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Prabarana Purnima, the second-largest religious festival of Buddhists, is being celebrated across Bangladesh on Sunday (October 25) in a solemn yet festive atmosphere.
Marking the end of the three-month Buddhist rainy-season retreat, the sacred day carries messages of self-purification, correcting mistakes and promoting well-being. Buddhists believe that observing Prabarana Purnima helps monks and lay followers atone for their sins.
Various religious rituals are observed on the occasion, including Buddha Puja, Sangha Dana, Pinda Dana, offering of the eight requisites, recitation of the five precepts, observance of moral precepts and lamp offerings. Lanterns are also released into the sky in the evening.
Bhikkhu Sunandapriya, former general secretary of the Bangladesh Buddhist Federation, told the media that, following the teachings of Gautama Buddha, Buddhist monks and followers observe a three-month rainy-season retreat from Ashari Purnima to Ashwini Purnima. Prabarana Purnima marks the conclusion of this religious observance.
The Bangladesh Buddhist Federation has organised daylong programmes at the International Buddhist Monastery in Merul Badda, Dhaka.
The celebrations began at 5:30am with morning prayers. The monks’ alms-receiving ceremony was scheduled for 7:10am, followed by Buddha Puja, observance of the precepts and a Maha Sangha Dana ceremony at 9:30am. Pinda Dana was scheduled for 11:05am.
At 4:01pm, sacred verses from the Tripitaka will be recited, followed by a discussion meeting titled “The Significance of Prabarana Purnima and Global Humanity” at 4:20pm.
The evening programme includes observance of the precepts, decorative lighting and offerings of illuminated lanterns at 6pm. The lantern festival is scheduled to begin at 6:30pm.
Meanwhile, the month-long Kathina Chibar Dana, or robe-offering ceremony, will begin on Monday (October 26), the day after Prabarana Purnima. Buddhist monasteries across the country will observe the religious ceremony over the next month.
