Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka

The book presents Sri Lankan Buddhist ritual life through a systematic discussion of the major practices observed by laypeople and monastic communities. It begins with initiation and worship, including the taking of the Three Refuges and Five Precepts, personal worship, group worship, offerings to the Buddha, devotional postures, and the symbolic meaning of flowers, lamps, incense, food, and circumambulation. It then examines Bodhi-pūjā, explaining the Bodhi tree as a sacred object connected with the Buddha’s enlightenment and as a major focus of Sri Lankan Buddhist devotion. The section on poya days describes the lunar observance system, especially full-moon days, when lay Buddhists visit temples, observe the Eight Precepts, hear sermons, meditate, and participate in communal rituals. The work also covers the pirit ceremony, showing how protective chanting functions as a religious, social, and psychological support in times of illness, danger, and uncertainty. Further sections discuss rites surrounding illness and funerals, monastic ceremonies such as vassa and kaṭhina, novice ordination and higher ordination, as well as Bali, Tovil, and deva worship, where Buddhist elements interact with older local ritual systems. Across these topics, the book shows how Sri Lankan Buddhism developed a rich ceremonial structure that supports merit-making, devotion, protection, ethical discipline, remembrance of the dead, and communal solidarity.