{"id":2856,"date":"2022-02-15T09:58:08","date_gmt":"2022-02-15T02:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thailandfoundation.or.th\/?post_type=buddhism_meditatio&p=2856"},"modified":"2025-05-15T21:20:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T14:20:07","slug":"magha-puja-the-celebration-of-the-formation-of-the-buddhist-community-founded-on-love-and-compassion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thailandfoundation.or.th\/th\/magha-puja-the-celebration-of-the-formation-of-the-buddhist-community-founded-on-love-and-compassion\/","title":{"rendered":"Magha Puja – The Celebration of the Formation of the Buddhist Community Founded on Love and Compassion"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"
International Buddhists are celebrating Magha Puja by meditating<\/a>.
(\u0e20\u0e32\u0e1e\u0e08\u0e32\u0e01 https:\/\/bit.ly\/3BjW5FG<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Magha Puja<\/a> is a Buddhist holy day, celebrated especially in Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It is the second most important Buddhist festival after Vesak Puja<\/a>, the latter which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Occurring between mid-January and mid-February, a period known as the \u201cMagh<\/a>\u201d month in the lunar calendar, Magha Puja commemorates the miraculous assembling of 1,250 Arahants<\/em><\/a>, who were disciples of the Buddha and came to see him in this month \u2013 an important month even then in Vedic<\/a> tradition. This event happened in the first year of the Buddha\u2019s ministry, over 2,500 years ago in modern-day Nalanda<\/a> District of Bihar State, India. This holy day is also called Order Day (or Sangha<\/a> Day) \u2013 in addition to Buddha Day (Vesak Puja), and Dhamma Day (Asalha Puja<\/a>). At that gathering, the Buddha laid down community rules, based on love, compassion, and the welfare, benefit, and happiness of community members and those beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Venuvan<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>a park believed to be the garden where the Buddha<\/a> sermonized to 1,250 disciples
on Magha Puja Day (photo credit: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3Lo1Si8<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

This year, Magha Puja will be held on February 16, which is the day of the full moon of the third lunar month on which Buddhists customarily go to temples to perform merit-making activities.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Thai Buddhist lay devotees with lighted candles in hand walk clockwise round a building housing the Buddha image three times in homage first to the Buddha, then to the Dhamma and finally to the Sangha<\/em> at Wat Saket<\/em><\/a> in Bangkok on Magh Puja Day (Photo credit: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3J3GbBZ<\/a>)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Month of Magh and Its Long-held Importance<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magh was already considered a sacred month long before it entailed a Buddhist holy day. In the Mahabarata<\/em><\/a>, one of two major Sanskrit epics dating from ancient India, statements about the importance of Magh can be seen \u0e44\u0e14\u0e49\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e19\u0e35\u0e49 \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e19\u0e35\u0e49<\/a> (e.g. \u201cHe who gives gingelly as a gift to Brahmins<\/em> during this month will never go to hell\u201d; \u201cIf one takes food only once a day during the whole of this month, one will be born very rich in the next birth\u201d; \u201cHe who bathes at Prayag<\/a> during this month will be free from all sins.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Etymologically, Magha Puja<\/em> is shortened from the phrase Magha Maasam<\/em><\/a> Puja<\/em> meaning \u201cworship in the month of Magh<\/em>.\u201d The word Magha<\/em> itself comes from a Sanskrit word, Magham<\/em>, which can be separated into two parts – Ma+Agham<\/em><\/a>, ma <\/em>meaning absence, and agham<\/em> meaning evil, grief, sin, or suffering. Magham<\/em> therefore indicates the absence of evil, grief, sin, and suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
A photo (c. 1909) by Ada Lee showing a Hindu pilgrimage at a Magha Mela<\/em> at Ganga Sagar, West Bengal, where the Ganges River meets the Bay of Bengal. (Photo credit: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3AB1oQq<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Hindus, too, observed the worshiping of the Sun God, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Ganesh during Magh month. On the last day of the month, known as Magha Purnima<\/em><\/a> in Sanskrit, they also worshipped ancestors, observed a day of fasting, and washed themselves in holy rivers, such as the Ganges, Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna, Narmada, Sindhu, and Yamuna to absolve their sins. (Festivals such as Magha Mela<\/em> \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30 Kumbha Mela<\/em>, serving as major religious pilgrimages and sites for rituals, fairs, and religious discourses, are still observed today.)<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Devotees gathered at Prayag<\/a> City to take a holy bath during the Kumbh Mela<\/a> in January 2022.
(\u0e20\u0e32\u0e1e\u0e08\u0e32\u0e01 https:\/\/bit.ly\/3KG54VZ<\/a>)\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Buddhist <\/strong>Magha Puja<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After his Enlightenment<\/a>, the Buddha began to teach the Way<\/a> or Path<\/a> (Magga<\/em><\/a> in Pali) to others, so that they, too, could reach enlightenment, end suffering, and find their happiness. He found success first with the group of five ascetics who had been his spiritual companions. They became his first enlightened followers (arahant<\/em><\/a> in Pali) and the first Buddhist monks who formed the organization of monks known as the \u201csangha<\/em><\/a>\u201d. In a few months after that, the Buddha in modern-day Sarnath<\/em><\/a> instructed his 60 new arahants<\/em> to spread the new doctrine (Dhamma<\/em><\/a> in Pali) saying, \u201cMonks, wander forth for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of many people, out of compassion\u2026<\/em>\u201d They dispersed, spreading Buddhism. As a result of their hard work, more than 1,000 others, including those who were originally of vedic<\/em><\/a> \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30 brahmanical<\/em><\/a> beliefs, as well as areligious farmers and merchants, found enlightenment in Buddhism. In the first year of the Buddha\u2019s ministry itself, these 1,250 devotees, now Buddhist monks, came to see him as a form of worship at modern-day Rajgir<\/em><\/a> in the holy month of Magh<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

A signboard of Venuvan \u2013 a garden known as Veluvana during the Buddha\u2019s time – in Rajgir taken in 2018 by Mr. Teeravas Bumpenbunbaramee<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Buddha, in turn, delivered the \u200cOvada\u200c-patimokkha<\/a> \u200csermon to these 1,250 monks.  <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The Buddha addressed a gathering of 1,250 disciples on Magha Purnami Day at Veluvana.
(\u0e20\u0e32\u0e1e\u0e08\u0e32\u0e01 https:\/\/bit.ly\/3GYt9ov<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Ovada-patimokkha<\/em> summarized the ideal goals of Buddhism, the principles of Buddhism, and the compassionate missionary method of Buddhism \u2013 as if the Buddha were conducting a conference on how to practice a worthy life and how to spread the balanced life doctrine effectively.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. The ideal goal of Buddhism<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The goals as outlined in the sermon comprises three parts, namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1.1 Nibbana<\/em><\/a> is supreme<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Buddhists have to realize that Nibbana (Nirvana in Sanskrit) is the ultimate goal for Buddhists, and not the reunion with the Creator God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1.2 Never harm other living beings.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1.3 Enduring patience is the highest austere practice<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It is the \u2018internal\u2019 method of spiritual practice that matters, and not the \u2018external\u2019 ascetic self-tortures. The Buddha exhorted his followers to be patient in order to reach the goal of Nibbana. To achieve or realize Nibbana, Buddhists have to rely on their own enduring effort as well as patience because there is no savior god who will lead anyone to Nibbana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. The Principles of Buddhism<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      2.1 Avoid doing all evil.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Monks have to follow the precepts that require monks to abstain from doing evil through physical action such as killing being and through speech such as telling lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2.2 Cultivate all that is wholesome.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Monks have to undertake meditation practice as well as other practice to enhance wholesome qualities for one\u2019s own and others\u2019 welfare and well-beings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2.3 Purify one\u2019s mind<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Buddhist should use the wisdom that arises from meditation<\/a> practice to purify the mind from being defiled by greed, anger, and delusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. The Compassionate Missionary Method of Buddhism<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        The Buddha promulgated his teaching in a peaceful, compassionate way, and he exhorted his followers to follow suit saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                3.1 Do not speak ill of others<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                3.2 Do not be destructive to others<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        After the Buddha delivered this sermon to 1,250 arahants (in other words – after the conference was over.<\/em>), they separated to propagate the Dhamma in various places – always keeping in mind the Buddha\u2019s exhortation, \u201cWander forth for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion\u2026.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Some Words of the Buddha on Love to Celebrate Valentine\u2019s Day<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        As Valentine\u2019s Day also arrives this month, I\u2019d like to share these words of the Buddha:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n

        \u201cLove the whole world as a mother loves her only child<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u201cOne who loves oneself should not harm another<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u201cA wise man giving happiness gains happiness himself<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u201cHelp one in misery with attentiveness<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u201cBorn as a human, one should share, whether much or little, with others<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u201cA good person takes pleasure in helping others<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u201cIn this world, hatred is never appeased by hatred.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u201cWhatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and <\/em>be influenced by them for good or for ill<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

        \n
        \"\"
        A Magha Puja celebration at the Dhammakaya Temple in Thailand
        (photo credit:         https:\/\/yhoo.it\/3G2rEo1<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

        On this auspicious occasion of Magha Puja, I wish the reader \u2018hear\u2019 the advice of the Buddha and put it into practice, particularly the qualities of tolerance, respect<\/a>, and good will<\/a> for others; being open<\/a>, compassionate<\/a>, generous, and non-violent to one another; and promoting harmony instead of speaking ill of others. If we employ them as the foremost practices in our daily life, then our world will be one that enjoys peace and happiness, like the first community of the Buddhists formed by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Main Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n