The  Buddhist  Holidays *

By  Phrabaideeka Udorn Uttaramethee **

MAKABUCHA

MAKABUCHA is one of the most important Buddhist celebrations. It falls on the full moon day of the third lunar month [about the last week of February or early March]. On this day were the great four events that took place during The Buddha’s life time, namely:

1. 1,250 Buddhist monks from different places came to pay homage to the Buddha at Veluwan Vihara in Rajgaha, the capital of Magaha state, each on his own initiative and without prior notification or appointment.

            2. This Great Assembly of Disciples was marked by the union of Four Factors,

                 namely:

                - All of them were enlightented monks [or Arahantas]

-All of them had been individually or dained by the Buddha himself

  [Ehi Bhikkhu]

                - All of them were assembled without prior appointment.

                - They assembled on the full moon day of the third lunar month.

            3. The Buddha appointed SARIBUTTA Venerable was the Chief Disciple at his right side and the MOKKALLANA Venerable was the Chief Disciple at the his

left side.

            4. The Buddha told them that in the next three months. He would Pass Away.

The Three Admonition of the Buddha

            The Three Admonitions. The MAKABUCHA Sermon was not the instruction of how to prepare mind cultivation or mental development towards the complete deliverance from all suffering as the listeners were all the Enlightened monks. Instead the Sermon emphasized the three principles of practice for the peaceful living together in the society or in the community. Those were:

            1. Avoid all Evil

            2. Do all Good

            3. Purify the Mind

ASANHA BUCHA AND BUDDHIST LENT

            On the full moon day of ASANHA month [the eighth lunar month], the Buddha delivered the First Sermon [PATHAMADASANA] to his five disciples over two thousand five hundred year ago. At this First Sermon:

1. The Buddha delivered he discourse of “setting in motion the Wheel of the doctrine” [DHAMMACAKKAPPAVATTANASUTTA] to his five disciples at the Deer Park [MIGADAYAVANA] in Benares.

2. ANYAGONTANYA Venerable was the first, most Knowlegeable of the

    five deciples.

3. Was the assembly of the Triple Gem perfectly: The Buddha, The Dhamma,

     and The Sangha.

            4. Was the first Buddhist establishment in the world.

            The tradition of Buddhist lent or the annual three months Rains Retreat know in Thai as “Khao Phansa” dates back to the time of early Buddhism in ancient India. All holy men, mendicants and sages spent three months for the annual rainy season in permanent dwellings. They avoided unneceesary travel during the period when crops were still new for fear they might accidentally step on young plants. In deference to popular opinion, The Buddha decreed that his followers should also abide by this ancient tradition, ad thus began to gather in groups of simple dwellings.

            Buddhist Lent covers a good part of the rainy season and lasts three lunar months. In Thailand, Buddhistmonks resolve to stay other temple until the Lent is over.

            Some Buddhist followers consider the beginning of Buddhist Lent as a tine for making resolutions such as refraining from smoking of observing the five Precepts throughout the three month Rains Retreat.

WISAKHA BUCHA

            Wisakha Bucha Day is one of the greatest religious holidays. It falls on the 15^th day of the waxing moon in the 6^th lunar month. The significant celebration is held to commemorate the birth of the Buddha in Lumbini  park. His Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Buddha-Gaya, and His Passsing Away [PARINIBBANA] at Kusinara.

            Eighty years before the Buddhist Era, the child who was to become Gotama the Buddha was to be born among the sakiyan kingdom which was located at the foot of the Himalaya, His father, who was the king ruling over t e Sakayan was called Suddhodana, and His mother t e queen was Mahamaya Devi. It is recorded that at the time of His birth in Lumbini Grove, various unusual occurrences took being. All the seers called in by His father except one, for told that a world – emperor ruling vast dominions by unswerving justice: or else to leave the household life and meditate alone, gaining Supreme Enlightenment t ere by showing the Way to countless other beings for t eir welfare and happiness.

            At the full moon of May, forty-five years before the Buddhist Era, In the early morning wile t e Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree at Buddha-Gaya, he found his answer and attrained Enlightenment, The Great Man was now known as “Gotama Buddha, One who had seen the Dhamma in Himself, who rediscovered Dhamma for a world of Suffering beings”, Surveying the world with His Eye of Wisdom. He saw that Hi was top most indeed and as there was no teacher whom hi might respect as His superior, He resolved to live “revering The Dhamma as my teacher”.

            At last, at the age of eighty and in the year 543 B.C., the Buddha fell ill with food poisoning while on his way to Kusinara, capital of the Malla State. Even in the face of Passing Away his mind moved towards others. He told Ananda, his faithful attendant, to console Cunda, the poorblacksmith from whose house the Buddha ate his last meal of indigestible pork, that his food-ofering was of great fruit and merit and that he should not blame himself for the bed food. On his deathbed, under two sala trees in the Sala Grove of the Mallas he explained to his disciples that they would not be left without a Teacher, for “the doctrine and Discipline I have suffering [dukkha], shall be your Teacher, when I am gone”, and his last words were: “Behold now monks, I exhort you. Subject to decay are all component things. Work out your salvation with diligence.”

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*  The document  from  the Dhamma of English

**  B.A, M.A, Sub-Director of Phrae Sangha Colleage.