Thailand is celebrating the Visakha Puja Festival on a grand scale to mark the holiest day in Buddhism, which this year falls on May 12. Since the country is also celebrating the 60th anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej?s accession to the throne, the Visakha Puja Festival is meant to honor His Majesty on this auspicious occasion as well. Religious ceremonies have been arranged to offer best wishes to His Majesty.
A devout Buddhist, His Majesty is a model of Dhammaraja, or the king of righteousness, strictly upholding Buddhist principles. Throughout the 60 years of his reign, he has adhered to the ?Ten Guiding Principles,? which are defined as the virtues of a righteous ruler. The first principle advises giving help to those who need help. The second principle calls on the people to refrain from doing evil things. The third one is that people should give up something of lesser use for something of greater use.
The fourth principle teaches people to be honest, while the fifth one is that people should be polite in action as well as speech. The sixth principle advises perseverance, and the seventh one advises non-anger. The eighth principle advises not creating troubles for other people, either directly or indirectly. The ninth principle involves endurance or patience, while the tenth one teaches that people should not do what they know to be wrong.
His Majesty also suggested that Thai people follow the ?Middle Way,? as found in the philosophy of ?Sufficiency Economy?, initiated by His Majesty. The Middle Way is one of the main ideas of Buddhism. Those who follow it avoid the two extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification, and live in a balanced life in which material welfare and spiritual being go hand in hand and are complementary to each other. Sufficiency Economy suggests an appropriate model for conduct in every aspect of life without extravagance and destruction of the environment.
Visakha Puja, or the Day of Vesak, has been celebrated internationally as a significant event after the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly in December 1999. As part of the Visakha Puja Festival this year, Thailand is hosting the third International Buddhist Conference on the United Nations Day of Vesak from May 7-10 at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok.
The opening ceremony took place on May 7 at Buddhamonthon in Nakhon Pathom, with Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana presiding over the ceremony. More than 1,000 Buddhist leaders from over 40 countries are attending the conference. This event is aimed at promoting Dhamma practice for world peace and disseminating the proper teachings of the Buddha. It is also intended to boost cooperation and unity among Buddhists all over the world through various activities, such as discussions, religious ceremonies, and the community lifestyle.
