Buddhist Holidays

Buddhist holidays & festivals provide people with occasions to celebrate and enjoy themselves. The majority of Buddhist festivals have religious connotations and are celebrated in a typical manner. On the day of the festival, people visit the local temple or monastery. They serve monks with food and undertake the Five Precepts. The afternoon is spent in feeding the poor people. In the evening, a ceremony in conducted, in which people circumambulate a stupa three times. The day comes to end with the chanting of Buddha's teachings and meditation.

The dates of Buddhist holidays vary from country to country, and between Buddhist traditions. Given below is a list of the major Buddhist holidays of 2007.

• Abhidhamma Day - Full moon day in October
• Anapanasati Day - At the end of one rains retreat (vassa)
• Asalha Puja Day (Dhamma Day) - Full moon day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar (July)
• Avalokitesvara's Birthday (Kuan Yin) - Full moon day in March
• Bodhi Day (Enlightenment Day)
• Buddhist New Year
• Kathina Ceremony (Robe offering ceremony) - Within one month of the conclusion of the Vassa Retreat
• Losar
• Loy Krathong (Festival of Floating Bowls) - Full moon night of the Twelfth Lunar month.
• Magha Puja Day (Fourfold Assembly or Sangha Day) - Full moon day of the third lunar month (March)
• Parinirvarana Day
• Songkaran - Mid April
• Sangha Day
• The Elephant Festival - Third Saturday in November
• The Festival of the Tooth - Full moon night of August
• The Ploughing Festival - May
• Ulambana (Ancestor Day) - Thirteenth of July (lasts for three days)
• Uposatha (Observance Day) - Four monthly holy days
• Wesak or Visakah Puja (Buddha Day) - First full moon day in May