Page 125 - รวมเล่มศาสนาในประเทศไทย ภาคภาษาอังกฤษ

The Asalha Puja Day
Phra Sri Sakaya Thotsapholayan. The
main Buddha image of the Buddhist
Diocese Phutthamonthon, Bangkok
The Asalha Puja or “Asalha Puranami Puja” Day means “The worship on the
th
full moon day in the month of the Asalha.” It is held on the full moon of the 8 month, but if
it occurs in the leap year, then it is postponed to a later month. On this day, 45 years before
the Buddhist Era, two months after the day of his Enlightenment, important occurrences
happened at the Isipatana Mrigadava of Varansi of Magadha. The Lord Buddha began
preaching his first teaching on the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta to the five ascetics. The
essence of the preaching is to be liberated from the two extreme paths and to follow the
middle path or the Eightfold Way. After the sermon, one of the ascetics, Kondanna, saw the light of
dharma and achieved Arahanship level, and on the same day, he asked to be ordained into Buddhism.
Therefore, that day marked the accomplishment of a complete day of the Threefold Refuge for the
first time. These Threefold Refuge are: The Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The Asalha Puja Day
is also called “The Sangha Day” because it is the first day that ‘a monk or Sangha’ was ordained.
In 1958, the Council of Sangha Ministers resolved to recognize Asalha Puja Day
as one of the important religious days of Thailand for the first time, as proposed by Phra Dharma
Kosacharn (Chop Anucharee). It was honored and was to have the same ritual ceremonies as Vesak
Day. Besides the regular merit making and conducting a triple circumambulation, religious and
public organizations cooperate in organizing many other activities to disseminate Buddhism and
publicize religious programs to the people.
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