Asaha Puja

Asaha Puja - a national holiday related to events in the history of Buddhism

In July, the first full moon day in the eighth month of the lunar calendar, Thailand celebrates one of the most important Buddhist festivals of Asaha Puja.

This day is considered the foundation day of Buddhism. It is dedicated to the memory of the day when the Buddha, after gaining enlightenment, gave his first sermon to the five ascetic yogis, in which he explained aspects of his vision of the world. The words he uttered were filled with great power and meaning. The brevity of his sayings as a mirror reflected the essence of the behavior of people, as a result of which they, without knowing it, were in ignorance and suffering. Then, more than 2,500 years ago, using only a few capacious expressions, the Buddha was able to voice what, in fact, can still serve as a guiding star for anyone who seeks to understand the main thing – why is it so? Over the years, the words of the Buddha turned into a powerful religion with millions of followers, and the guiding star left by him in the records of the disciples, under the weight of interpretations, turned into a finger pointing at it.

The festival of Asaha Puja is a tradition of turning to the origins, to the past, to the words spoken by the Buddha many years ago, to his deep compassion and desire to help those who do not yet know. Buddhism, born from the words of an enlightened person, still serves as a support on the path of life for millions of seekers. The Buddha said that in addition to teaching, a person on the path needs like-minded people, people who go where he goes. Therefore, Buddhists are often in the midst of similar seekers, in the walls of monasteries, where they are understood. Such communities of like-minded people are called “sangha”.

Thailand honors this holiday, which is celebrated on the eve of a three-month fast. Throughout the country, Buddhist believers come to temples in the early morning, offering the monks food and necessities. At the same time, an appeal is made to monks and novices of beginners, especially boys of school age. All significant ceremonies are conducted under the guidance of respected abbot monks who “guide” people in prayer and worship. People engaged in performing rituals, following the generally accepted rules of behavior and chanting sacred mantras, meditate on their deep meaning.