Commonwealth Faiths (Commonwealth Union) _ The Nikini Full Moon Poya Day falls in the 8th month (Nikini) in the Sinhalese calendar, or August, as known in the Western calendar. Carrying significant value to Sri Lankan Buddhists, it is the second Poya day in the Vas season, a sacred period of reflection and religious observance that begins with Esala Poya and lasts for four months.
This period of retreat, known as Vassana or Vas, plays a major role in reinforcing monastic discipline, enhancing spiritual growth, and strengthening the bond between the Maha Sangha (the monastic community of monks) and the Upasaka (lay devotees).
The Vas Period
The Vas period is among the most important ceremonies in Theravāda Buddhism. The practice was first initiated in the time of the Buddha, at the suggestion of King Bimbisara, who proposed that the Bhikkhus (Buddhist monks) stay in one location during the rainy season instead of roaming for alms.
The Buddha, accepting this advice, allowed monks to settle in one location during the rains and engage in deep meditation and study. The directive became known as “Anujanami bhikkhave vassane vassam upagantum” – “O monks, I permit you to enter the rains retreat.”
On Nikini Poya, those monks who were unable to begin the retreat on Esala Poya, held in July, are provided another opportunity to commence it, known as Pasu Vas. The Vas season encourages the Buddhist monastic community to reside in one place, follow monastic discipline, and recite the Pātimokkha, the Bhikkhu code of conduct, twice a month.
Meanwhile, lay devotees also engage in spiritual activities on Nikini Poya, such as offering alms, observing precepts, observing sil (moral precepts), and participating in Dhamma discussions. This mutual spiritual cooperation enhances the religious atmosphere in temples and monasteries in Sri Lanka as well as in other countries containing Theravada Buddhist communities, such as Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
The First Buddhist Council
The most historically significant event associated with Nikini Full Moon Poya is the First Buddhist Council, also called the First Dhamma Sangayana. Convened three months after the Parinirvana (passing away) of the Buddha, at the Sattapanni Cave in Rajagaha (modern-day Rajgir, India), the council was presided over by Venerable Mahakassapa, after concerns were raised regarding the potential decline in discipline among the Bhikkhu order.
This council played a major role in ensuring the preservation of the Buddha’s teachings as well as establishing a systematic method to spread the Dhamma (Buddhist teachings) and Vinaya (consciousness). Venerable Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin and attendant, achieved Arahantship just before the Council. Ananda Thera’s remarkable memory also made it possible to accurately recite the discourses (Sutta Pitaka), while Venerable Upali recited the monastic code (Vinaya Pitaka).
Their contributions laid the foundation for what is now considered Theravāda Buddhism, preserving the teachings in oral form until they were later written down centuries later in Sri Lanka.
Nikini Poya in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, Nikini Poya is observed across the island, where temples fill with devotees offering flowers and incense and participating in Bodhi pujas (ritualistic veneration of the bodhi tree), sil, and Pirith chanting. The day also marks the conclusion of the Kandy Esala Perahera, one of the country’s most revered religious and cultural events, which showcases an array of Kandyan dances, decorated elephants, and religious rituals dedicated to the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. On Nikini Poya Day, the ten-day-long procession ends with a Day Perahera, which showcases an array of Kandyan dances, decorated elephants, and religious rituals dedicated to the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha.
Asalha Bucha in Thailand
Asalha Bucha is celebrated on the full moon day of the eighth lunar month, particularly in Thailand and other Theravāda Buddhist countries. It celebrates the Buddha’s very first sermon, delivered more than 2,500 years ago at Deer Park in Sarnath, India, to his five former ascetic friends. This discourse, known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta or “Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma,” introduced the Four Noble Truths: Dukkha (suffering), Samudaya (its cause), Nirodha (its end), and Magga (the path to its end).
In Thailand, this day is honoured with deep respect through rituals such as a candlelit procession around the ordination hall, along with meditation, chanting, and activities. The following day is Khao Phansa, which formally begins the three-month Vas retreat, connecting Asalha Bucha symbolically and practically to the significance of Nikini Poya in the Buddhist calendar.
The rainy season, extending from Esala (July) to Vap (October) Poya, offers both monks and laypeople a chance to turn inward, renew their spiritual vows, and accumulate merit.
