What Is Buddhist Holy Day Of The Week?

[jumnien]

In Christianity, Sunday is the Sabbath, the holy day of the week. Which day of the week is the holy day in Buddhism in Thailand?

[sutnyod]

...based on this it would be Tuesday, right?

[chownah]

The Buddhist holy days recognized in Thailand (and I think in most all Buddhist places but not sure) are based on the phases of the moon...they occur on the full and new moons and at the "half moons" (two of them) between the new and full moons. This means that almost every week will have a holy day but it will change as to which day of the week it is and about every 7 or 8 months or so (I've not figured it out exactly) you will have a week with no holy day in it at all.

Chownah

[Maestro]

It is indeed a lunar cycle. New moon, quarter moon, half moon, three-quarter moon and full moon are the days when devout Buddhists perform some religious ritual and/or observe certain dietary rules.

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Maestro

[IMA_FARANG]

In Christianity, Sunday is the Sabbath, the holy day of the week. Which day of the week is the holy day in Buddhism in Thailand?

If you lived your life according to certain principles and practices that you thought were proper for you to follow......why would you want that life to be limited to only one day a week? So if you were following the path to improvement and elightenment.....why would you not follow that path each and every day?

Or specifically there are times and religious days of special signifigance to a Buddhist during the year, but there is no one specific day of the week that is a holy day. Better is to live each day according to what you feel and let the rest take care of itself.

[sutnyod]

It is indeed a lunar cycle. New moon, quarter moon, half moon, three-quarter moon and full moon are the days when devout Buddhists perform some religious ritual and/or observe certain dietary rules.

I am not sure one could say that. On the one hand it is of course correct and one can watch it every week at pagodas etc. But on the other hand, Van Sin is also observed by many pagan societies. My 'suspicion' would therefore be that these days were observed before and just 'taken over'. Another indication would be that there are several taboos during those days that have nothing to do with Buddhism (no rice milling for instance).

[suegha]

In Christianity, Sunday is the Sabbath, the holy day of the week. Which day of the week is the holy day in Buddhism in Thailand?

I hate to be pedantic, however, Sunday is not the sabbath. Most Christians choose Sunday as the bible talks about the believers meeting on the first day of the week ie Sunday. Also, strictly speaking, for Christians every day is a holy day unto the Lord!

Like I say, sorry to be peantic...

[sleepyjohn]

I was told full moon days were chosen for the very pragmatic reason that you could see where you were going in the evening, and what you were doing when you got there.

Like I say, sorry to be peantic...

Suegha there's an "a" in paean

Edited October 19, 2007 by sleepyjohn

[seonai]

The moon days in the Theravadan calander here in Thailand are called Wan Phra - Monk Days. Busy people who otherwise might not have time to visit the temple feel it is more auspitious to do so on these days. Therefore monks who are at University/school etc must stay at their temple on Wan Phra - which Chownah correctly pointed out are on each of the four changing moon phases every month. The full moon being the most auspitious

[johnsmith8888]

On 10/20/2007 at 1:41 AM, sleepyjohn said:

I was told full moon days were chosen for the very pragmatic reason that you could see where you were going in the evening, and what you were doing when you got there.

Like I say, sorry to be peantic...

Suegha there's an "a" in paean

You are both wrong. Peanic two red and there are 27 Buddhist days each year but are only observed between 7am-10pm so as to not interefere with studies. As Quoted in many historic references "the day of the 15th travellers shoall be the night if the 7th for every 1st day beyond the 9th.