Asalha Puja Day and Khao Phansa

Asalha Puja Day and Khao Phansa

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Dhamma,

The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta was the Buddha’s first sermon. This is the Sutta that set the Wheel of the Dhamma in motion. The 4 Noble Truths of suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering and the path to its cessation were described in this Sutta. The Buddha’s audience were five ascetics. The Buddha delivered this sermon at the Deer Park in Benares, India on the full-moon day of the eighth lunar month. ASALHA PUJA DAY is the day to reflect on this event.

After listening to this Sutta, the five ascetic realized its Truth and became the first Sangha. One of them, Anyakonthanya, fully and completely comprehended the Dhamma and there he attained Arahantship.

Also at this time the Indian rainy (monsoon) season was beginning and it was an established tradition for wandering religious persons to…