Some gatherings are not measured by numbers, sound, or ceremony. They unfold in the hush between chants, in the glint of an oil lamp, in the look shared by people walking together in silence. This was one of them.
Aranya Sangharama welcomed the full moon of Vaishakh with stillness, devotion, and quiet depth. The sacred observance of Buddha Poornima—marking the birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinibbāna of the Buddha—was observed this year from May 9 to 12.
The monastery welcomed both in-person visitors and online participants, many of whom had been preparing inwardly for this moment long before the event began. Some guests had arrived as early as the first week of May, weaving themselves naturally into the daily rhythm of the monastery—helping, observing, learning. Among them was Aditi Nagpal from Bangalore, a lay practitioner who has been walking the Dhamma path for over 22 years. “Throughout the Bodhi Saptaha at Sangharama,” she shared, “I engaged deeply in service—cooking, helping with preparations for Buddha Poornima, lighting lamps that symbolized the journey from darkness to light. What moved me most was doing all of this with mindfulness and right awareness, which was the very reason I came. Even in its simplicity, the celebration taught me how to cherish each moment, whatever the situation. Much gratitude.”
Early Days: Preparation with a Shared Purpose
The days leading up to the full moon were a study in simplicity. Lay followers and residents worked together—sweeping paths, arranging the shrine, preparing chants and readings. Among them were families with children, whose presence brought laughter and lightness to the days.
The children, curious and uninhibited, engaged joyfully with the Sangha, asking questions that reflected both innocence and insight:
- “Why do monks walk barefoot during alms round?”
- “Why do they take off their spectacles when they sit for meditation?”
- “Why do they shave their heads?”
The children’s curiosity became a teaching in itself—an invitation to learn the value of simple, austere living in a fast-paced world.
Saturday: A Story Retold
May 10 (Saturday) opened with the monastery’s regular morning schedule. In the afternoon, the hall filled with the remembrance of the Buddha’s life story being read aloud, inviting both memory and aspiration. Monks and lay people together read a few suttas in Hindi and English. A discussion followed where the teachings were not only heard but reflected upon.
Evening brought quiet again, as if the monastery itself were meditating.
Sunday: Lamps and Chanting
May 11 (Sunday) – As dusk approached, the monastery grounds came alive with Diyas (oil lamps), arranged in the form of the Dhammacakka (Dharma chakra) —the Wheel of Dhamma. The flickering flames turned the stone pathways golden, inviting those present to remember the Buddha’s first turning of the Dhamma wheel.
Then came the circumambulation, a mindful walking in silence around the wheel—feet steady, hearts open.
Later that night, as the full moon climbed higher, the Sangha led the chanting of Parittas, including the Mahasamya Sutta. They were joined by lay followers, continuing until midnight. The protective verses mingled with the night air, offering a kind of spiritual shelter.
“This was my first Buddha Poornima at Sangharama,” said Ajahn Gunakaro, the senior monk who arrived in Sangharama six months ago and who has been training for a decade at Wat Pa Pong and Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand. “It was simpler than what usually happens in Thailand. We tried to keep it similar to Wat Pah Nanachat in spirit, but it was different—and that’s fine. Not too crowded. A good number of people showed up. It’s a good start. Simple.”
Sapna, a lay visitor and former Finance Consultant in the Ministry of Health, reflected: “The whole atmosphere was very much pleasant. What touched me most was how I learnt the practical application of the Noble Eightfold Path—the Ārya Aṣṭāṅgika Mārga—in my day-to-day life. It wasn’t just theory anymore. It was real.”
Monday: Inner Resolve
May 12 (Monday) – Encouraged by the Bhantes, both monks and lay visitors rose again by 5 AM, after just a few hours.
Later that evening, the entire community went to the ancient monastery site—a place where silence holds stories. There, the monks chanted the Pātimokkha, the code of monastic discipline, while lay followers sat beyond the perimeter, listening with reverence.
After the chanting, many lingered in quiet reflection, contemplating their observance of the Five Precepts, and making resolutions to deepen their commitment.
“The silence after the chanting felt like a teaching in itself”, a lay person shared.
A Good Start
What happened at Sangharama was not merely a “programme.” It was a quiet turning of the wheel—deliberate, inward, and shared. It offered the space for coming together in truth, devotion, and simplicity.
“A good number of people showed up. It’s a good start”, Ajahn Gunakaro said.
And perhaps, that’s the most we can ever ask of a full moon:
Not that it dazzles us, but that it helps us see.
Not that it blinds us, but that it reminds us—
The path is still here. The light still flickers.
And we are not alone.
Content and photo credits: Yashika Pokhriyal