Phuket observes tonight’s full moon with Makha Bucha, a sacred Buddhist holiday

Posted on February 22nd, 2016

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Today, February 22, 2016 – marked by the full moon of the third month of the Thai lunar calendar, exactly two weeks after the Chinese New Year’s new moon – is Makha Bucha Day, an auspicious holiday in the Thai Buddhist calendar.

Alcohol will not be sold throughout much of the island .

Makha Bucha Day marks the anniversary of the Buddha’s first major sermon to an assembly of 1,250 monks known as “Arahants”, who on a full moon some 2,500 years ago came together, with no prior arrangement, to recieve the holy advise from the Buddha Gautama at the Valuwan Vihara temple in the ancient city of Rajgaha, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Magadha (in Modern day Patna, spanning India and Nepal)

The Buddha was said to have ordained them as monks and passed onto them the basic principles of Buddhism: To eschew all evil, to do only what is good, and to cleanse the mind, along with other teachings he is celebrated for.

Devout Buddhists traditionally make a special effort to go to the local temple wat on this day to perform “merit-making” ceremonies.

In Phuket, the most popular temples to visit are Wat Chalong, Wat Phra Thong, Wat Khao Rang, Phuket Big Buddha, Wat Mai Luang Pu Supha, and Wat Srisoonthorn.

In the evening time, at many temples there will also be the traditional candle procession ceremony, “Pit-tee Wien Thien” พิธีเวียนเทียน which involves holding a lit candle and joss sticks in one’s hads, and encircling the main ordination hall three times in a symbolic tribute to Buddhism’s triple gem – the Buddha, his teachings and his deciples.