NIKINI POYA DAY DHAMMA SERMON PROGRAMME OF ARMY WAR COLLEGE

Army War College (AWC), organized a Bodhi Pooja Session and a Damma Sermon Session on the eve of the Nikini Poya Day on 30 August 2023. Rev Mapakada Premarathna Nayaka Thero of Katugahagalge Temple, Badalkumbura conducted the Bodhi Pooja and Dhamma Serman Session and invoked blessings on all ranks of the College. The AWC conducts ‘Bodhi Pooja and Dhamma Serman’ every poyaday and this has now been improvised with the likeminded perception of Brigadier U K D D P Udugama RWP RSP USP ndc psc, the Commandant of the Army War College.

Senior Instructors, Members of the Faculty and Staff together with the Student Officers of Senior Command Course and Junior Command Course attended the “Nikini Poya Day Programme” held at the AWC temple premises and invoked blessings of the noble triple gems.

During the Damma sermon, whilst explaining the importance of “Nikini Poya Day” for Buddist culture, Venerable Nayake Thero explicated that the “Nikini Poya” marks the anniversary of the first Buddhist Council or Sangayana held after the Supreme Buddha’s passing away. This key to the council’s success was the Treasurer of the Dhamma, Venerable Ananda Thera who became an Arahant the night before the first Buddhist Council and it was Maha Kassapa Thera who boldly took steps of conducting the First Sangha Council.

In addition, the Nayaka Thero also preached that, the Lord Buddha on the Nikini Poya day, tamed Alawaka, the cannibal and showed how the Buddha, with his great wisdom and compassion, could tame a savage and change him into a gentle disciple thus leaving a just another important message on the day.