Buddhists in Pattaya and the neighboring communities gathered at Wat Samakkhi Pracharam Temple March 29, to celebrate Khao Pun Boon Pha Whet Festival to pay homage and commemorate the triumphant return of Prince Vessantara to Sivi Kingdom after living in exile.
Nongprue Mayor Winai Inpitak and the Nongprue Samphan Isan Club chairman, Capt. Banyat Karakul with the cooperation of the Isan people living in Pattaya and Nongprue organize the event.
The Vessantara Jataka is celebrated in temples during a Buddhist festival known as Thet Mahachat from Maha Jati or “Great Birth”, in Central Thailand, Boon Pha Vet in Laos and as Boon Phawet (Boon Phra Whet), Boon Duan See (‘Merit-making of the fourth month’) or Thet Phawet in Isan.
The first day of the week-long celebrations saw thousands of Isan folk who have moved to live and work in the Pattaya area attend the festivities.
Many merit-making traditional cultural activities were organized including dances and traditional Isan food stalls were setup in the grounds of the temple. Residents in the area joined in the grand ‘Kan Lorn’ parade displaying their elaborate creations of the ‘money tree’.
Pha Khru Sumetee Worakul, Abbot of Wat Samakkhi Pracharam led the chanting and recital of the Maha Chat or Vessantara Jataka sermon commonly known as the Pha Whet sermon by the Isan people of Thailand.
The Vessantara Jātaka is one of the most popular Jātaka tales of Theravada Buddhism. The Vessantara Jātaka tells the story of one of Gautama Buddha‘s past lives, about a very compassionate and generous prince, Vessantara, who gives away everything he owns, including his children, thereby displaying the virtue of perfect generosity. It is also known as the Great Birth Sermon.
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