Things to Know About Asahna Bucha Day
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What You Need to Know About Asahna Bucha Day

As a majority of the population in Thailand are Buddhists, the country follows a lot of holidays related to this religion — and Asahna Bucha Day is one of them. Asalha Puja, also known as Asahna Bucha in Thailand, is a Buddhist festival that falls on the full moon of the eighth lunar month (or the month of Āsādha). It varies from year to year but this 2022, the exact date is on July 13.

Why is Asahna Bucha Important?

Asahna Bucha celebrates Buddha’s first sermon over 2,500 years ago called Dhammachakkappavattana Sutta or the Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion at a deer park in the historical city of Sarnath, India. In the sermon, Buddha preached to his five associates the Dharma (doctrine) that came to him following his enlightenment. One of the associates recounted what they learned at the end and asked to become a disciple, hence the start of monkhood and the establishment of Sangha (or the community of the enlightened ones).

From the sermon, the Four Noble Truths were also established and became the foundations of Buddhism:

  • Life is suffering (dukkha)
  • The cause of suffering is craving (samudaya)
  • The end of suffering comes with an end to craving (nirodha or nirhodha)
  • There is a path which leads one away from craving and suffering (marga or magga)
Asahna Bucha Day
Photo by Wikimedia Commons/Brcar


What Happens During Asahna Bucha Day?

During Asahna Bucha, people across Thailand do three main activities: visit a temple and honour the monks, attend a candle festival, and prepare for Wan Khao Phansa the following day.

When visiting a temple, locals leave flowers, food (like traditional pastries and sweets), and other gifts to show to monks that they matter. It’s said that honouring monks shows devotion and faith in Buddhism.

Many locals also donate candles to temples, which are then used in the evening processions or the wian tian. Wian (meaning “to circle”) and tian (meaning “a candle”) is a ceremony where people walk three times in a clockwise direction around a temple. The procession includes carrying a candle, incense sticks, and lotus flowers. The tradition of donating candles started before electricity was introduced and extra light was needed at temples, especially during the rainy season when the days are darker.

Speaking of candles, the most famous candle festival in the country is held at Ubon Ratchathani, one of the four major cities of Isaan (northeast of Thailand). The Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival features a grand parade where people from different community groups craft wax figures and giant candle displays representing a local temple, district, or institution.

Like any other festivities affected by the pandemic, the last scheduled traditional parade, which was supposed to take place in 2020, was cancelled and the programmes were moved online. But for 2022, it’s back once again and will take place from July 11 to 17. It will be centred around Thung Sri Mueang, a public park located in front of City Hall.

Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival 2022
Photo by Website/Tourism Authority of Thailand

Alongside the festival, Wan Khao Phansa will take place the following day. Also known as the Buddhist Lent, it marks the start of the three-month retreat where monks stay within the walls of the temple to study and avoid unnecessary travel.

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