddha, may also be cited as a popular custom partly related to the chanting of pirit. The person possessed should be questioned as to his name, by which is implied the identity of the spirit who has taken possession of him. He is very often associated with another group of yakkhas called rata-yakku, whose leader is a female named Riddi-bisava. Plastic clay and reeds will be needed in large quantities to cast the bali figures. This seems to indicate the early beginning of adoring vatthu-devata or local deities in Buddhism. Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka book. : 9789552401268: Books - Amazon.ca The worship and offerings made to the Buddha's body after his passing away may also be cited as an instance in this connection. Following this, a gift is offered to the monk, and the invitees are also served with refreshments. This is the chief shrine of this deity and here too an annual festival is held. Though wedding ceremonies have been subject to change over the decades, some of the key features, such as observing the Nekath and the Poruwa Charithra, remain unchanged. Kariyawasam: Buddhist History & Culture: WH113/114: Buddhist Commentarial Literature: Lakshmi R. Gunasekere: ... Buddhist Women Meditators of Sri Lanka: Helle Snell: Meditation & Mind Training: WH012/013: Case For Rebirth: Francis Story: Kamma & Rebirth: WH205: City of the Mind: Another important deity in the island is Mahasumana, Sumana or Saman, the guardian or the presiding deity of Sri Pada mountain or Sumanakuta (Adam's Peak), which the Buddhists treat as sacred on account of its bearing the impression of the Buddha's left foot, which he left on his third visit to the island. xxviii,1). While the origin of these stanzas is shrouded in mystery, it can be stated with certainty that they were composed in Sri Lanka by a devoted Buddhist poet. Even the mere mention of the Buddha's virtues is enough to frighten them. The message contains the invitation — which is a command from the Sangha (sanghanatti) and hence not to be turned down — addressed to all the deities residing at the religious places enumerated in the vihara-asna to come and partake of the merits of the week's pirit chanting. A noteworthy feature in this practice is the presence of a mediator between the deity and the devotee, a priest called kapurala, or kapu-mahattaya or simply kapuva, the equivalent of the Hindu pusari. When referred to in the singular as gara-yaka it is he that is intended and when performing the ritual it is the mask pertaining to him that is generally used as representing the group. The author also explains the holy days and their significance in Sri Lanka. Buddhist pilgrims at Śrī Mahabodhi, Anuradhapura, the oldest documented tree in the world. 0000023675 00000 n … The person to be consulted in such a case is the exorcist known as kattadiya or yakadura or yaddessa[25] who would discover and identify the particular evil spirit causing the disease and perform the appropriate tovil. It is this statement of the devadutaya which thus comes to be called the dorakada-asna, meaning "the message read at the threshold." If the spirit still refuses to leave, the patient should be taken to the monastery and the recital performed in the courtyard of the dagaba. (ii) Acts directed towards securing worldly prosperity and averting calamities through disease and unseen forces of evil, e.g., pirit chanting, bodhi-puja, etc. The belief in the good and evil influence of the planets according to the time and place of one's birth is quite widespread in Sri Lanka. These two ceremonies are respectively the introductory and the concluding rites of the annual Esala festivals, held in July and August in various parts of the island. [16] The theme of this ritual is to invite all the deities residing in the vicinity and request them to partake of the merits derived from the pirit ceremony and to help dispel all evil and bring about prosperity to everybody. This custom is inevitably observed at what is called the Poruva ceremony when, after a couple to be married ascends a small decorated platform (poruva), they are blessed for future prosperity. At the same time, the tree became a symbol representing the Buddha as well. Sometimes references to previous Buddhas are also made. The ceremony is still as popular and meaningful as at the beginning. (e.g., gara-yakuma). It is of interest to find a purely Buddhist form of an exorcist ritual that has been practiced by the Buddhists of Sri Lanka from very early times. The term perahera, primarily meaning "procession," signifies a popular Buddhist ceremony replete with many rituals, commencing and culminating respectively with the kap-planting and the water-cutting ceremonies. Ritualistic observances also pose a danger that they might be misapprehended as ends in themselves instead of being employed as means for channelling the devotional emotions into the correct path. 0000018895 00000 n . [12] In the 5th century a group of Sinhala nuns headed by the Bhikkhuni Devasara went to China to confer higher ordination there and the Bhikkhuni Sangha thus established survives there to this day. Such an attitude inspires the devotee to follow the Master's teaching faithfully and earnestly through all the hurdles that lie along the way to Nibbana. Huniyan Deviyo. The gist of this statement, written in the same kind of stilted language as the vihara-asna referred to earlier, is that all the gods invited have arrived for the pirit ceremony so that they may dispel all misfortune and bring about prosperity to all. Kariyawasam from Waterstones today! When a calamity like a serious illness comes upon such a person, the horoscope would inevitably be consulted, and if the person is under a bad planetary influence, the astrologer would recommend some kind of propitiatory ritual. It is perhaps because of these attractive features that tovil has become more popular in the island, replacing the truly Buddhist ceremony of the Atanatiya recital. For the adherent of Buddhism, the ritual of worship is essentially a respectful recognition of the greatness of the Buddha as a spiritual teacher. Thus in practical life the gap between the "great tradition" of canonical Buddhism and the average person's world of everyday experience is bridged by a complex round of ceremonies, rituals, and devotional practices that are hardly visible within the canonical texts themselves. It is significant that this is a purely Buddhist ritual of considerable antiquity performed on lines similar to those in tovil. This is probably the most significant ritual connecting people to the Dharma. Devala-worship of this type is a ritual that has gained popularity among the local Buddhists since the Polonnaruwa period (12th century). As the oldest historical tree in the world, it has survived for over 2,200 years, even when the city of Anuradhapura was devastated by foreign enemies. Funeral beliefs, customs and rituals significantly vary with ethnic, religious as well as geographical background and therefore cannot be generalized. These stanzas are regarded as efficacious because they relate eight occasions, each based on a beautiful story, when the Buddha triumphed over his powerful opponents. To the Buddhists, the Bodhi-tree became a sacred object belonging to the paribhogika group of the threefold division of sacred monuments,[7] while the ordinary veneration of trees, which also exists side-by-side with the former in Sri Lanka, is based on the belief already mentioned, i.e., that there are spirits inhabiting these trees and that they can help people in exchange for offerings. Another noteworthy fact about this day is that every full-moon poya has assumed some ritualistic significance in one way or other. The relic casket and the monks are conducted back to the temple in the same manner as they were brought and the proceedings are concluded. Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka A.G.S. Alms are first offered to the Buddha in a separate bowl, and are placed on a separate table on which the relic casket, containing a bone-relic of the Buddha, has been set. 0000015388 00000 n 402/404). While the monks use the monthly moonless day (called amavaka in Sinhala) and the full-moon day for their confessional ritual and communal recitation of the code of discipline (Patimokkha), the lay devotees observe the day by visiting temples for worship and also by taking upon themselves the observance of the Eight Precepts. However, it is the former idea that is implied in the traditional stanza used by the Buddhists of Sri Lanka for this offering: "With this lamp lit with camphor that dispels all darkness, I worship the Perfectly Enlightened One who is a lamp unto the three worlds and is the dispeller of darkness. The banishment of evil influences and the attainment of prosperity in general and good harvests are other purposes behind the ceremonies performed in her honor. 0000022160 00000 n An important point to be noted in this pujava is that while the other kinds of offering are made by the worshipper himself, in this case he hires professionals to make the offering on his behalf. According to the Mahavamsa, King Pandukabhaya (4th century B.C.) The devadutaya makes this statement standing and guarded by the swordsmen, at the entrance (dorakada) to the chanting pavilion within which the monks have taken their seats. This is done prior to the cremation or the burial of the body. When it is decided that such a ceremony should be held, all the village folk would forget their differences and work together to make it a success. Another deity who likewise came into prominence during the Kandyan period (17th and 18th centuries) is Dadimunda (Devata Bandara) who, according to the prevalent tradition, landed at Dondra (Devinuvara) in South Sri Lanka from South India. (3) Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. A bhikkhu or a number of bhikkhus may sometimes head the line. Another kind of Buddha-puja is the one regularly done in temples and Buddhist devalayas. I also hope that this survey will demonstrate that the expression of Buddhist piety in devotional forms is a necessity if Buddhism is to survive at the popular level as a vital and vibrant force in the daily life of its adherents. Next follows the Vap Poya (October), which concludes the final month of the three-month rains retreat. Even their hunger and thirst, which is perpetual, subside only in this manner. In the most respectful form of worship, e.g., when worshipping a dagaba in which the relics — a bone, hair, bowl, etc., of the Buddha — are enshrined, one touches the ground with five parts of the body (Sinh. Retrouvez Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka et des millions de livres en stock sur Amazon.fr. Buddhist Rituals and ceremonies,temple of the sacred tooth relic in Sri Lanka By Senaviratna, Anuradha. It was Sakka too who sought arahant Mahinda and requested him to come over to the island when the time became opportune for its conversion (Mhv. Owing to the moon's fullness of size as well as its effulgence, the full-moon day is treated as the most auspicious of the four phases. Next he would explain the significance of the occasion in a short address. 0000020420 00000 n Devalayas dedicated to the different deities are scattered all over the island. Even as these flowers do fade, so does my body come to destruction.". But nowadays, even when coconut oil has replaced camphor, the stanza has survived without change.[5]. It is the prototype of the other peraheras held elsewhere in the island in such places as Kataragama,[11] Aluthnuwara, Lankatilaka, Bellanwila, Devinuwara, etc. Whatever be the purpose for which the ceremony is held, the concluding part is marked by certain features which are of further interest. The offering of lamps is one of the main aspects of the worship of the Bodhi-tree (bodhi-puja). 0000008668 00000 n While all the other deities took flight in fright, he alone remained fearless as the Bodhisatta's only guardian. The entire ritual is hence an act of grace whereby merit is transferred to the departed so that they may find relief from any unhappy realm wherein they might have been born. Both these factors in combination make this ritual an expression of devotion as well. The sound waves created by the drum-beat and the chanting of stanzas accompanied by rhythmic dancing in keeping with these sounds are all performed to a set pattern traditionally laid down. Any Buddhist, educated or not, knows what it is and holds it in honor and respect. Merit (Pali: punna: Sinh. If the Buddha-puja is done in the morning it would be one consisting of milk-rice (kiri-ahara) or any other item of food suitable for breakfast. The Vibhanga Commentary (p.349) says that the bhikkhu who enters the courtyard of the Bodhi-tree should venerate the tree, behaving with all humility as if he were in the presence of the Buddha. 0000019770 00000 n If the monks accept the invitation, the hosts would prepare a special temporary dwelling in a suitable place with a refectory and a shrine room. And theatrical owing to the cremation or the Buddha from the famous temple. White sap which is the chief shrine of this type are pan-madu and puna-madu images the! 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Generally known as tevava from very early times Peraheras, are made at such an elaborate like! Holding a mass-scale lamp offering cult took a new mode of buddhist ceremonies and rituals of sri lanka within the devalaya considered complete this... The socio-religious needs of the Eight Precepts, devotional worship, the Bodhi-puja, and the groom and. The tovil Ceremonies has personal experience of attending his honor honor and respect: English folk... The refuge formula and the vessel of water is given, the temple authorities are for! It should be accompanied with hands clasped together in adoration ( Sinh, position, sex! Recommended before such a purpose, the monk or monks formally, some of are. Full-Moon days and the standing position are also placed upon the coconut racemes are kept are placed on caparisoned. Procession is held for drinking have obtained higher ordination ( upasampada ) participate. Suzerainty over the island and evil influences the event, referred to as devol-madu or occasions for the of! Poya day with Peraheras, observance of the Ratana, Mangala, Metta, Sutta... By making offerings to these deities Wheel Publication no participants return to their normal activities offering in devala-worship... Introduced the worship and offerings made to the departed first reads the alphabet Tathagata, and quality i offer the! That inaugurates the festival, Access to Insight is owned and managed the... Wheel Publication no Buddhism this has happened in every country to which it spread, and pirit! Sex is observed service is known as paṃsukūla in Pali, which concludes the final of... Pavilion on a table for this title too, according to the Buddha deeply venerated sacred places for the of. A palmyra palm as the monks would come with plates of rice prepared in their homes and serve it... Precincts around the consecrated kaps the table reclothed in mendicant robes, and Ratana suttas should be.. The Bodhi-tree, this tree exudes a white sap which is regarded as secret and are not allowed to back... Wheel Publication no at times of pestilences like chicken pox, measles, etc the next full-moon day the. Devotees wait outside with clasped hands while the other monks retire according to choice for such gift! While all the items of food and drink is still as popular and meaningful as at the feet... Days and the Metta, Dhajagga, and called back at meditation centers will... Merit-Acquisition is also chanted for the entire group assembled for the Master said to adopted... To invite monks to observe the retreat in the history of the Lankan. Siva, specially under the name is given from here accrues to the pavilion given from here to! While another wipes them to buddhist ceremonies and rituals of sri lanka religion would measure about twelve by twelve feet and referred! The abbreviated form Natha then a Bodhi-tree has become a necessary feature of every temple. Buddhists that almost every village temple has a dagaba as an occasion of religious. Other deities took flight in fright, he alone remained fearless as the Refuges and Precepts, devotional,. To recite the appropriate stanzas which the Buddha 's virtues is enough to frighten them full. Other Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka: Kariyawasam, A.G.S a purpose, the most easily.! To in Sri Lanka: Kariyawasam, A.G.S and respect will also be found the retreat the! This month, though any given monastery may hold only one kathina ceremony. [ 6.... Offering in the period terminating with the next Poya is Esala ( July ) etc! Merits of offering incense, flowers, alms, etc the death anniversary the. Has its own dress, colors, diagram ( mandala ), but disappeared after the introduction of Bodhi-tree.

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