Principle Dates
September 17-18, 2024 | 🌕 | Founding Anniversary of Bhikkhunī Sangha & International Bhikkhunī Day: Fourfold Sangha Day |
December 14-15, 2024 | 🌕 | Sanghamittā Day |
February 20, 2025 | 🌗 | Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī & Bhikkhunī Founders Parinibbāna Day |
Note: The lunar dates are fixed on the Indic Lunar calendar, and change year-to-year on the Western-International (Gregorian) calendar
Bhikkhunī Sangha Lunar Calendar
Commemorative Dates 2567-2568 BE | 2024-2025 CE
Dates in Full
Mid-April: Astro-Solar New Year
June through September 2024:
Foundations of the Bhikkhunī Sangha
June 2024
🌕 Jun 21-22
Arrival of Mahinda Thero & Company to Sri Lanka, Jeṭṭha Puṇṇamī Poson Poya Full Moon Day
🌖 Jun 22-23
Anulā & 500 Parivāra Stream Entry & Stream Winning Days
September 2024
🌕 Sep 17-18
Bhikkhunī Sangha Founding Anniversary / International Bhikkhunī Day / Fourfold Sangha Day
Bhāddapada/Poṭṭhapāda Puṇṇamī (Bhadrapad Purnima) Binara Poya Full Moon Day
🌗 Sep 24-25
Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therī Arahatship Day Assayuja-māsaṁ Kaṇha Pakkha Aṭṭhamī Waning Half Moon Uposatha
October 2024
🌓 Oct 10-11
Sanghamittā Therī’s Parinibbāna Day
Assayuja-māsaṁ Sukka Pakkha Aṭṭhamī Waxing Half Moon Uposatha
*Note: this date is also Mahā Mahinda Thero’s Parinibbāna Day.
* Both Sanghamittā Therī’s & Mahinda Thero’s Cremation Day is one week later
October through December 2024:
Sanghamittā Therī & the Jāyasrī Mahā Bodhi Tree Story Cycle
December 2024
🌕 Dec 14-15
Lunar Sanghamitta Day
Maggasira Puṇṇamī (Margashirsha Purnima) Unduvap Poya Full Moon Day
February through March 2025:
Founding Bhikkhuni Sangha’s Parinibbānas
February 2025
🌕 Feb 12-13
Beginning of Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therī's Final 7-day teaching
Māgha Puṇṇamī (Māgha Purnima) Magha Puja Sangha Day/Navam Poya Full Moon Uposatha
Feb 12-20
Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therī's Final 7-day teaching
🌗 Feb 20
Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therī & Founding Bhikkhunī Sangha Parinibbana Day
Phagguṇa-māsaṁ Kaṇha Pakkha Aṭṭhamī Waning Half Moon Uposatha
* Note this half moon is also Mahā Moggallana Thero’s Arahatship Day; Sāriputta Thero’s Arahatship Day is one week later on the Phagguṇa-māsaṁ Amāvasī Dark Moon Uposatha
March 2025
🌕 Mar 13-14
Rāhulamātā Bimbā Yasodharā (Bhaddā Kaccānā) Therī Parinibbāna Day
Phagguṇa Punnamī (Phālguna Purnima) Medin Poya Day Full Moon: Celebrating the Buddha's First Return to Kapilavastu
*Note this is also Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī & Suddhodana Rāja’s Stream Entry Day
*Note the following day is Rāhulamātā Bimbā Yasodharā (Bhaddā Kaccānā) Therī’s Stream Entry Day
Bhikkhunī Sangha Lunar Calendar
Commemorative Dates 2567-2568 BE | 2024-2025 CE
Dates in Full
October through December 2024:
Sanghamittā Therī & the Jāyasrī Mahā Bodhi Tree Story Cycle
October-November 2024 (normally in November)
India Pilgrimage dates Nov 15-30
🌖 Oct 18
The Great Request to Emperor Asoka & Sanghamittā Therī: Asokan Bodhi Pūjā
Kattika-māsaṁ Pāṭipade (1st day) (through Kattika Puṇṇamī)
🌒 Nov 4-15
Ashoka's Bodhi Puja w/Southern Branch Sapling: Coronation #1
🌕 Nov 15
Final Departing Festival at Pātaliputta with Ashoka, Sanghamitta, Bhikkhuni Sangha & Bodhi Tree
Kattika Puṇṇamī (Kartik Purnima) Ill Poya Full Moon Uposatha Day: Bodhi Pūjā
🌖 Nov 16-22
Asoka, Sanghamitta & Bodhi Tree's Journeys from Pataliputra to Tamralipti Port
Maggasira Pāṭipade - 1st day of Waning Gibbous Moon
🌗 Nov 22-30
Weeklong Asokan Sendoff for Sanghamitta & Bodhi Tree at Tamralipti
Maggasira-māsaṁ Kaṇha Pakkha Aṭṭhamī Waning Half Moon Uposatha
*Note: this date is also Sāriputta Thero’s Parinibbāna Day; one week later is Mahā Moggalanna Thero’s Parinibbāna Day
December 2024
Sri Lanka Pilgrimage dates Dec 9-30
🌒 Dec 1-8
The Great Departure: Sanghamitta and Bodhi Tree's Journey by Sea India to Sri Lanka
Maggasira Waxing Crescent:
🌓 Dec 9-19.
Sanghamitta and Bodhi Tree's Ten Days Welcome on Sri Lankan shores by King
Devānampiya Tissa & Mahinda Thero
Dec 9-12
Sanghamitta & Bo Tree: At Shore Welcome (4 days, Jambukolapattana)
Dec 13-20
Sanghamitta & Bo Tree Onshore Welcome: Samuddadasanasala (7 days)
✨ Dec 13-14
Astro-Solar Sanghamitta Day: Rohini Asterism on Astro-Solar Calendar
🌕✨ Dec 14
Luni-Solar Sanghamittā Day
🌕 Dec 14-15
Lunar Sanghamittā Day
Maggasira Puṇṇamī (Margashirsha Purnima) Unduvap Poya Full Moon Day: Dec 14-15
🌖 Dec 20-24
Sanghamittā & Bodhi Tree's Journey with Great Fourfold Sangha Company to
Anuradhapura (4 days)
🌗 Dec 23-30
Bodhi Tree's Arrival & Establishment in Anuradhapura
Phussa-māsaṁ Kaṇha Pakkha Aṭṭhamī Waning Half Moon Uposatha
🌑 Dec 29-30
Anulā Therī & Founding Sri Lankan Bhikkhuni Sangha Ordination with Sanghamittā
Therī & Arahantship
Sri Lanka Bhikkhunī Sangha Founding Anniversary + Sri Lanka Fourfold Sangha
Founding Anniversary | Phussa-māsaṁ Amāvasī Dark Moon Uposatha