Many Buddhist festivals are celebrated on the full moon of a month. The full moon is important to Buddhists because it signifies the birth, enlightenment, and death (all of which took place on the full moon of May) of the Buddha – Siddhartha Gautama
VISAKHA PUJA (Vesak) – Celebrated on the first full moon of May, in a leap year it is celebrated in June. It commemorates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. Also called Vesak from the name of the month in the Indian calendar. Worshippers walk around monasteries 3 times and recite the 3 Refuges.
MAGHA PUJA (Sangha Day) -celebrated on the full moon of March -celebrates Buddha giving us the 5 Precepts -worshipped by giving offerings, especially food, to monks
ASALHA PUJA (Dharma Day) -commemorates Buddha’s first sermon in Deer Park where he began to “turn the wheel of Dharma”. -worshipped by giving gifts to monks/nuns during the day and to the poor at night
SONGKRAN
-practice of the 1st precept (Ahimsa) -traditionally people go to dried up ponds and bring dying fish and aquatic animals to lakes -celebrated in mid-April -people also wash clothes and clean houses on this day
LOY KRATHONG
-during the full moon of the 12th month -float bowls of incense and candles on rivers -as bowls float away so does bad luck
ELEPHANT FESTIVAL
-elephants were trained by tying a wild elephant to a tame one -Buddhists are encouraged to befriend their elders as a guide/mentor -celebrated on the third Saturday of November