Asalha Puja: Celebrating the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma

Post submitted by Akshita, one of our Student Experience Ambassadors

Asalha Puja (20 July 2024), also known as Dharma Day, is one of the most significant Buddhist holidays, celebrated annually on the full moon day of the eighth lunar month, typically in July. This day marks the Buddha’s first sermon, which set the wheel of Dharma in motion over 2,500 years ago.

Asalha Puja commemorates the Buddha’s first teaching at Deer Park in Sarnath, India, where he shared the Four Noble Truths with his five disciples. This pivotal moment, known as the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, laid the foundation for Buddhist teachings and practice.

Buddhists around the world observe Asalha Puja with deep reverence and joy. Temples are filled with devotees offering flowers, incense, and candles, symbolising the light of wisdom dispelling the darkness of ignorance. Monks chant scriptures and give sermons, while others engage in meditation, listen to teachings and reflect on the Dharma’s profound truths.

In Thailand, Asalha Puja is a public holiday marked by vibrant ceremonies and processions. Devotees participate in the “wien tien” ritual, walking around the temple three times with candles in hand, representing the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. It’s a time for renewing commitment to the teachings and deepening one’s practice.

Asalha Puja is also the start of the annual three-month rains retreat, or Vassa, during which monks stay in their monasteries to meditate and study intensively. Lay people support them by providing food and other necessities, strengthening the bonds between the monastic and lay communities.

This sacred day is an opportunity for Buddhists to reflect on the Buddha’s teachings and their relevance in modern life. The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path offer timeless guidance for overcoming suffering and achieving inner peace.

As we celebrate Asalha Puja, let us embrace the wisdom of the Buddha’s first sermon and strive to incorporate its teachings into our daily lives. May the light of Dharma continue to illuminate our paths, bringing peace, compassion and understanding to all.