| Magha Puja Day is celebrated on a full moon day | | | | third lunar month |
| of the third lunar month which invariably falls in | | | | In the evening of that day, Lord Buddha gave the |
| the last week of February or beginning of March. | | | | assembled monks a discourse, laying down the |
| In general, most Buddhists are not aware of the | | | | principles of his teachings and summarized into |
| significance of Magha Puja Day. As a result, the | | | | three acts - to do good, to abstain from bad |
| number of people in the ceremony may be less | | | | action and to purify the mind. |
| than those at Visakha Puja or Asanha Puja Days. | | | | There is no indication as to when the Magha Puja |
| However, Magha Puja Day carries an equal | | | | ceremony actually took place. However, King |
| meaning and importance to all Buddhists. | | | | Rama IV ordered the royal Magha Puja ceremony |
| Magha Puja Day marks four events that took | | | | to be performed in the Emerald Buddha Temple in |
| place during the lifetime of Lord Buddha. These | | | | 1851. Later the ceremony gained popularity and |
| events are: | | | | was performed through out the kingdom. In |
| 1. 1250 Buddhist monks from different places | | | | Thailand, the day is public holiday so that people |
| came to pay homage to Lord Buddha at Valuwan | | | | from all walks of life can participate in the religious |
| Vihara in Rajgaha, the capital of Magaha State. | | | | activities. |
| Each monk came on his own initiative without | | | | In the Emerald Buddha Temple, the king of |
| prior notification. | | | | Thailand presides over the religious ceremony and |
| 2. All monks were enlightened monks | | | | leads a candle lit procession within the temple's |
| 3. All 1250 monks had been individually ordained by | | | | compound. This procession take place at 8:00 p.m. |
| Lord Buddha | | | | in Bangkok and is led by Buddhist monks. |
| 4. They assembled on the full moon day of the | | | | |