Many people paste gold leaf on
Buddha statues, asking for prosperity for their family and themselves.
Vittaya Yoondorn
The Pattaya area celebrated summer’s double Buddhist holiday,
partaking in traditional ceremonies for Asalaha Bucha Day then lighting
up candles for Buddhist Lent.
From Naklua’s Sanctuary of Truth to South Pattaya’s Chaimongkol Temple
and beyond, people queued up to donate rice, dried food and robes to
monks and recite prayers. Many took part in triple circumambulations of
the Buddhist relics, an age-old tradition.
At Wat Khao Phra Yai, citizens and tourists
perform the Wien Thien ceremony around Luang Pho Yim.
Asalaha Bucha falls on the 15th night of the full moon during the eighth
month of the Buddhist lunar calendar. It’s deemed a holy day because of
three important events occurring on the day: the first sermon given by
the Buddha, called the “Dharmachakapavattama Sutta” concerning the “Four
Noble Truths” presented to the Buddha’s first five disciples; the birth
of Buddhism; and the Sangha, or the ordination of the first Buddhist
monk.
Abbot Pisan Jariyapiwat opened ceremonies at Chaimongkol Temple early
July 23, opening the sermon hall for Buddhists to make merit, offer
alms, pray, light incense, and listen to sermons. The evening saw a
candle-making activity, a Wien Thien procession and presentation of
robes. Such was the scene at other temples throughout Pattaya, Naklua
and Banglamung.
Buddhists listen to sermons and make merit
at Wat Suttawas in Nongprue.
The devout even made the march to the top of Big Buddha Hill, where a
Wien Thien procession marched around Khao Phra Yai Temple. Believers
participated in evening prayers and meditated two hours before hearing
the day’s sermon. Afterward, 20 Brahman nuns led the procession around
the Luang Pho Yim statue.
The next morning, the start of Buddhist Lent, dawned with worshippers
dressing in white to attend the temple services. Starting at 5 a.m. they
offered alms, meat and robes, while, in the evening, retiring inside the
temple to mark the start of the priests three months of solitude.
Some citizens release fish from the bridge
over Soi Nernplabwan canal, with the belief that this will bring them
major merit as they are releasing animals back to their homes.
For non-believers and tourists, the two days proved particularly quiet
in Pattaya, with entertainment districts closed for the double holiday,
with only a few restaurants officially open.
Khao Phansa, as the start of lent is known, marks the formal start of
the traditional rainy season where monks are confined to temple grounds
to avoid stepping on new rice crops as they go out to seek alms.
Donations and food and rice are supplemented this time of year with
candles, to help the monks reach enlightenment as they stay at the
temple studying Dharma.
Khao Phansa is one of the most important days on the Buddhist calendar.
Traditionally it marks the period when monks stay inside during the
rainy season to avoid trampling the village rice crop. It’s also a
period in which Buddhist followers make merit by presenting gifts -
particularly lanterns and candles - to monks to help with their
enlightenment. In recent years the holiday has also taken a meaning
similar to Lent in the Roman Catholic Church with believers giving up
one or more vices for the summer.
Citizens perform Tak Bat, offering alms to
monks at Wat Nongyai. The temple was filled with the faithful from
morning till night.
Monks perform the Wien Thien ceremony at Wat
Khao Phra Yai, leading Buddhists on Asalaha Bucha Day.
Thousands perform the Wien Thien ceremony at
Bhodhisamphan temple.
The Walking Street entertainment district
closes during major Buddhist holidays, due to a recently passed law
forbidding alcohol sales on those dates.
