Buddhists mark Visakha Bucha Day nationwide
As Buddhists nationwide made merit at temples to mark Visakha Bucha Day yesterday, Her Majesty the Queen presided over the triple circumambulation around the Buddha relics - which had been moved from the Grand Palace to Sanam Luang - at 5.35pm. This follo
This year, the Visakha Bucha Day celebration, which commemorates the Buddha’s three major life events – his birth, enlightenment and death – also marked the 2,600th anniversary of the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha, or Buddha Jayanti.
Prior to the triple circumambulation, the Queen listened to a report of the Visakha Bucha and Buddha Jayanti events from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and then attended the holy rituals.
Earlier in the morning, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra led thousands of Thais to mark the special day by giving alms to 260 monks at Sanam Luang.
From 10.30pm until midnight, the Department of Religious Affairs and related groups hosted the “2,600 prayer rounds for the 2600year Buddha Jayanti” event at Sanam Luang.
Many Buddhists attended the activities Sanam Luang, which included the worshipping of Buddha relics, exhibitions on the Buddha’s life, Dharma lectures and Buddhist practices as part of Buddhism Promotion Week and the International Day of Visakha Bucha in honour of Buddha Jayanti. Many also made merit at nearby temples such as Wat Sa Ket, where an alms offering to 119 monks was held in the morning, followed by a triple circumambulation around the Golden Mount pagoda.
Elsewhere, Buddhists in various provinces including Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Lamphun, Si Sa Ket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Phanom and Surat Thani gave alms to monks in the morning and attended triple circumambulation rites in the evening.
Nakhon Si Thammarat also saw many people celebrating Visakha Bucha Day and Buddha Jayanti by making merit and attending the waterblessing of the main pagoda at Wat Mahathat Woramaha Viharn. They also covered the pagoda with two Royally sponsored holy cloths, featuring 29 pictures of the events of Buddha’s life.
In Nakhon Ratchasima’s Muang district, Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda, in a speech at The Mall Nakhon Ratchasima, praised Buddhists celebrating the auspicious occasions, urging them to uphold Buddhism and lead their lives according to Buddha’s teachings.
Gen Prem also served as the chairman for laymen in a greatmerit robe offering ceremony for various temples in the province. He donated Bt547,600 in cash to the ceremony.