Commemorating the Lord Buddha

The end of this month celebrates two big Buddhist holy days, Asarnha Bucha (July 30) and Wan Khao Phansa (July 31), a Buddhist holy day which begins on the first full moon of the eighth lunar month, and this year it falls on today (July 30).

Asarnha Bucha Day commemorates the day, over 2,500 years ago, that Lord Buddha gave his first sermon to his first five disciples at a place called the Deer Park in Benares, today also known as the holy city of India.

Each year on Asarnha Bucha Day, ceremonies are held in Buddhist temples throughout Thailand, where elaborate wax candles are lit and kept burning throughout Buddhist Lent. The day involves donating offerings to temples, giving alms to monks and listening to sermons.

In the evening Buddhists join the candle procession known to Thais as Wien Tien, where the faithful walk with a lit candle clockwise around the temple three times to symbolise the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) of Buddhism and pray for blessings.

Asarnha Bucha is also considered the most popular day for many young men to enter monkshood to honour their parents, as the following day is the Buddhist Lent day or Wan Khao Phansa, also known as the Theravada rains retreat.

Phansa in Thai means three months, while Khao is to enter or take part in a particular activity.

Starting on this day, Thai monks will remain in the temples and avoid unnecessary travel for three consecutive lunar months during the rainy season, for fear that they might accidentally step on young plants or tiny animals.

It is also a time for senior monks to teach newly ordained monks Buddhist teachings. It’s the time for all Buddhist monks to study and absorb the Dharma (teaching) of Buddhism.

Khao Phansa is also considered the time for merit making and many of the faithful will also try to strictly take part in the five precepts during this period.

During these holy days, the Thai government encourage locals to take part in its “Ngod Lao Khao Phansa” (no drinking alcohol campaign, since avoiding intoxicants such as alcohol is one of the five precepts). Alcohol sales are strictly prohibited during both of these holidays.

Tourists are invited to join the locals for the beautiful Wein Tien ceremony at a Wat in your area and are encouraged to join the “Ngod Lao Khao Phansa” campaign.

All government offices are closed today and tomorrow in honour of the two major holidays. For a list of what’s open and what’s not, click here.

Meanwhile, all bars, restaurants and entertainment venues are required by law to not sell alcohol.