Thai Holidays

Today and tomorrow to two big holidays in the Buddhist religion. Government offices and schools are closed as are many businesses. I do note though that the constructions workers in my neighborhood are hard a work this morning though. Then need their daily salary.

Today is Asanha Bhucha Day: This marks the occasion on which Buddha delivered his first Dharmma talk to his five disciples, as a result all of them attained enlightenment and were ordained by the Buddha as the first ever Buddhist monks. This was some 2,500 years ago.

Tomorrow is Khoa Phansa Day: Khao Phansa Day (or Wan Khao Punsa) is the beginning of the Buddhist Lent.

During this time monks stay within the confines of the Wat grounds, a practise that goes back to ancient times that was intended to keep monks from trampling crops as they travelled about the country.

Khao Phansa Day comes one day after Asanha Bucha Day. The season of Buddhist Lent will last three lunar months, concluding on Awk Pansa Day.

In similarity to the Christian Lent, and Muslim Ramadan, many Buddhist practitioners treat this as a time of austerity and spiritual reawakening.

Because of the above Mee will be heading out to her village to celebrate with her family. They will be making Thai sweets and other foods which they will then deliver to their village temple and present to the monks. They will also provide the monks with can goods, toothpaste, soap and other sundry items as they are not to leave the temple (but many do) for the next three months

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Thai fact: Approximately 95% of the Thai citizenry are Theravada Buddhists, 4 % are followers of Islam. The remaining 1% are divided among Christians, Confucianisms, Taoists, Mahayana Buddhist and Hindus.