Annual Invitation Ceremony for Vassana Three Months Spiritual Rains Retreat
This year Vassana (Rains Retreat) Season will be from 29th July 2023 till 11th November 2023. You can sponsor a week during this three months holy period in order to share the noble merits and blessings of this sacred period. We will be hosting Special Blessings Pooja and protection chanting on every Saturday. You can sponsor any of these Saturday poojas.
Traditional Invitation to the
2023 Spiritual Rains Three Months Retreat
Invitation Ceremony to Vassana Saturday 29th July 2023
Do Join at temple or Online Temple from Zoom with the ID: 696 889 1414 Passcode: dhamma
06:00PM Buddha Vandana, Bodhi Pooja, Homage
06:20PM: Sinhala Dhamma Talk & English Dhamma Talk
06:40PM: Vassana Invitation
07:00PM: Chanting of Most Sacred Sutta “Dhamma Chakkha Pavaththana Sutta” and Seth Pirith Special Protection Blessings Chanting
07:45PM: Sharing Merits (anumodana) and Blessings
This Sunday Evening Pooja is sponsored by
Mr Darshana, Mrs Harshani Weerasingha, Daughters Stesha & Shennon & Family.
Login Details to Join our Online Temple
Zoom ID: 696 889 14 14
Password: dhamma
Dear All,
Greetings with Dhamma Blessings..!
Namo Buddhaya..!
You are cordially invited to our Esala Full Moon Day Programme together with Invitation Ceremony to Annual Three Months Rains Retreat, held on Saturday 29th July 2023 at 6.00PM at temple.
You can attend in person or online by using zoom ID 696 889 1414. Passcode: dhamma
This holiest spiritual day blessings will be very meaningful to attend. We dedicate this Spiritual Three Months to bless all with good health and liberation.
We will continue to host weekly meditation programmes, children dhamma school, pooja blessings, pirith chanting, dana programmes. All are requested to attend in person or online.
May all the blessings, merits be with all those who worked very hard to support the centre by monthly standing orders and the other means.
We invite all to join online or in person temple programme on this holiest day Esala (July) Full Moon Day on Saturday 29th July 2023. Programme will start at 6.00PM with Bodhi Pooja, Vas Aradhana (Invitation to Three Months Spiritual Rains Retreat), Chanting of First Discourse, Dhamma Chakkha Pavaththana Sutta and Blessings.
This day we start the programme with Bodhi Pooja and chanting the first sermon of the Lord Buddha, Dhamma chakka pavaththana Sutta (wheel of Dhamma Set in Motion). Then we invite the monks to observe three months retreat at Letchworth Dhamma Nikethanaya.
This is a highly blessed and an auspicious occasion, we encourage to keep the day free to join us and share the blessings!
Spiritual Rains Retreat Three Months Season from 29-07-2023 till 11-11-2023
We invite all our friends and devotees of Letchworth Dhamma Nikethanaya Buddhist Cultural Centre to attend online or in person on Saturday 29th July 2023 at 6.00PM.
Esala (July) Full Moon Day has many traditional significances. The three Jewels reached a completion on Esala (July) Full Moon Day with the ordination of the five ascetics as Bhikkhus and with the start of the Rainy Retreat “VAS” by the Buddha and his disciples. In commemoration of this great event and abiding to the monastic rules as laid down by the Buddha, the monks residing at Letchworth Dhamma Nikethanaya are observing their Rainy Retreat “Vas” for the seventeenth consecutive year.
During this season both monks and lay devotees engage in extra Dana (Charity), Sila (Morality) and Bhavana (Meditation). Hence this period is regarded as the highest sacred in the Buddhist Calendar. At the end, to commemorate the success and achievements of the retreat, devotees host Sangha Day Gratitude Kathina Ceremony which will be held. We kindly remind you to keep this date free for this special meritorious ceremony which can be held only once a year in any temple and share the merits of this.
This year the Rainy Retreat “Vas” period happens to be between 29th July 2023 and 11th November 2023. During this period we are organising a series of Weekly Dhamma Sermons, Bodhi poojas and meditation on Every Saturday Evening for the benefit of devotees and to make them understand to attend to the needs of the Buddhist monks during the rainy season. You can sponsor one or more weeks during this season as you wish. It is a great blessing to sponsor a pooja during this holiest retreat period. It is indeed in great help if you can sponsor one of these events during this periods to make the retreat success.
One individual or with your whole family can sponsor the event by taking the main responsibility. However it has to be done with the full participation of all the members (dayaka) of the centre.
We also conduct a Special Ceremony on this Full Moon Day July (Esala) Saturday 29th from 6PM till 8.00PM.
We kindly invite you to take part in this programme. If you wish to support by any other means to the day programme, please contact the centre (the event co-ordinator Ms Padma on whatsApp or text or call on 07944135314).
Programme: Saturday 29th July 2023
06:00 PM: Buddha Vandana Homage, Bodhi Pooja Blessings Ceremony.
06:45 PM: Chanting of Dhammachakkapavaththana Sutta and seth pirith protection blessings.
07:45 PM: End of the Day Programme
All are Welcome!
Significances of Esala (July) Full Moon Day
Significances of Esala (July) Full Moon Day
Esala (July) full Moon Poya day is given much significance apart from other two main full moon days Vesak (May) and Poson (June) because it is related to great incidents of the life of Prince Siddartha (Later the Buddha) both prior to and following his Enlightenment. Among those significances, The conception of Boddhisatta in the womb of Queen Maya, The Great Renunciation at the age of 29 the prince decided to leave his palace and beloved ones in order to find the way out of the universal suffering, Preaching Abhidhamma (Buddhist Analytical Philosophy or The Highest Dhamma) to Matru Divya Rajaya (his mother) in the Thavuthisa heaven, above all, two months after the Buddha attained Enlightenment, he delivered his first sermon, Dhamma Chakka Pawathna Sutta (the wheel of truth) to the five ascetics, Realizing the Dhamma all five ascetics became Bhikkhus establishing the community of monks and as a result all three jewels (Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha) reached a completion, Declaration of his passing away to nibbanic bliss, the beginning of the ‘Vas’ “rainy season retreat” of the Sangha or the monks, Realizing the difficulties that mendicant monks undergone to propagate The Dhamma during the rainy season, The Buddha set out a monastic rule for monks to stay in one place during the rainy season, The first Vas was observed by the Buddha and his first five disciples - the five ascetics at Isipathana in Benares, Laying of the foundation for the Ruwanwelisaya in Sri Lanka and its enshrinement of relics by King Dutugamunu, Starting the Esala Celebration and Procession (Kandy Perahera) in Sri Lanka to honour The Tooth Relic of The Buddha which brought to Sri Lanka in 847 Buddhist Era.
For Sponsorships of this rare occasion or Other Information, Please Contact The Centre.
All Are Cordially Welcome..!
Ways to Sponsor and help:
Sponsor one of 12 Weekly Pooja: A suggested donation for one of the 12 weekly poojas is £100/=, in addition to preparing the pooja items such as flowers, gilanpasa, lights, etc. It is possible to request a Dhamma activity of your preference on the day of your sponsored pooja (e.g., Bodhi Pooja, Mawpiya Vandana, Offering of Medicinal Requisites, Talk by invited monk, etc.)
Sponsor Atavisi (28) Sambuddha Poojava: Saturday 23rd September 2023
- One of 28 Buddha Pooja (suggested donation £100/=. This includes all pooja items for one of the 28 SamBuddha Poojava such as an Atapirikara, a Robe & a Gilanpasa tray with flowers incense etc.)
Or offering items separately such as
offering of
- An Atapirikara (Suggested Donation £50/=)
- A Robe (Cheevara) (Suggested Donation £30/=)
- A Full Gilanpasa Flowers Light Incense Pooja Tray (Suggested donation £15/=)
- by any other general donation.
Note: Although donations for sponsorship have been suggested, you are welcome to donate any amount you feel able to
Forthcoming Event Dates and Availabilities for Sponsoring
During the 2023 Vassana Season Three Months Spiritual Retreat at Letchworth Dhamma Nikethanaya Buddhist Centre:
- Saturday 05th August at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 12th August at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 19th August at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 26th August at 6PM
Nikini Full Moon Poya Day
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 02nd September at 6PM
Sath Budu Vandana (Homage Pooja for Seven Enlighten Buddhas)
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 09th September at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 16th September at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 23rd September at 6PM
Binara Full Moon Poya Day & Atavisi Buddha Special Pooja
Sponsors and things needed for 28 SamBuddha poojava or to offer Robes or Atapirikaare are posted as a separate event on our website.
- Saturday 30th September at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 07th October at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 14th October at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 21st October at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 29th October at 6PM
Vap Full Moon Poya Day.
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 04th November at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 11th November at 6PM
Annual Kathina Ceremony of Letchworth Dhamma Nikethanaya.
Sponsored: Mr Dharshana, Mrs Harshani Weerasinghe Family and further opportunities for others to sponsor Kathina Day ceremony.
- Saturday 19th November at 6PM
Sponsor needed:
- Saturday 26th November at 6PM
Ill Full Moon Poya Day
Sponsor needed: