Asalha Bucha Day marks the day on which the Buddha gave his first sermon, and it is followed by the start of the Buddhist Lent. At Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathum Thani, the two observances are treated as a single festival, combining the first sermon with the opening of Khao Phansa and the rain retreat cloth offering.
When is Asalha Bucha?
Asalha Bucha falls on the full moon of the 8th lunar month, which falls in July on the Gregorian calendar. As with every Thai lunar festival, the exact date shifts slightly from year to year, so the day is best described as “around July”.
The Buddhist Lent, known in Thai as Khao Phansa, begins the day after Asalha Bucha and runs for three months through the rains.
The first sermon at Sarnath
After his enlightenment, the Buddha spent some time travelling before turning to teach. The first sermon was delivered at the Deer Park in Sarnath, to a group of five ascetics who had known him before his awakening.
In that sermon he set out the Middle Way, avoiding both sensual indulgence and severe self-mortification. He also laid down the framework of the Noble Eightfold Path, the Four Noble Truths, and the Three Trainings of morality, meditation, and wisdom.
The occasion is remembered not only because it was the first discourse, but because it was the moment the Buddha’s teaching found its first audience and, from that point, spread.
Why the rain retreat matters
During the three months of Khao Phansa, monks remain in one place rather than travelling. Historically this was practical, because travel during the rains was difficult and unreliable, but it also gave communities a settled period in which to listen to Dhamma and to support the monks who stayed with them.
Wat Phra Dhammakaya observes the rains retreat in the same spirit, with a cloth offering marking the formal opening of the season.
Key activities at Wat Phra Dhammakaya
- Rain retreat cloth offering — marking the formal opening of Khao Phansa.
- Dhamma talks on the first sermon and the Middle Way.
- Lighting fund — an offering to support the lighting of the temple.
- Observance of the five precepts for the duration of the Lent.
How to join — on site
Wat Phra Dhammakaya is at Khlong Sam, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120. Visitors are welcome at all parts of the programme. Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, and remove your shoes before entering the ordination hall and the Cetiya.
Anyone taking part in the five precepts for the Lent will find the temple a convenient place to make the commitment formally, and lay participants are encouraged to keep the precepts for the full three months rather than only for the day.
How to join online
Live coverage is shared through the temple’s Line OA “@dhammakaya” account and the official Facebook page, and is also broadcast by the DMC channel. Online participants commonly follow the Dhamma talk, light a candle at home, and recite the five precepts together with the temple.
Preparing for the day
- Decide in advance whether you will keep the five precepts for the full three months.
- Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered.
- Bring water and a small cloth, and be ready to remove your shoes.
- Allow time for the Dhamma talks, which usually run for much of the day.
Plan your merit-making all year
Asalha Bucha and the Buddhist Lent are two of many merit-making events at the temple. See the Dhammakaya Merit Calendar to plan your year of dana, sila, and bhavana.
References
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