Medin Full Moon Poya marks the Buddha's first visit to his hometown Kapilavastu after Enlightenment, where he ordained his son Rahula as the first novice monk. In Sri Lanka, the day is observed with almsgiving, meditation, and novice ordination ceremonies, symbolizing the inheritance of the Dhamma.

When is Medin Full Moon Poya Day?

Medin Full Moon Poya Day is observed on the full moon day in March.

The following is the list of Medin Full Moon Poya Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Medin Full Moon Poya Day?

Medin Poya falls in March and has a strong connection to the Buddha's family life and the origins of novice ordination.

Seven years after attaining Enlightenment, the Buddha traveled to Kapilavastu, his birthplace, to visit his father King Suddhodana and family. This marked the Buddha's first visit to his hometown after renouncing the royal life and achieving liberation.

During this visit, the Buddha reconnected with King Suddhodana (his father), Princess Yasodhara (his former wife) and Prince Rahula (his son, about 7 years old).

Rahula approached the Buddha and asked for his inheritance. Instead of wealth or kingdom, the Buddha gave him the gift of the Dhamma.

The Buddha instructed Ven. Sariputta to ordain Rahula. Rahula became the first Samanera (novice monk) in Buddhist history.

This moment is seen as the beginning of the novice ordination tradition, still practiced in Buddhist communities worldwide today.

Medin Full Moon Poya Day marks a turning point in Buddhist history by extending the Dhamma to the Buddha's own family, and establishes the tradition of novice ordination, central to Buddhist monastic culture.