Sri Lanka is a country which is enriched with Buddhist religious activities and customs and all most all of them make our minds peaceful and calm when we engaged with them.
Here one of such activities will be shown for your awareness and it is basically called the donation for devotees who observed sil in full moon poya day in the temple. This Temple is The Maimbula Historical stone cave temple located in the Aththanagalla Divisional Secretariat in Gampaha district Sri Lanka.
In Buddhism, There are five basic precepts that should be practiced by a Buddhist. The precepts are: not killing, not stealing, not misusing sex, not engaging in false speech, and not indulging in intoxicants. Buddhists take the five precepts with their refuge vow and practiced in day today life. In the buddhism it says even by practicing these five precepts properly in day today life makes the life more blessed and make next birth more blessed.
In poya days they (few of them) observe eight precepts, which are not killing living beings, not stealing, not engaging in sexual activity, not speaking lies, not consuming toxicants or drugs, not eating after midday, not participate in entertainment, such as dancing, singing, or watching shows, not wearing cosmetics, perfume, jewelry, or other personal adornments, not using luxurious beds or seats.
They do it in the temple premises.
All these percepts are set of guidelines to practice and it is believed that practicing of these percepts gives merits to the practitioner. These eight precepts are observed for a day and that is called uposatha. At the end of the day, the precepts are verbally declared its end and the five precepts are resumed.
People who are not observing these eight percepts can provide them meal and other facilities and gain merits and all of these things are done volunteer by Buddhists.
The Buddhists who observed eight percepts are provided morning meal, refreshments, Lunch and evening tea and there are much custody that are followed when it is done. All the time before providing these food the load Buddha is been sacrificed with flowers and same food in a decorated manner and worship.
After that the meals are given and the preceptors say many verses to handover merits to donors.
In the middle, the reverent of the temple come to the place expresses verses, does preaching and admires these good works.
Sometimes, some donors invite to monks from other temples for preaching to make this occasion more colorful and meaningful. After the preaching the monks are appreciated with lots of sacrificial items and money. In the preaching merit is wished to go to death members of the donors family, all the gods.
This donation is believed to generate enormous merits and all do it very devotedly and happily. for this all neighbors and relative give their fullest support by labor or by materials, so that the merit is divided among all. so this events becomes not only a merit generating one, but also a one which ensure unity, happiness, sharring and reduce greediness.
Triple Gem bless
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