Maghapuja means "worship on the full-moon day of the 3rd lunar month in commemoration of the Great Assembly of Disciples".According to Buddhist scriptures, nine months after Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment, on the full-moon day of the third lunar month corresponding to the zodiacal sign of Capricornus, in the year 44 before the Buddhist Era, or 587 B.C., a total of 1,250 disciples of the Buddha from various places spontaneously assembled at Wat Veluvan in Magadha to pay respect to their Teacher.This meeting is considered very significant in Buddhist history because first, it was done without previous appointment and was therefore a miracle, and secondly, all the disciples had been ordained by the Buddha himself and had attained sainthood and become Arahants..
2 Visakhapuja Day
Visakhapuja means "worship on the full-moon day of the 6th lunar month".And this is done to commemorate the Birth, Enlightenment and passing of the Buddha on that day.A mural of Chaiyathit Temple depicts
the scene of the Lord Buddha's birth.It is a very rare coincidence that all the three important events in the Buddha's life should have occurred on the same day in different years.But according to Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha was born on the full-moon day of the 6th lunar month of the year 623 B.C., attained enlightenment on the full-moon day of the 6th lunar month of 588 B.C., and passed into nirvana on the full-moon day of the 6th lunar month of 543 B.C.A mural at Phuttha Prathip Temple,
London, depicts the Buddha entering nirvana.With such a significance, on December 15,1999, Visakhapuja Day was declared by the United Nations to be one of the world's important days..
3 Asalhapuja Day
Asalhapuja means "worship on the full-moon day of the 8th lunar month." It is the anniversary of the First Sermon given by the Buddha after his enlightenment, the ordination of his first disciples and thus the foundation of the Buddhist order.According to Buddhist scriptures, after his attainment of enlightenment, the Buddha stayed under the bo tree for seven weeks, during which he pondered over how to spread his newly acquired knowledge to the world so as to save mankind from the endless suffering.He first thought of the two instructors who once taught meditation to him but figured out that both had passed away.The next persons coming to his mind were the group of five ascetics -- Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama and Assaji --who once joined him in seeking enlightenment through the practice of austerities but who later deserted him when he gave up the practice as useless.
4 Rains-Retreat Entry Day
Rains-Retreat Entry Day or Wan Khao Phansa in Thai is a very old tradition for Buddhist monks to stay in their monasteries during the rainy season.It has been observed since the Buddha's times.In fact, it was the Buddha himself who commanded that all monks should remain in their own abodes throughout this three-month period, which is called "Rains-Retreat" or "Rains Residence".This was done to avoid the damage caused to farmers' crops while Buddhist monks roaming in the country.A procession of huge candles held
on the Rains-Retreat Entry Day.In Thailand, the three-month Rains Retreat lasts from the 1st waning moon of the 8th lunar month, until the full-moon day of the 11th lunar month.When there are two 8th months in an intercalary year, the Rains Retreat will begin on the day after the full moon of the second 8th month.Today, the observance of Rains-Retreat Entry Day is marked by two traditional events -- the procession of huge candles to temples and the presentation of saffron robes to monks..
5 Retreat-Ending Day
Retreat Ending Day, or Wan Ok Phansa in Thai, is the last day of the 3-month Rains Retreat which falls on the full-moon day of the 11th lunar month.After the end of such a retreat, the monks are allowed to travel elsewhere and stay at places outside their monasteries.But on the last day of the retreat there is an important function for the monks called pavarana, which gives special significance to the day.At a pavarana ceremony, the attending monks invite one another to speak of any offences or unbecoming behaviour they have seen, heard or suspected to have been committed by anyone among them during the retreat..
6 Tak Bat Thewo Day
This Buddhist commemoration day relates to the Rains Retreat.According to the the Buddhist Scriptures, the Buddha, after attaining enlightenment, ascended to Tavatimsa, the second level of heaven, to spend a 3-month period preaching his doctrine to his mother.On the 1st waning moon of the 11th lunar month, i.e.one day after the conclusion of the Rains Retreat period, the Buddha descended from heaven.Large crowds of followers came to offer food to the Buddha.Since then it has become a tradition for the Buddhists to hold special ceremonies to offer food to Buddhist monks on this day.
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