Magha Puja Day (Meakh Bochea) is one of the most important Buddhist celebrations which falls on the full moon day of the third lunar month (about last week of February or early of March).
This day marks the great four events that took place during Buddha’s lifetime, namely;
- 1250 Buddhist monks from different places came to pay homage to Lord Buddha at Valuwan Vihara in Rajgaha, the capital of Magaha State, each of his own initiative and without prior notification or appointment.
- all of them were the enlightened monks (or Arahantas)
- all of them had been individually ordained by Lord Buddha himself (Ehi Bhikkhu)
- They assembled on the full moon day of the third lunar month.
On the evening of that day, Buddha gave the assembly a discourse “Ovadha Patimokha” laying down the principles of His Teachings summarised into three acts, i.e. to do good, to abstain from bad action and to purify the mind.
Each Buddha Temple will lead hundreds of people in a candlelit procession held within the temple’s compound. In general, most Buddhists are not aware of the Significance of this day. As a result, a number of people taking part in the ceremony may be less than on other days such as Visakha Puja or Asanha Puja Days. Even so Magha Puja Day carries an equal meaning to all Buddhists.
