Full Moon Day of Warso

When is it Celebrated?

• Date: It falls on the full moon day of Waso, the fourth month of the traditional Burmese calendar.

• Gregorian Calendar: This typically occurs in July (sometimes late June or early August).

• Public Holiday: It is a national public holiday in Myanmar.

Threefold Significance (The Sacred Events)

This day is deeply revered because it commemorates three major turning points related to the life of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama:

1. Conception: The day Prince Siddhartha was conceived in the womb of Queen Maha Maya.

2. Renunciation: The day Prince Siddhartha, at the age of 29, renounced his royal life and left the palace to become an ascetic in search of the truth.

3. The First Sermon (Dhamma Cakka Day): The day the Buddha delivered his first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion), to his five former companions at the Deer Park in Sarnath, India. In this sermon, he laid out the foundational teachings of Buddhism: the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. This event also marks the founding of the Sangha (the order of monks).

The Main Observance: Beginning of the Rains Retreat (Vassa)

The Full Moon of Waso marks the official start of the Buddhist Lent or Vassa (Burmese: Wà-dwín – Rainy Season).

• The Retreat: For three lunar months, all monks are traditionally required to remain within their residential monasteries, committing to a period of intense meditation, study, and teaching. This custom was established by the Buddha to prevent monks from accidentally harming newly planted crops or small creatures that emerge during the heavy monsoon rains.

• The Vow: Monks formally take a vow (Waso-sauba) to observe this retreat until the Full Moon Day of Thadingyut (usually in October).

Layperson Traditions and Merit-Making

The Waso Full Moon Day is a time of heightened religious devotion for the lay community:

• Waso Robe Offering: The most significant tradition is the offering of special Waso robes (a type of extra robe or cloth) to the monks. This is done so the monks have dry robes to wear during the monsoon season.

• Alms and Donations: Laypeople visit pagodas and monasteries in large numbers to offer food, water, flowers, candles, and other necessities, supporting the monks during their three-month confinement.

• Increased Observance: Many lay Buddhists commit to more rigorous religious practices during the Vassa, such as:

  • Strictly observing the Five Precepts (or the Eight Precepts for the day).

  • Abstaining from certain indulgences like alcohol, smoking, or entertainment.

  • Some couples traditionally postpone weddings during this period, as marriage is often associated with moving house, which is generally discouraged during Vassa.

• Ordination: It is a traditional time for young men to temporarily take their monastic vows, hoping to observe the entire Vassa retreat as a monk or novice.

The Full Moon Day of Waso is essentially the start of a deep three-month spiritual season focused on purification, study, and concentrated devotion.