Binara Full Moon Poya Day
| Date | Type |
|---|---|
26 Sep 2026 Saturday | BankPublicMercantile |
15 Sep 2027 Wednesday | BankPublicMercantile |
Overview
Binara Poya commemorates the Buddha's establishment of the Bhikkhuni Sangha, the order of Buddhist nuns, traditionally said to have begun with the ordination of his aunt and foster mother, Mahapajapati Gotami, who had raised the Buddha herself after his birth mother died shortly after childbirth. Following the death of her husband, King Suddhodana, the widowed Mahapajapati approached the Buddha and asked to be ordained; he initially declined, reportedly out of concern for the hardship of ascetic life, and it was only after his attendant Ananda interceded on her behalf that the Buddha agreed, subject to a set of additional conditions known as the eight garudhammas. Her ordination as the first bhikkhuni is regarded as a landmark moment in Buddhist history, opening the monastic path to women for the first time and establishing an order that continues, in various revived forms, in Sri Lanka and elsewhere today.
Significance
The founding of the bhikkhuni order is a significant event in Buddhist history, marking the formal inclusion of women into monastic life alongside the existing order of monks.
How it's observed
Temple observance is generally quieter than the major festival Poyas. Alcohol sales are banned nationwide as on every Poya day.
See the Sri Lanka long weekends list or use the interactive holiday planner.