King Jayavarman VII : Meak Bochea at Phnom Penh Cambodia(Wat Langka Pagoda)

Cambodia Celebrates Meak Bochea Day

PHNOM PENH: February 16, 2022 marks Meak Bochea Day, otherwise known as 'Magha Puja' or 'Sangha Day' in other parts of the world. This is an important Buddhist festival celebrated in Cambodia and by Buddhists all over the world on the full moon of the third month of the traditional Khmer calendar, to commemorate the day when the Buddha declared the founding of Buddhism in India in 588 BC, just nine months after his enlightenment.

The formation of Buddhism as a religious organization took place among 1,250 monks, all members of a convention that had brought together people from all walks of life. According to traditional Buddhist history, the monks had gathered on this full moon day because it coincided with the day of Shiva in Hinduism. The monks traveled from different locations to see Lord Buddha, with the story being that all 1,250 had arrived separately without a summoning.

Celebrating Meak Bochea Day means that Buddhists:

1. Correctly understood the importance of this day of worship.

2. Understand the principles and positions of Buddhism.

3. Cultivate pure generosity, become more civilized in the principles of Lord Buddha.

4. Perform the role of Buddhists on this day of Meak Bochea.

5. Help Buddhism to be stable for a long time.

Meak Bochea Day is seen to be a day that measure the quality of Buddhists, as well as a day that sees who is still actively practicing Buddhism today, like a mirror illuminating one’s face. It is believed that if you have the status of a Buddhist, this day should be for showing you are not neglecting your duties, and you are trying to encourage active practice of Buddhism and visiting pagodas to make prayers. For Buddhists, active practice of the religion can help to improve one’s quality of life and one's soul and spirit by following Buddhist principles, doing good deeds and cultivating a healthy mind.

Meak Bochea reminds of the very last sermon of Buddha in which he summarized the “heart of Buddhism” into these 3 principles in front of 1,250 monks:

      Stopping from all evil
    Doing only what is good
    Cleansing the mind
    The 3 Principles of Buddha

The fourfold assembly

1.250 monks who gathered to hear the sermon about 2,500 years ago on that day are also often referred to as the “Fourfold Assembly” because there were four facts:

    All 1250 listeners were “Enlightened Beings”
    Buddha ordained them all himself
    According to tradition, they came to the sermon without being summoned
    It was full moon in Khmer month Magha

Meaning of the name Meak Bochea

The name Meak Bochea (Khmer: មាឃបូជា) originates from the Thai “Magha Puja”.

    Magha = Meak: name of the third lunar month
    Puja = Bochea: to venerate

“Day of veneration of Buddha and his teachings on the full moon of the third lunar month.”
Buddha knew when he was going to die

According to legend, Buddha predicted his own death on that day, which was to take place exactly 3 months later. The day of his death was also his day of birth and his evidenced experience of enlightenment. Since then Cambodia celebrates the death and birthday of Buddha as Visak Bochea Day.
Importance of full moon at Meak Bochea Day

In Buddhism, the full moon is considered to be a holy day and the perfect time to repent of one’s sins and at the same time to earn merits. The added historical significance of the full moon on Meak Bocheay Day makes this a special day of penance, merit for good deeds and remembrance of Buddha’s teachings.

For this purpose the Khmer visit the local temples and pagodas to practice doing good deeds for merit. Nevertheless, they strive to purify their minds, avoid all future sins, and obey all Buddha’s commandments. These commandments include the avoidance of:

    alcohol consumption
    killing
    stealing
    lying

Since the Khmer like to drink a delicious beer, the rush to the Meak Bochea Day for penance in the temples is quite crowded. Also the non-lying can hardly be kept completely and contributes to the run on the temples.
Meak Bochea Day – and you are part of it

If you’re in Cambodia during Meeak Bochea Day, then check out the ceremonies! The scenes are truly impressive as the monks in their orange and white nuns in their white robes process along the temples and pagodas.

Visit a pagoda or temple to watch the Buddhist ceremonies. The believers perform processions in which candles, incense sticks and lotus blossoms are carried around the temple three times. Each of the 3 rounds has its own spiritual meaning: