40. 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐭𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 -𝐀 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚 🌸

𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐭𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 -𝐀 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚

𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚, 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.

When you step into a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, you enter a sacred space filled with history, devotion, and deep meaning. Most temples (99%) do not charge an entry fee; only a few may ask for tickets to cover maintenance costs. So please come with an open heart.

Feel free to talk to the monks—they are welcoming and happy to share the teachings and explain the temple rituals. While language can sometimes be a barrier, tools like Google Translate can help you connect and learn. These moments bring wisdom and enrich your spiritual journey. Remember, the monks don’t expect money for these conversations—it’s a gift of knowledge freely given.

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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

• Fragrance sticks (incense)

• Fresh flowers or flower petals

• Oil and Oil Wicks for the oil lamps

• Filtered water or herbal drinks (like tea, coffee, fruit juices) to offer as symbolic gifts

• Herbs or natural offerings for health and blessings

• Atapirikara or Pirikara

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𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬: 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬

At a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, devotees worship with deep reverence at three main sacred places: the Dagoba (Stupa), the Bodhi Tree, and the Buddha Statue (Buddha Geya). At all three sites, it is customary to offer flowers, oil lamps, fragrant incense sticks, pirikara (symbolic offerings), herbal drinks, filtered fresh water, medicines, herbs and other respectful items as acts of devotion and merit.

𝟏. 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 -𝐃𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐛𝐚 (𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐚)

The dagoba is a dome-shaped structure that contains relics of the Buddha or sacred scriptures. It symbolizes the Buddha’s enlightenment and the path to liberation. Begin your worship here by bowing respectfully.

𝟐. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 -𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐡𝐢 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞

This sacred tree is where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Visitors often meditate or reflect quietly under its shade, honoring the awakening it represents. Also Do Bodhi Puja for Blessing our lives

𝟑. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 -𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐞 (𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐚 𝐆𝐞𝐲𝐚

The Buddha statue is a focal point of devotion. Offerings like flowers, incense sticks, and oil lamps are placed here as signs of respect and reverence.

𝟒. 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬

Temples may also have statues of other deities or sacred spaces like the different Rath Theros, Gods statues and Vihara. Treat these with the same respect.

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𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐄𝐭𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞

• Dress modestly: cover shoulders and knees; avoid black, short, or sleeveless clothing. Light or white colors are preferred.

• Remove shoes and hats before entering. You’ll sometimes find a designated shoe rack outside. Else you can keep at the entrance…Generally no one steal.

• Stand respectfully when monks or nuns enter a room.

• Use your right hand when giving offerings or donations.

• Don’t point with your index finger; instead, use an open right hand, palm up.

• Don’t touch Buddha statues or monks (women should avoid direct contact or handing items to monks).

• Turn around and walk backward when leaving the Buddha statue area—never turn your back directly.

• Ask permission before taking photos, especially inside temples or near worshippers.

• Keep your phone silent, no eating, smoking, or loud behavior inside.

• Greet monks with a slight bow and hands pressed together in a prayer gesture (anjali mudra).

• No public displays of affection in temple grounds.

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𝐀 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

Although entry is mostly free, temples rely on donations for upkeep. You’ll find a donation box at most temples—a simple place to drop coins or notes to help with electricity, water bills, and maintenance. You can also hand donations directly to monks, mentioning it’s for the temple’s development.

Giving a small amount is a meaningful way to express gratitude and support these sacred places. It honors the spirit of generosity and helps keep the temple vibrant for future visitors and devotees.

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𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝑩𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒓𝒊 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒂 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔. 𝑩𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕, 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.

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