Visakha Bucha Day, Buddhist holiday – alcohol ban today

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Visakha Bucha Day, Buddhist holiday – alcohol ban today

By The Thaiger

 

 

Today is a public holiday in Thailand to mark Visakha Bucha Day, the most significant day in the Buddhist calendar, commemorating three defining events in the life of the Lord Buddha; his birth, attaining enlightenment at 35 years old, and then his death 45 years later, which all occurred on the full-moon day of the sixth lunar month.

 

Visakha Bucha Day is one of the most important Buddhist holidays in the Thai calendar and this year it takes place on May 6, 2020. It is important as it was the day of three important incidents that occurred during the life of Lord Buddha. They all happened on full moon of the sixth lunar month.

 

Traditionally, Buddhists gather at temples to perform the ‘wian tien’ ritual, walking in circles three times around the main temple building with lighted candles. But this year the government has urged Buddhists not to gather together for this ritual and, instead, celebrate the event at home with family.

 

Buddha was born in India some 2,500 years ago as a rich prince, but he left that life of luxury to seek out wisdom from the wise hermits who lived in woodlands scattered throughout the region at the time. He felt disappointed, however, and instead meditated under a Bodhi tree. There, he is believed to have attained enlightenment at the age of 35 and to have formulated the basic tenets of Buddhism. Later, at age 80, he died. Buddhists believe he then entered the state of “nirvana” and escaped all suffering, death, and reincarnation.

 

In Thailand, Visakha Bucha Day is a time when the devout visit local temples to “make merit,” by giving donations and engaging in various rituals.

 

While there, they also listen to sermons on Buddha’s teachings, meditate, recommit themselves to follow the precepts of Buddhism, and offer food to temple workers. Some also set birds or fish free as a means of eliminating “negative karma”.

 

Source: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/Visakha-Bucha-Day-2020

 

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2020-05-06

 

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[poohy]

In the light of recent bans today sort passes by pretty much insignificant

[JonnyF]

I'd imagine there are about zero drinkers in Thailand with less than a few weeks supply by now ????.

[DrTuner]

Any organized religion that places restrictions on non-believers is just another authoritarian regime.

[ParkerN]

1 hour ago, DrTuner said:

Any organized religion that places restrictions on non-believers is just another authoritarian regime.

Indeed. And they're all based on fairy tales anyway. OK for people of limited intellect who're prepared to believe what they're told as well as do what they're told. All religions are the same, they're ultimately only concerned with the acquisition of money and the exercise of power, that's all.

[JoePai]

48 minutes ago, ParkerN said:

Indeed. And they're all based on fairy tales anyway. OK for people of limited intellect who're prepared to believe what they're told as well as do what they're told. All religions are the same, they're ultimately only concerned with the acquisition of money and the exercise of power, that's all.

Pretty much sounds like politics

[ParkerN]

1 hour ago, JoePai said:

Pretty much sounds like politics

And so it should, All churches have shamelessly involved themselves in politics as a means to gain power and influence. A quick look, however cursory, will show that all religions placed themselves at the centre of civic administration as one of their first steps in accumulating power and influence. In the Christian Churches it was Paul, but every religion has had it's Paul, they're all the same - effectively useless purveyors of fairy tales designed only to place themselves at the centre of the lives of people, while pretending (without any evidence at all) to be the sole earthly representatives of some great Spaghetti Monster in the sky.

 

People sometimes ask me why I term myself as a misanthrope. The reason is that I see very little worth in people, most of whom can't even think in straight lines, and this topic is an excellent example. There is no aspect of religious belief that cannot be effectively destroyed by an open mind in the absence of unthinking drones.

[SkyFax]

43 minutes ago, ParkerN said:

People sometimes ask me why I term myself as a misanthrope.

What do others term you?

[connda]

Make Thailand 'dry' forever.  Ban alcohol.  Alcohol makes people want to socialize.  Socialization kills.  Bring back Prohibition!  Start today! 

[Yankeesvsredsox]

My wife said ,she would be up in the mountain at the temple ,if it wasn't for...

[Dap]

[DrTuner]

3 hours ago, connda said:

Make Thailand 'dry' forever.  Ban alcohol.  Alcohol makes people want to socialize.  Socialization kills.  Bring back Prohibition!  Start today! 

The speakeasies were legendary during prohibition, I wouldn't mind a bit of good old underground entertainment.

Edited May 6, 2020 by DrTuner

[DrTuner]

4 hours ago, JoePai said:

Pretty much sounds like politics

Because most religions are political institutions. England in particular comes to mind, with kings and bishops fighting for supremacy for what, centuries?

[DrTuner]

3 hours ago, SkyFax said:

What do others term you?

I can answer that. A freethinker.

Edited May 6, 2020 by DrTuner
Blimey, it's actually a word

[ParkerN]

5 hours ago, SkyFax said:

What do others term you?

Whatever they like I suppose, mostly whatever allows them to feel superior, something most folk crave - you know what I mean...

 

People are rarely imaginative in their insults and tend to rely on sterotypes bequeathed to them by their parents and other people in their lives who should know better but rarely do. Again, you know what I mean.

Edited May 6, 2020 by ParkerN

[SkyFax]

22 minutes ago, ParkerN said:

5 hours ago, SkyFax said:

What do others term you?

Whatever they like I suppose, mostly whatever allows them to feel superior, something most folk crave - you know what I mean...

 

You mean they say I'm more misanthroper than you are?

[natway09]

Religion over the ages has been just about the root of all evil

[Geordieabroad]

Alcohol free zone doesn't apply in my house, never will

[Jcord1]

11 hours ago, poohy said:

In the light of recent bans today sort passes by pretty much insignificant

Cheers happy birthday.

[asiaexpat]

11 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Any organized religion that places restrictions on non-believers is just another authoritarian regime.

If you pay attention the Thailand Government sets the rules, not the Songha (Buddhist leaders.) 

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, JoePai said:

Pretty much sounds like politics

Politics and religion, two worst inventions the world has ever seen.