Asalha Puja

Asalha Puja, also referred to as "Dhamma Day", falls in the eighth month of the lunar calendar.

The Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodhgaya India on the full moon of Visakha, which is the sixth lunar month. Two months later, on the full moon of Asalha, he delivered the first discourse to the five ascetics of his former association; Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama, and Assaji, who later became his first disciples, at the Deer Park near Benares (Varanasi). This epoch making incident marks the establishment of the Buddhist religion.

At the end of the sermon, Kondanna attained awakening and asked for ordination, thus becoming the first Buddhist monk in history. The Order of the Sangha (community of Buddhist monks) was initiated and the Triple Gem; The Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha was complete.

Lord Buddha's First Sermon is The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ~ “The Discourse on Turning the Wheel of Truth” The main theme of this first discourse is The Four Noble Truths, namely Suffering, the Cause of Suffering, the End of Suffering, and The Way to the End of Suffering. The Way to the End of Suffering is expanded in The Noble Eightfold Path (The Middle Way) which is: Right View, Right resolve, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. These Four Noble Truths and the way to liberation found in the Noble Eightfold Path are the essence of Lord Buddha's teaching which makes the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta considered to be "Buddhism in a nutshell".

Schedule

Saturday,

6:00 PM. Receive the eight precepts.

7:00 PM. Evening Chanting and Meditation.

Sunday,

10:00AM. Pindabat food offering to monks.

11:00 AM. Monks repast.

1:00 PM. Sermon