On every full moon day, Sri Lanka transforms. Shops close. Alcohol sales are banned. Television broadcasts only religious programmes. Millions of Sri Lankans dress in white and visit temples. It's Poya Day — a national holiday that occurs every month, making Sri Lanka the only country in the world that gives its citizens a holiday every full moon.
Poya Day isn't just cultural tradition. It's the most accessible entry point into Sri Lankan Buddhist meditation for visitors and beginners.
Why the Full Moon?
Every significant event in the Buddha's life occurred on a full moon: his birth, enlightenment, first sermon, and death (parinibbana) all fell on full moon days. Theravada Buddhism preserves this lunar connection. The full moon is considered the most auspicious time for meditation — when the mind is naturally more reflective and concentrated.
Each Poya Day commemorates a specific event in Buddhist history. The most important include Vesak Poya (May — Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death), Poson Poya (June — arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka), and Esala Poya (July — Buddha's first sermon).
What Happens on Poya Day
At Temples
Sri Lankan temples are alive on Poya Day. From dawn, laypeople in white clothing stream in to observe Sil (the Eight Precepts), meditate, listen to Dhamma talks, and participate in community dana (offering food to monks). The atmosphere is unlike any 'meditation event' in the West — it's simultaneously deeply spiritual and warmly communal. Families come together. Children play in temple grounds while grandparents meditate. Everyone shares food.
Sil Programmes
Many Sri Lankans observe 'Sil' on Poya Day — taking the Eight Precepts for 24 hours. This includes no killing, no stealing, no sexual activity, no lying, no intoxicants, no eating after midday, no entertainment, and no luxurious sleeping. The Sil programme typically includes group meditation sessions, Dhamma talks, and chanting. It's a monthly reset — one day of simplicity and mindfulness in an otherwise busy life.
Dansala (Free Food Stalls)
A uniquely Sri Lankan tradition: on Poya Days, communities set up dansala — roadside stalls offering free food and drink to anyone passing by. Rice and curry, kiribath (milk rice), tea, and sweets are given freely as an act of merit (pin). This is metta in its most practical form — feeding strangers as a spiritual practice.
How to Practise Poya Day Meditation
Traditional approach: Visit a local temple at dawn. Wear white (or light, modest clothing). Observe the Eight Precepts. Join the meditation sessions. Listen to the Dhamma talk. Eat the communal midday meal. Meditate through the afternoon. Return home in the evening with a calmer, clearer mind.
Home practice: If you can't visit a temple, create your own Poya practice. On the next full moon: wake early, meditate for 20-30 minutes, eat simply, avoid entertainment and social media for the day, meditate again in the evening. Even observing a partial Poya — simplifying one day per month — creates a rhythm of reflection that compound over the year.
Full moon meditation: Meditate outdoors under the full moon. Sri Lankan tradition holds that the full moon's light has a calming quality distinct from other light. Sit in moonlight. Practise metta or anapanasati. The experience of meditating under a full moon — connected to thousands of years of practitioners doing the same — is quietly powerful.
Poya Calendar 2026
Every month has a Poya Day: January 13, February 12, March 14, April 12, May 12 (Vesak), June 10 (Poson), July 10 (Esala), August 9, September 7, October 7, November 5, December 4. Mark these in your calendar and use them as monthly meditation check-ins.
Related: Buddhist Meditation for Beginners and Buddhist Meditation Retreats.
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