Khao Pansa at Wat Saphanthongtai in Vientiane, Part 1

The Buddhist holiday Khao Phansa falls on the day after the full moon on the eighth lunar month (July) and is an important religious event. Monks take up permanent residences for the next three months and many males choose to enter the monkhood during this time. With the fields all planted and rain falling most every day, what better time for teaching, studying and religious contemplation?

Khao Pansa originates from Buddhism's early origins in India when people stayed in permanent dwellings during the rainy season to avoid stepping on and destroying newly-planted seeds. The tradition was carried over to Laos in the Lord Buddha's teachings and continues to this day.

Asanlaha Bucha Day, also known as Buddhist Lent, falls on the day before Khao Pansa (on the full moon) and marks the day of the Lord Buddha's first sermon after obtaining enlightenment. Buddhist Lent lasts as long as the rains retreat (three months) and during this time, many will choose to give up smoking, drinking alcohol or other forms of inappropriate behavior as a symbol of their faith. Laymen also spend more time listening to sermons at temples and in meditation during this highly religious period.

As part of the celebration beautiful and ornate candles of all shapes and sizes and made out of beeswax will be donated to the temples by institutions and individuals alike. Besides serving the practical purpose of lighting the temple and the monks' sleeping area, the candles are also symbolic: they represent not only an illuminated room but also an illuminated mind. Candlelit processions take place all over the country at night. People walk with lotus buds, joss sticks and candle held in prayer-like fashion around the temple three times before setting these offerings down on the temple altars; a beautiful sight to behold indeed!

During these holidays, laymen give more financial and/or physical support to their temple. Besides offering candles, new robes, food and other basic supplies are also brought to the monasteries. It is a time of spiritual vigor. A change takes place in Laos. Almost everywhere you look people are preparing food, purchasing candles, toting gifts, the Lao women and girls dressing up in their best sinhs and heading towards the temples.

This video was taken two years ago at my neighborhood temple across the street from a house I used to rent for five years.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Laos
• Vientiane
• wat
• monks
• Khao Pan sa
• festival

[peterlaos]

I rented a house across the street from the wat for about five years so I feel very attached to this wat. My wife's aunt and her sister live in the same village so we visit the wat every year when we go to Laos. This is the first part of a three part series I took that day and we took the video about two years ago. We will be going back to Laos again in June and July

[sengoku17]

This is truly a beautiful wat, seeing the authenticity and Buddhism strong makes my faith much stronger, thanks for sharing

[sengoku17]

very nice video! are you visiting?