Celebrated in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, Magha Puja is a Buddhist “holiday” that occurs each year on the evening of the full moon of the third month of the lunar calendar. As with many southeast Asian cultures, the traditional lunar calendar is often used to date holidays, celebrations and other festivities and this results in the date of each celebration changing from one year to the next. For 2012, Magha Puja occurs on February 18th; last year it was the 28th of February.
The word Magha comes from the Pali word that signifies the third month of the lunar calendar; Puja is a Pali word that often translates as “to honor.” This Magha Puja celebration is meant to honor the Buddha and his Teachings, while maintaining an association with four alleged occurrences nine full months after the Buddha attained his Enlightenment. Technically speaking, nine months after the Buddha’s Enlightenment would have been the sixth month of the lunar calendar but the four occurrences are commemorated in the third month on the night of the full moon.
It is said that, exactly nine months after attaining Enlightenment, four things happened: (1) some 1250 men came to the Buddha without advanced notice (2) the Buddha, himself, ordained the men as monks (3) the Buddha gave special instructions or principles to the new monks and (4) it was the full moon that night. The special principles given were to refrain from all evil, do things that are good and cleanse their minds.
During this event, the Buddha gave the basic principles of Buddhism, although Buddhism as a “religion” would not come to exist for several decades. In essence, the Magha Puja is a Thai, Lao and Cambodian celebration honoring Buddhism at its very beginning. To celebrate, on the night of the full moon of the third lunar month, temples throughout Thailand hold a special event. Monks and lay-Buddhists gather together and hold candles, incense and flowers then together they walk around a ceremonial hall. Three times the group circles the hall, clockwise, in honor of the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. There are other similar ceremonies throughout the three nations, many involving people gathering at temples to honor the event, the history, the Teachings and the Buddha.
Translation of The Discourse on the Great Convention (Mahasamayasuttam)
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