Buddhists gather at Wat
Chaiyamongkol in South Pattaya to present Sangkhathan (necessary items for
monks) and make merit on Visakha Bucha Day.
Pattaya Mail Team
Pattaya-area Buddhists flocked to area temples for
Visakha Bucha Day which, this year, carried special significance as it
marked the 2,600th anniversary of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment.
Commemorations began early, with residents and tourists
descending on Pattaya’s Wat Chaimongkol and Thamsamakkee temples to give
alms and mark the Buddhist Jayanti.
At Nong Or Temple, senior citizens dressed in white
brought children and grandchildren to present basic necessities to monks
while praying and asking for blessings. Ladies groups meditated and listened
to sermons at the temple, which was more crowded than in most years.
Marking the triple occasion of the birth of Buddha, the
day of his enlightenment and his ascension to Nirvana, Visakha Bucha Day is
one of the three holiest days on the Buddhist calendar and this year was
designated by USESCO as “World Peace Day.” The educational, scientific and
cultural organization’s proclamation cited Buddhism’s teaching of humanity,
mercy and tolerance as the reasons for the designation.
In the evening at temples such as Photisampan in Naklua,
and Chaimongkol in South Pattaya, residents joined monks in the “Wien Thien”
ceremony, walking three times around the temple with lit candles and joss
sticks, and gilded Buddhist statues with gold.
At Wat Nong Or, Central
Pattaya, apart from performing the Wien Thien ceremony, citizens could paste
gold papers on Lord Buddha’s statue.
A Buddhist monk sprinkles holy
water on the faithful at Wat Khao Phra Yai.
Foreigners with Thai wives
perform the Wien Thien ceremony at Wat Nong Or, Central Pattaya.
After walking three times
around the temple for the Wien Thien ceremony, Buddhists plant their incense
at the base of Lord Buddha’s statue and ask for blessings at Wat Nong Or.
Buddhists prepare offerings to
be used in the Wien Thien ceremony at Wat Khao Phra Yai.
Before the Wien Thien
ceremony, monks preach the dharma to thousands of Buddhists in Pattaya City.
Monks lead citizens through
the Wien Thien ceremony at Wat Photisampan in Naklua.
