Thais flock to temples for Asarnha Bucha | Bangkok Post: learning

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Buddhist devotees throughout Thailand flocked to temples Thursday to offer alms to monks as they marked Asarnha Bucha Day.

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Streams of light surround an ancient ubosot as worshippers circle Wat Maheayong in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district in Ayutthaya last night to mark Asarnha Bucha Day—the day Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. THITI WANNAMONTHA

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Thais flock to temples for Asarnha Bucha

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Buddhist devotees throughout Thailand flocked to temples Thursday to offer alms to monks as they marked Asarnha Bucha Day.

This year's festivities held a profoundly meaningful significance to every Buddhist as they marked the 2,600th anniversary of Buddhajayanti, Buddha's Enlightenment.

Buddhists pour liquid wax in moulds at a candle-making ceremony at Wat Saket in Bangkok’s Pomprap Sattruphai district. APICHART JINAKUL

In Bangkok, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration staged an event to encourage Bangkok residents to present books to monks as offerings so the books would be distributed to a Bangkok library to promote literature, learning and create a better reading culture in society.

Deputy Bangkok governor Thaya Theepsuwan, said she would like to see other provinces staging similar events where people offered books as part of their merit-making during every religious festival.

Tambon Khung Payom residents in Ratchaburi’s Ban Pong district present a giant spotlight to monks at Wat Pho Banlang in the district. The locals believe giving lighting equipment to the temple will brighten up their lives. SUNANT OCHAKAJORN

In Ratchaburi, many Buddhists adorned temples with light bulbs and even electrical appliances to symbolise electricity as a source of energy and prosperity.

Authorities in Lampang, meanwhile, launched campaigns to persuade Buddhists to refrain from drinking alcohol and to do only good deeds.

A tourist poses with a carved statue candle resembling Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during a candle procession ceremony in Nakhon Ratchasima. The work is inspired by a scene from the Titanic movie. PRASIT TANGPRASERT

In Tak, both Thais and Karen living in the border town of Mae Sot went to offer alms to monks at temples despite heavy downpours in the morning.

Some temples there organised meditation sessions for devotees.

In violence-plagued Yala in the South, security was beefed up at several temples where Buddhists came to offer alms to monks in the morning.

The temples later staged candlelight processions (wian tian) around the ubosot (the holiest prayer room) during daylight hours, a ritual which is usually carried out in the evening to cap off activities, as a safety measure for temple goers.

Buddhists in the southern province of Yala attend a candle-lit ceremony, which is usually held at night, in broad daylight because of safety fears. MUHAMMAD AYUB PATTAN

In Nong Khai, residents were out early to give alms to monks at Wat Phochai, which is under royal patronage, in Muang district.

In nearby Mukdahan province, shops were crowded with Buddhist devotees who came to buy candles and incense sticks, as well as new robes for monks before heading to temples.

Today marks the beginning of Buddhist Lent (Khao Pansa) in Thailand.

stream – to cause a continuous flow of something, in this case, light ไหลต่อเนื่อง
surround – to be everywhere around someone/something; encircle ล้อมรอบ
ancient – very old ที่เก่าแก่ ที่โบราณ
worshipper – someone who is showing love and respect for God, especially during a religious ceremony or prayer ผู้นับถือ,ผู้สักการะบูชา, ผู้สวดมนตร์
mark – to show respect for or to remember ระลึกถึง
sermon – a talk on a moral or religious subject, usually given by a religious leader during a service การเทศนา
flock – to go somewhere in large numbers; to gather together in large numbers แห่กันไป
devotee – a very religious person who belongs to a particular group; a person who admires and is very enthusiastic about somebody/something ผู้มีใจศรัทธา,ผู้อุทิศตัวกับ,ผู้หมกมุ่นใน
alms – food, money, and other items that are given to Buddhist monks;  money, clothes and food that are given to poor people ของทำบุญ ของบริจาค
festivities – the parties, meals and other social activities with which people celebrate a special occasion การเฉลิมฉลอง
profound – felt or experienced very strongly or in an extreme way ลึกซึ้ง
significance – importance; the importance that something has because it affects other things ความสำคัญ
anniversary – a date when you celebrate something that happened in a previous year that is important to you วันครบรอบ
enlightenment – knowledge about and understanding of something; the process of understanding something or making somebody understand it     การให้ความรู้,การทำให้กระจ่าง, การตรัสรู้, ความเห็นแจ้ง
mould – a container that you pour a liquid or soft substance into, which then becomes solid in the same shape as the container, for example when it is cooled or cooked  แม่พิมพ์
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) – the local government of Bangkok กรุงเทพมหานคร
stage – to organise an event or activity จัด
encourage – to cause someone to want to do something กระตุ้น ให้การสนับสนุน
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
distribute – to give something out to many different places  แจกจ่าย
literature – pieces of writing or printed information on a particular subject  งานประพันธ์, งานวรรณกรรม, งานเขียน
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
similar – like somebody/something but not exactly the same คล้ายกัน
merit-making – doing good things according to religious beliefs การทำบุญ
locals – people who live in a particular place ชาวบ้าน
adorn – to make something/somebody look more attractive by decorating it or them with something ตกแต่ง, ประดับ
appliance – a machine or piece of equipment that you have in your home, for example a washing machine or refrigerator  เครื่องใช้
symbolise – to represent something; to be a symbol of something เป็นสัญลักษณ์, เป็นเครื่องแสดง
source – the place or person something comes from or starts at, or the cause of something ต้นกำเนิด, แหล่งกำเนิด
prosperity – the situation of being successful and having a lot of money ความมั่งคั่ง ความเจริญรุ่งเรือง
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
launch – to start something เปิดโครงการ, เริ่มต้น, เริ่มทำ
campaign – a series of actions intended to produce political or social change การรณรงค์, การกระทำการหรือวางแผนเพื่อให้บรรลุตามเป้าหมาย
persuade – to make someone agree to do something by giving them reasons why they should โน้มน้าวใจ เกลี้ยกล่อม
refrain – to stop yourself from doing something ระงับ เลิก
deed – something that someone does การกระทำ
pose – to stay in a particular position in order to be photographed วางท่าถ่ายรูป
carved – cut from something like stone, wood, or in this case, wax   แกะสลัก
resemble – to be like or look like someone or something else มีลักษณะคล้ายกับ
inspire – to give someone the idea for a piece of work ทำให้เกิด บันดาลใจให้
border – the official line separating two areas, regions or countries  เขตแดน อาณาเขต
downpour –a lot of rain in a short time ฝนตกหนักมาก, พายุฝน
meditation – the practice of thinking deeply in silence, especially for religious reasons or in order to make your mind calm การทำสมาธิ, วิปัสสนา
session – a period of time that is spent doing a particular activity
violence – physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง, การใช้กำลังทำลาย
plague – to cause a lot of problems for someone or something for a long period of time ทำให้ยุ่งยากมานาน
security – protection; systems providing for safety from attack, harm, or damage ระบบรักษาความปลอดภัย
beef up – to strengthen เสริมกำลัง
ritual – a formal ceremony พิธีการ
cap off – to finish a series of events
measure – a firm action taken to solve a problem or stop a dangerous unpleasant situation มาตราการ
patronage – a system of help or protection given to people, often in return for their support   ระบบอุปถัมภ์
incense – a substance that produces a pleasant smell when you burn it, used particularly in religious ceremonies  ธูป,กำยาน,เครื่องหอม

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