Some questions and answers about the Makha Bucha Festival
1. Question: What does Makha Bucha Festival mean?
Answer: The performance of a sacrifice in the month of Makha. The name of a Buddhist festival held on the full moon day of the Makha month (dictionary).
2. Question: Why do Buddhists all over the world celebrate Makha Bucha Festival every full moon day of the Makha month? What is the reason for celebrating it?
A. It celebrates three events that occurred during the Buddha's time:
1. Commemorating the assembly of the Buddha's disciples, called the Chaturanga Sannibha.
2. Commemorating the Buddha's proclamation of the Buddha's teachings
3. Commemorating the Buddha's establishment of the Sangha.
3. Question: What is the importance of these three causes in Buddhism?
Answer: Extremely important in the following sense
1. Commemorating the Fourfold Assembly The assembly of disciples in the Fourfold Assembly was held only once during the Buddha's lifetime, the recluse Gotama of our time. It was held on the full moon day of the month of Makha at the beginning of the first Bodhi period, nine months after the Buddha's enlightenment, counting from the full moon of the month of Visakha to the full moon of the month of Makha, nine months. If we count the years from then to the present, it is 2604 years (during the 26th century and the 4th year of the beginning of the 27th century). The historical Makha Bucha festival has a very important meaning in the Buddhist world. Like an empire, it is like the history of the first parliament of an independent country after its victory in gaining independence from each colonialist.
In the Buddhist world, it is the first Chaturanga Sannibat (and also the last, because it only happened once during the 45-year Buddhist era) after the Buddha defeated his enemies, Mara, including the five evils of the world, namely the Kelesmara, Sangharamara, Khandhamara, Devaputtamara, and Matyumara, and gained independence from the colonialists who had dominated him for a thousand eons. Finally, he was freed from this tyrannical regime of desire through the Middle Way, a non-violent, peaceful path that leads to complete peace and independence, which in Buddhist language is called Nirvana, the end of suffering, because he completely abandoned the root of desire. Just like the Buddha, who was riding a chariot, in the Rathasamyutta, Mara, Chapter 1, Sutta Pitaka (Khmer), Volume 34, Page 75, says, “Tanhakyayo hi ratha nirvana, mangal ratha, because the cessation of desire is called Nirvana.”
2. Recalling the Buddha's proclamation of the Padamokkha doctrine, the term Padamokkha doctrine is derived from the three and a half Pali verses in which the Buddha gave a summary (dictionary) of the teachings of Buddhism, as found in the Sutta Pitaka (Khmer), the Tikhā Nikaya Mahabharata Sutta, Volume 16, page 103, with the following inscription:
“Khāṇḍi param tapo teitikkha
​Nibbānaṃ param vatanti budhāna​ ​Hi pavājito parūpkhaṭi
​Samno hoti param Vihethayantra.
Translation: Adhivasanakhanti, that is, patience, is the highest virtue. The Buddhas have always taught that Nirvana is the highest virtue. A monk who kills other animals, who persecutes other animals is not called a samana.
Sapapapasa akarnam kosalassopasakas
Sacitta pariyotapanam etam budhyanasasanam.
Translation: Not committing all sins, completing all merit, and making one's mind expand, these three are the teachings of the Buddhas.
Anupavato anupkhato patimokke ca Samvaro
​Mattanyutā ca bhattasamā tācācā sāyanasānam
​Adhikitta ca ayokā etāma budhānasāsānāti.
​Translation: Non-reproach, non-harassment, concentration in the state of mindfulness, being a person who knows the limits in the state of mindfulness, lying down, and sitting quietly, and striving in the six mindfulnesss are the teachings of the Buddhas.”
​The proclamation of the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness is the proclamation of the constitution of Buddhism or in this Buddha world, which is comparable to the proclamation of the constitution of a country. Therefore, according to tradition, citizens of each country in the world always celebrate and commemorate the independence day and the day of the establishment or proclamation of their country's constitution. However, Buddhists all over the world celebrate the Makha Bucha festival to commemorate the Apostolic Council and the proclamation of the Padamokkha Precepts as the constitutional teachings of their religion. If we study them deeply, we will see that the Padamokkha Precepts are the highest moral teachings of all moral teachings. Moreover, the Buddha's teachings on liberation are not just for individual monks or a separate constitution of Buddhism. They are universal teachings, a universal constitution for universal morality, universal progress, universal peace, universal welfare, and universal solidarity. There is no teaching or teaching of any religion or law, regulation, or constitution of any country or state that is superior to or outside the scope of the Buddha's teachings on liberation.

3. Commemorating the day the Buddha established the Sangha. In the Sutta Pitaka (Khmer), the Tikhā Nikaya, Mahaparibhvana Sutta, page 224, it is stated that the Buddha imposed the age of samskaras at the stubborn insistence of Mara, saying: “O Mara, you have a sinful heart, "There is little concern. The passing away of the Tathagata is not long now. Three months from today, the Tathagata will pass away."
4. Question: What is the meaning of the Prapadimokkha Teachings, which are said to be a concise proclamation of Buddhism?
Answer: Buddhism, which has a total of 84,000 Dhamma-khans (8,000,400 Dhamma-khans), as the Buddha Ananda, the Buddha, said in the Sutta Pitaka (Khmer), Khuddaka Nikaya, Therakatha, Volume 57, Page 94, in the following way:
"Dva-siti, Buddha, to, kanna, bi "Sahāsāni bhikkhūno"
"Chaturāsiti, sahāsāni ye me dhamma pavatthīno"
"Translated: The Dhammas that are present (in my mind) are 84,000 Dhammas. I have learned 82,000 Dhammas from the Buddha and 2,000 Dhammas from the monks."
"In this sense, the Dhammas and Disciplines in Buddhism are indeed numerous and diverse. It is not easy for us to study them to understand and appreciate them like Ananda, the great storehouse of Dhammas, and it is rare to practice them all thoroughly. However, we can study and practice the summary of Buddhism by studying only the Abhidhamma. 3 and a half verses or only the three precepts of the Buddha: 1. Not to commit any sins, 2. To fulfill all the merits and virtues, 3. To purify the mind to be good and pure. Which the Buddha explained in a short manner, is called having studied Buddhism well, practicing Buddhism properly. Because the Vinaya Pitaka that the Buddha prescribed as a precept is also to prevent the disciples from neglecting to commit sins, immoralities, and immorality according to their own will, that is, to guide the education of body and speech, so that the disciples do not use their bodies to commit evil deeds, or use their speech to utter evil words, which is saved in the first precept. It is the complete cessation of all evil deeds (virtue and evil thoughts) by the power of morality (education of body and speech). The Sutta Pitaka, which the Buddha preached to cultivate the mind to have faith, to do charity, to be ashamed of sin, to be ashamed of speech, to have the virtue of the monastery, the Sangha, and solidarity in society, etc., so that the disciples would love, appreciate, and understand the value of meritorious deeds, which were saved in the second Buddhadhava, namely meritorious deeds, to fulfill meritorious deeds to the full by the power of charity and meditation (education of the mind). The Abhidhamma Pitaka, which the Buddha preached about the supreme dharma (mind, consciousness, form, and nirvana) so that the disciples would have mindfulness. Samajnana: clearly seeing the truth through wisdom, purifying the mind from the defilements of defilements that are saved into the Buddhahood. The third is sacitta pariyotpanam, purifying the mind to be pure and clear (cultivating wisdom).
5. Question: How should Buddhists perform the Makha Bucha or perform the Makha Bucha ceremony?
Answer: If we look at the reasons for performing the Makha Bucha, we see that the proclamation of the teachings of the Buddha, which is considered the heart of Buddhism, is indeed very important. Buddhists and followers of Buddhism must know, that is, Buddhists must at least know the three Buddhahoods in order to establish their identity as Buddhists. Or Buddhists are those who believe and practice Buddhism. Therefore, Buddhists should take the heart of Buddhism and put it in their hearts, making it their own heart. In other words, Buddhists must study this Buddha-Moksha precept to remember, understand, and practice it thoroughly in their daily lives as Buddhists. Especially on this day of Makha Puja, in addition to offering flowers, candles, incense, and other offerings to the Buddha, they must also conduct a procession to spread compassion, nonviolence, and the peaceful path of the Buddha (as much as possible). Monks and monks perform ablutions, and perform penances (if possible). If there is one) sweep, rub, wash, prepare the monastery, the monks, the nuns, the nuns, the monks The Dhamma Sakyacha must gather the Buddhist monks in the Dhamma Sabha to discuss the Dhamma at this appropriate time. 3. The Kalen Samtho teaches the Buddhist monks to practice the Samthakamdhana, to focus their minds on the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, etc., in order to calm their minds and calm down the Dhamma at this appropriate time. 4. The Kalen Vipassana allows the Buddhist monks to practice Vipassana, study and practice the four meditations, etc. at this appropriate time. For a monastery that has established the practice of these four practices, that is very good. Any temple that has not yet practiced this should instruct its priests and laypeople to practice it at least on the days of the ordination and the days of sacrifice in Buddhism, in order to make offerings to the Buddha, which is an extremely good offering.
6. S. In particular, in Cambodia Krom, how do Khmer Krom Buddhists celebrate the Mekha Bucha Festival?
C. Buddhists in Cambodia Krom also celebrate the Mekha Bucha Festival like other Buddhists in the world.