Prabarana Purnima today: Buddhists celebrate their second-largest festival at the end of the rains retreat
Shubho Prabarana Purnima, the second-largest religious festival of the Buddhist community, is being observed today, Sunday. Buddhists celebrate this full-moon day at the conclusion of the monks' three-month rainy-season retreat. Day-long religious programmes have been arranged at Buddhist monasteries across the country.
The Buddhist community believes that observing this full moon brings absolution of sins for both monks and lay devotees. That belief has created a special religious atmosphere among devotees around the day.
Rituals observed on Prabarana Purnima include Buddha puja, Sanghadan, Pindadan, Ashtaparishkar dan, Panchashil prayers, taking of precepts, lamp worship and the flying of fanush lanterns. Thousands of followers will take part in these rituals at monastery after monastery.
Bhikkhu Sunandapriya, former general secretary of the Bangladesh Buddhist Federation, said on Saturday night that Lord Buddha instructed monks and followers of Buddhism to practise for three months. Accordingly, they observe the rains retreat from the Asharhi full moon to the Ashwini full moon. The day the retreat ends is Prabarana Purnima.
During these three months of the retreat, monks stay in one place and spend their time in meditation and practice. The day the retreat ends therefore carries special significance for both monks and householders.
The invitation card of the International Buddhist Monastery at Merul Badda in the capital said the monks' three-month rains retreat will conclude on this full-moon day. From the next day, Monday, the month-long Kathin Chibar Dan will begin and continue for a month.
To observe Prabarana Purnima with due splendour and religious solemnity, the Bangladesh Buddhist Federation will hold a day-long programme today at the International Buddhist Monastery in the capital. The programmes will run in phases from morning to evening.
According to their schedule, the collective morning vandana will be held at 5:30am. The monks will receive their morning alms at 7:10am. Buddha puja, taking of precepts and Mahasanghadan with the eight requisites will be held at 9:30am, and the monks' Pindadan will take place at 11:05am.
Later, verses from the holy Tripitaka will be recited at 4:01pm. A discussion titled 'The significance of Prabarana Purnima and world humanity' will be held at 4:20pm, highlighting the meaning of the day.
At 6pm there will be the taking of precepts, illumination and the offering of fanush lanterns. The fanush festival will begin at 6:30pm, and the day's programme will conclude with colourful lanterns rising into the sky.
For the Buddhist community, Prabarana Purnima is not just a festival but also a symbol of the fruits of three months of practice and of self-purification. After today's day-long rituals, the community's attention will turn to the month-long Kathin Chibar Dan beginning tomorrow.
