PATTAYA, Thailand – On July 20, children of many nationalities participated in a merit-making ceremony to celebrate Asalha Bucha and Buddhist Lent Day. The event, spearheaded by Visan Phetrakul, director of Satit Udomseuksa School in east Pattaya, included the school teachers, parents, and students. The ceremony aimed to preserve and promote traditional customs, morality, and ethics, encouraging students to incorporate Buddhist principles into their daily lives.
The school invited 20 monks from Wat Chaimongkol Royal Monastery to perform a chanting ceremony. Nine monks conducted the prayers to bless the teachers, staff, and students. Following the ceremony, all 20 monks received alms from the school’s community, who had prepared rice, dried foods, and other consumables, lined up on both sides of the walkway. This activity was part of the merit-making for Asalha Bucha and Buddhist Lent Day.
Asalha Bucha Day, observed on the full moon of the 8th lunar month, is a significant day in Buddhism. It commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, delivered to the five ascetics at Deer Park in Isipatana, near Varanasi, India.
Visan Phetrakul emphasized the importance of such events in fostering a deeper understanding and respect for Buddhist traditions among students from diverse backgrounds. “This ceremony not only honours our Buddhist heritage but also instils a sense of community and compassion in our students,” he said.
