Pictures by Saman Abeysiriwardena [foogallery id="39067"] The Esala full moon poya day was celebrated today (15). Esala Poya commemorates several important events in the history of Buddhism, the Buddha's first sermon and the arrival of the Tooth Relic in Sri Lanka Buddha's preaching of his First Sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, to the five ascetics took place at the ‘Deer Park', near Benares, on an Esala poya day thereby inaugurating his public ministry.