Supreme Patriarch enshrines relics of Buddha’s disciples at Sanam Luang
The Supreme Patriarch of Thailand on Friday performed a religious ceremony to enshrine the relics of the Buddha’s disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, in a mandapa (temporary pavilion) at Sanam Luang park in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin presided over the ceremony on Friday evening, which marked this year’s Makha Bucha Day on February 24 and His Majesty the King's 6th cycle birthday (72nd) anniversary on July 28.
The relics of Sariputra and Maudgalyayana were originally discovered in ancient stupas in Kapilavastu and Sanchi towns in India, respectively. They were transported from the Bangkok National Museum, where they were previously stored, in a procession around Sanam Luang before being placed in the mandapa.
Thailand’s Culture Ministry has offered the Indian government to temporarily enshrine the relics in Thailand from February 22 to March 19. The relics will remain at Sanam Luang until March 3 for devotees in the capital to pay their respects.
After that, they will be enshrined at the Royal Park Rajapruek in Chiang Mai province from March 5-8, then at Wat Maha Wanaram in Ubon Ratchathani province from March 10-13, and finally at Wat Maha That Wachiramongkol in Krabi province from March 15-18.
From February 24-26, the ministry will hold religious ceremonies at Sanam Luang to mark Makha Bucha Day and celebrate the relics. The ceremonies include Buddhist chanting, giving alms to 73 monks, and circumambulation three times around the relics.
Makha Bucha Day commemorates the fourfold assembly of 1,250 enlightened monks (arhat) that took place more than 2,500 years ago. All of the monks, who had been ordained personally by Lord Buddha, met spontaneously, with no prior scheduling, beneath the first full moon of March (the month of Makha).
