Buddhist Purnima Ceremonies in Bangladesh DILIP KUMAR BARUA

Buddhist Purnima Ceremonies in Bangladesh DILIP KUMAR BARUA The Buddhists of Bangladesh, who follow Theravada tradition, observe many socio-religious and popular ceremonies, festivals and rituals throughout the year. Among them the noteworthy are: Purnima, Uposatha, Vassavasa, Kathina Civara Dana, Sangha Dana, Atthaparikkhara Dana and Paritta ceremony etc. They observe 12 Purnima (Full Moon Day) ceremonies. But, it is noteworthy that all the Purnima ceremonies are intimately associated with the life and teachings of Buddha and his disciples, and most of the religious ceremonies are celebrated in relation to Purnima days of Bengali calendar. Here I will describe six major Purnima ceremonies which they celebrate with great religious zeal and fervour. Further, I will describe the conception and consciousness of lay Buddhists regarding this ceremony. Boishakhi or Buddha Purnima : For the whole Buddhist world Buddha Purnima is the most sacred and most festive occasion observed with due solemnity. It is also the most important religious occasion of the Buddhists of Bangladesh. They celebrate this ceremony with deep reverence and sanctity of mind. It is held in Bangladesh in the month of May or in Boishakha (Veshakha), the first month of Bengali calendar. The Buddha Purnima is associated with three important events of Buddha’s life. For example, on this Purnima or full moon day i) he was born at Lumbini forest, ii) he attained Buddha-hood or enlightenment at the age of 35 and iii) finally, he attained nirbana or total extinction in the chain of birth and demise. As these three important events of Buddha’s life happened on this Purnima or full moon day, so it is called Buddha Purnima. In Bangladesh, it is also known as Boishakhi Purnima, because the full moon day falls during Boishakha, the first month of the Bengali calendar. Every year, in order to keep in mind the precept of Buddha and to call to memory the important three events of Buddha’s life, lay Buddhists of Bangladesh earnestly celebrate this Purnima with great religious zeal. It is difficult to ascertain when this ceremony came into being in Bangladesh. It seems to be one of the most ancient occasions to be celebrated among the Buddhists of India and Bangladesh. The inscription of Asoka mentions that Emperor Asoka celebrated attractive and fascinating festivals with shows and processions carrying an image of god on a magnificent car. Such festival seems to have attracted pilgrims from distant countries, as recorded by the Chinese pilgrim Fa-hien, who visited India in 5th century A.D. He wrote of a procession in which a statue of Buddha was carried with the Bodhisattva on a four-wheeled car in the front. This festival was held on the 8th day of the second month of the year. According to Indian calendar, Buddha Purnima (Veshakha festival) may fall in the first or second month of the year. The Mahavansa mentions that King Duttagamani of Ceylon observed 24 Veshakha festivals with much grandeur. After him, many Buddhist kings of Ceylon celebrated the same occasion from time to time. At present the Buddha Pumima has a great significance for the Buddhists of Bangladesh. On that day, all believers, regardless of age and sex, go to the monastery, offer prayer and worship, hear the sutra chanting and sermons from monks and lay scholars, reflect on their own activity, take oath to live a pious life, wish happiness of all beings and world peace, and entertain the monks and poor with dainty foods. The Bangladesh government has declared this sacred day a public holiday. Bangladesh Radio and Television present programmes relating to the Buddha’s life and teaching, and daily Newspapers bring out special features and supplementary copies. Ashari Purnima : As it is held in the month of Ashara of Bengali calendar, it is called Ashari Purnima. Ashari Purnima is equally significant in the Buddhist world in general and Bangladesh, in particular. This day also is observed gorgeously with deep respect and veneration. This day is associated with four important chapters of Buddha’s life and activities. On this day, firstly, Prince Siddhartha Gautama (family name of Buddha) was conceived in the womb of Mayadevi; secondly, he renounced home and went out to find the reason for human suffering in order to search for real truth and for the liberation of mankind; thirdly, he preached his first sermon at Savatthi, which is known as ‘Dharmacakra Pavattana’; finally, he observed first rain-retreat (vassavasa) and introduced it among the monks. Moreover, Buddha exhibited twin-miracles. So, in order to commemorate these significant events of Buddha’s life, the Buddhists of Bangladesh observe the day with great religious fervour like that of Buddha Purnima. The Bangladesh government has declared the sacred day as an optional holiday in order to allow the Buddhists to participate in the day’s programme. Bhadra or Madhu Purnima : Like other Purnima days, this full moon day is also observed with solemnity and dignity by the Buddhists of Bangladesh. It is held in Bhadra Month of Bengali calendar. ‘Madhu’ means honey. Along with other articles of puja (worship) honey is compulsorily offered in this Purnima ceremony. So, it is called Madhu Purnima. A small but noteworthy incident of Buddha’s life is associated in this connection, which runs thus: “Being failed to mitigate the quarrel of monks at Kosambi monastery and in order to teach them a lesson, Buddha went to Parellya forest. He began to observe rain-retreat there alone. An elephant entertained him with fruits and guarded him against the attack of wild beasts. A monkey of that forest was pleased to notice the service of elephant to Buddha, and the monkey also wished to serve him with due respect. In order to fulfil his wish, he offered a big beehive after removing larva and eggs of bees, and Buddha drank the honey to his heart’s content. Seeing this, the monkey was overjoyed and began to jump from one tree to another. But suddenly the monkey fell down and expired then and there. The Buddha saw in his divine eyes that the monkey had taken rebirth in devaloka.” (realm of the God) In order to commemorate this auspicious and matchless event that happened in Bhadra Purnima, the Buddhist of Bangladesh observe the day with religious zeal and pomp. The lay Buddhists of Bangladesh, as the saying goes, wish to be reborn in devaloka by worshiping Buddha with honey like the pious monkey. Ashvini Purnima or Pavarana Purnima : This Purnima is very significant for the Buddhists of Bangladesh and is equal in status to Buddha Purnima or Ashari Purnima as is evidenced by its widespread celebration. It is held in Ashvina, the six month of Bengali calendar. It is also called Pavarana Purnima. The word ‘Pavarana’ has many meanings, for example, satisfaction of desire, fulfilment of wish, the day of completion of study and meditation, invitation, prohibition. After performing three months course of purification, Pavarana is performed at the end of rain-retreat. So, it is also called ‘Buddhists Joy Day’. The compulsory performance of Pavarana has its practical implication. It seems that Buddha made it compulsory because it provides an opportunity to perform Kathina Dana ceremony: secondly, during the ceremony monks make a confession of guilt and declaration of parisuddhi (purification). The compulsory confession of guilt helps us to facilitate peace and mutual understanding increasing the unity and solidarity of the Sangha. Like other Purnima, this also has some relation with some important events of Buddha’s life. For example, on this full moon day, Buddha came down from Tavatinsa heaven after preaching Abhidhamma and he urged monks to take responsibility for spreading the faith for the welfare of all beings. The flying of the ‘Sky Lamp’ (Phanoos) in Bangladesh is the most interesting aspect of the Pavarana or Ashini Purnima ceremony. The object of flying sky-lamp is to worship Buddha’s hair relics. Two legends are prevalent in this regard in Bangladesh, which run thus : First of all, during the Mahabhiniskramana, when Buddha renounced the world, he cut his hair and threw it into the air, saying, if my aims and missions of renunciation are fruitful, the tress of hair will go upwards, and if my object and ambition becomes fruitless it will fall on the ground downwards. Buddhists believe that the tress of hair went flying into the sky according to the will of Gautama. The Buddhists of Bangladesh set off this sky lamp as a symbol and commemoration of Gautama’s emphatic prediction. Another view is that while Buddha was going to Tavatinsa Heaven for preaching the dhamma to his mother, his way of journey is shown by this f1ying of sky-lamp. Regardless of the factual accuracy of these legends, Buddhists f1y the sky-lamp as part and parcel of their religious custom. The devotees also perform all religious rituals in this ceremony like that of Buddha Purnima. Maghi Purnima: The Buddhists of Bangladesh observe the Maghi Purnima day as a proclamation of Buddha about his final demise or Mahaparinibbana on the day of next Boishakhi (Veshakha) Purnima at Capala Caitya of Vesali. On this Purnima day also the Buddhists of Bangladesh go to the monastery and perform religious rituals with due respect and reverence. In order to commemorate this auspicious event of Buddha’s life, some villages organize fairs some of which are very important in the socio religious life of the Buddhists of Bangladesh. Falguni Purnima : On this Full Moon day, one year after attaining Buddha-hood, Buddha went to visit Kapilavatthu, and to meet with his parents and kinsmen, being invited by his father king Suddhodhana and other Sakyas.

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