Poson full moon poya day, celebrated in the month of June, is one of the most sacred and significant poya days for Buddhists in Sri Lanka. It commemorates the official introduction of Buddhism to our country and marks a turning point in Sri Lankan history, culture and civilisation.
As mentioned before, Poson Poya Day commemorates the arrival of Arahant Mahinda Thero, the son of Emperor Ashoka of India, to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE. He met King Devanampiyatissa at Mihintale while the king was on a hunting expedition. It was on this Poson Poya Day that Arahant Mahinda preached the first Buddhist sermon in Sri Lanka, beginning with the famous question about a mango tree to test the king’s wisdom. After the king successfully answered, he was deemed capable of understanding the Dhamma and embraced Buddhism.
Mihintale, where Arahant Mahinda first met King Devanampiyatissa, is regarded as the birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Every Poya day, thousands of devotees climb the sacred Mihintale mountain to pay homage, observe religious practices and commemorate this historic encounter.
Following the introduction of Buddhism, many Sri Lankans, including members of the royal family, entered the Buddhist monastic order. This led to the establishment of the Bhikkhu Sangha in Sri Lanka, ensuring the preservation and spread of the Buddha’s teachings across the island.
During Poson Poya, devotees observe Sil, visit temples, meditate, listen to Dhamma sermons and engage in acts of generosity. Across the country, people organise Dansal, offering free food and refreshments to travellers and pilgrims. Beautiful lanterns and pandals depicting stories from the Jataka tales and Buddhist history are displayed, particularly around Mihintale and Anuradhapura, creating a peaceful and festive atmosphere.
Although Poson is unique to Sri Lanka because it commemorates the arrival of Buddhism on the island, Buddhists in other countries also celebrate events connected to the spread of Buddhism. Sri Lankan Buddhist communities living in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States also organize Poson programmes at Buddhist temples, including Sil campaigns, Dhamma sermons, devotional singing and almsgiving, allowing them to preserve this important tradition while living abroad.
May this Poya day act as a reminder for us Sri Lankan Buddhists to reflect upon the introduction of the Dhamma and show their commitment to practising the Buddha’s teachings through generosity, morality and wisdom. Further, the arrival of Buddhism not only transformed the religious lives of the people but also shaped the nation’s history, culture and values for more than two thousand years.
Written By: –
Rtr. Kawindra Wickramasinghe
(Junior Blog Team Member 2025-26)
Design By: –
Rtr. Pasan Jithnuka
(Junior Blog Team Member 2025-26)
