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Makha Bucha – Buddhist Holidays
By admin | February 27, 2010
Makha Bucha is one of the 3 major Buddhist Holidays in Thailand. Buddhist holidays are calculated on the Lunar Calendar and this year, 2010, Makha Bucha falls on Sunday 28th February. Makha Bucha is also a national holiday in Thailand but because it falls on a Sunday this year, the national holiday will be on Monday 1st March. The name ‘Makha Bucha’ is Pali, Makha meaning the 3rd Lunar month, and Bucha which means to honour, and the holiday commemorates two events that took place during the life of the Lord Buddha. Both events quite amazingly occurred on the night of the full moon of the 3rd Lunar month but 45 years apart.
The 1st event that took place on this auspicious day, just a few months after the Lord Buddha had begun his teaching, was a spontaneous gathering of 1250 Monks who had each decided on that day to pay homage and to listen to the teachings of the Lord Buddha. All of the Monks were Arahants and all of them had been ordained by the Lord Buddha himself. It was during this impromptu gathering that the Buddha preached the principles of Buddhism in a sermon called the Ovādapātimokkha.
The 2nd event which occurred on that day, exactly 45 years later, and which is also commemorated on Makha Bucha day, was the Lord Buddha’s foreseeing that within 3 months he would achieve Nirvana and exit this life. He announced the exact day of his death to his disciples. This incident is known as the “Rejection of the Aggregates of Life”
Makha Bucha, sometimes written Makha Puja or Macha Bucha, is also known as Dhamma Day. Devout Buddhists all over Thailand will visit Temples, try to observe the five precepts of Buddhism, give offerings to Monks, listen to sermons and in the evening will take part in a ceremony known as ‘wian tian‘ where the people will process 3 times around a Temple or Buddha image carrying a lighted candle.
Topics: Festivals, National Festivals | No Comments »