About this Holiday
Makha Bucha Day falls on the full moon of the third lunar month and commemorates a spontaneous gathering of 1,250 arahant disciples to hear the Buddha teach without prior arrangement, known as the Fourfold Assembly (Chaturangasannipata). The Buddha delivered the Ovadha Patimokkha, a core teaching summarizing the Buddhist principles of doing good, avoiding evil, and purifying the mind. In Thailand, Buddhists observe the day with candlelit processions around temples, merit-making activities, and solemn reflection on the Dhamma.