THE CANDLE FESTIVAL (July 15, 2011)
The crafted candles at the main temple, Nongkhai.
It is the beginning of Buddhist Lent celebration. Various institutions e.g. schools, colleges and universities including public and private organization will craft and organize a colourful candle procession, music and dancing, leading to a temple where the offering of the candle will be made.
The parade is going to start in the after noon at the Nongkhai fountain. At night you can go to see all the candles at Wat Phochai, the main temple of Nongkhai. There are a lot of people will go to the temple and carry the small candles and lotus flower around the chapel for three times and make a wish.
ASANHA PUJA & BUDDHIST LENT
The Asanha Puja Day is one of the sacred days in Buddhism as it marks the coming into existence of the Triple Gem, namely: the Lord Buddha, his teachings and his disciples. The day falls on the fifteenth day of the waxing moon of the eight lunar month (July). It is an anniversary of the day on which Lord Buddha delivered the first sermon to his first five disciples at the Deer Park in Benares over 2500 years ago.
To observe this auspicious day, Buddhists all over the country perform merit-making and observe Silas (Precepts). Some go to the temples to offer food and offerings to the monks and also listen to a sermon to purify their minds. The Asanha Puja Day falls on the day preceding the Buddhist Lent which starts on the first day of the warning moon of the eighth lunar month.
Two little angels, candle's parade.
The tradition of Buddhist Lent or the annual three-month Rains Retreat know in Thai as “Phansa” dates back to the time of early Buddhism in ancient India, all holy men, mendicants and sages spent three months of the annual rainy season in permanent dwellings. They avoided unnecessary travel during the period when crops were still new for fear they might accidentally step on young plants. In deference to popular opinion, Lord Buddha decreed that his followers should also abide by this ancient tradition, and 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, Buddhist monks resolve to stay in a temple of their choice and will not take an abode in another temple until the Lent is over.
Some Buddhists followers consider the beginning of Buddhist Lent as a time for making resolution such as refraining from smoking or observing five precepts (Panjasila) throughout the three-month Rains Retreat.
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