Hailed as one of the most sacred days in Buddhism, the Asala Bucha Day is celebrated as the day the Triple Gem came into being, which is the enlightenment of Lord Buddha, the Dhamma and his disciples. Falling on the fifteenth day of the waxing moon, this special day is celebrated on the eighth lunar month, which is during July. According to history, it was on this day that Lord Buddha delivered his initial sermon to his group of five disciples. Delivered 2500 years ago, the sermon took place at the Deer Park, located in Varanasi, India.
Tracing back to the history, Lord Buddha spent seven weeks near a Bodhi Tree after he reached enlightenment on the day of the sixth lunar month, on a full moon day. During the time spent here, he decided to spread his teaching, the Dhamma to the rest of the people. However, he knew that ordinary people would have difficulty in understanding. The only group of people he thought of that would understand the Dhamma was the five ascetics, known as Pancavaggi.
On the eighth lunar month, known as Asalaha, Lord Buddha arrived to the Deer Park with the intention of giving his first sermon to the five ascetics. After the sermon, which when translated is known as the Discourse on Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion, the leader of the five ascetics asked Lord Buddha for ordination and became in the first monk in Buddhist history. Invariably, this full moon day became a day of honouring the community of monks, known as the Sangha.
There are many ways Thai people celebrate this day. One of the ways is called Tum Boon, where the people give donations to the monks and offer their prayers in the temple. In addition, they listen to the teachings of Lord Buddha, the preaching of Buddhism and carry out holy activities which takes place throughout the day. Another way is Rub Sil, which entails abstinence from immoral deeds such as consuming alcohol. Another method that Thai people follow is the Practice of Renunciation, which involves the observation of eight precepts, set down by Lord Buddha. Here, the followers put on white robes, and meditate in the temples, taking into consideration all aspects of the eight-fold path which is resolve, conduct, possession of correct views, speech, effort, livelihood, meditation and mindfulness.
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