Khao Phansa – The Buddhist Lent

By Margo Somboon

Buddhist Lent is one of the major highlights of the Buddhist calendar every year. It is a time for isolation, contemplation and meditation. Buddhist Lent lasts for 90 days and we are not allowed to be out after dark or sleep outside the temple we are assigned to. It is also the time where the heavens open and the devas come down to watch how well devotees keep to their precepts. Almost every year I find myself tested by these devas in one form or another, but more on that later.

The above photo, taken by Phra Mahaoath, shows the crowd sitting outside the sallah while the evening chant is going on Buddhist Lent eve. People will circle the chedi and ordination hall 3 times with flowers, candle and incense sticks on the eve of Buddhist Lent to celebrate this auspicious occasion. For the Buddhist Lent ceremony itself, there are generally no outsiders present.

On Buddhist Lent morning I was up and working at the ‘sallah’ at 4 Am. My job was to arrange the alms bowls and trays with bowls for alms food for the monks. I do this every Buddhist Lent, on every ‘Wan Phra’ during the 3 month period. Having completed this task, I bought alms food, usually a set of rice and accompanying food, sweets or fruits and water. With this in hand I make my offerings and put money in the common bowl for the monks. Then I pour water onto a tree near my hut and transfer my merit to the deceased, so that they too may benefit from this act of giving.

After doing my own chores at my hut and a light breakfast, I’m ready for a grueling day up in the chedi. The chedi is absolutely packed with Buddhists and non-Buddhists from all over the world, who make merit on this very auspicious day by offering gold-leaf to the eight Buddha’s in the chedi. The eight Buddha images in the chedi represent the eight victories of Lord Buddha. The chedi itself is a celebration of King Naresuan’s great victory over the Burmese, which enabled Thailand to gain its independence nearly 500 years ago.

My day in the Chedi ends at approx. 4:30pm, which gives me time to prepare for the ceremonies of the evening which commenced at 7pm.

A tray or decorative bowl is adorned with special candles for this occasion with a little bowl made out of banana leaf, filled with flowers and a cone-shaped lid, also made out of banana leaves. The cone-shaped lid is then adorned with a jasmine wreath. This we bring with us for evening chanting. After completing mandatory chanting, we hold up the adorned bowl with flowers and candles, reciting the vows for Buddhist Lent. This is followed by a speech by the abbot and all the monks paying their respects to the abbot.

Once the monks have left the sallah to go to the ordination hall, all nuns offer the decorated bowl to the abbot in respect, followed by the civilians who wish to pay respects as well.

Now is the time where all nuns pay their respects to the head nun. Completing this, we now proceed to the main ordination hall to honor the main Buddha of this temple, Phrabuddha Chai Mongkhol.

After chanting by the nuns, a speech is given by the head nun. This usually involves behavior during the Buddhist Lent and a stern speech about things that are not up to standard. One must never forget that this temple receives many visitors every day, since it is a major historical site. If nuns don’t dress or behave according to a certain standard, the reputation of this temple would very quickly be ruined. Every monk and every nun is a spokesperson for the temple. As such, team work and following certain standards are mandatory.

Having completed the ceremonies in the main ordination hall, all nuns then proceed to the chedi Chai Monkhol for further chanting. We offer our decorated bowl or tray here the same way we did in the sallah and the ordination hall, to honor the devas and also to honor the spirit of King Naresuan the Great.