Makha Bucha Day is a Buddhists holiday, celebrated on the full moon of the third lunar month in the Buddhist calendar. Makha is the name of the third lunar month and Bacha is the act of worshiping the Buddha. In Cambodia faithful Buddhists celebrate Makha Bucha day by gather in local temples to honor the Buddha and his teachings and to participate in traditional religious ceremonies.
The origin of Makha Bucha comes from an event that occurred nine month after the Enlightenment of Buddha when 1 250 of Buddha’s followers gathered without prior notice and listened to the Buddha. At this event Buddha elaborated on some of his most important teachings and laid down the three main principles of his religion, which are: 1. Give up evil and refrain from sinning, 2.Cultivate good, and 3. Cleanse one’s mind. This event is believed to have taken place on the full moon of the third lunar month.
The date of Makha Bucha Day changes from year to year since it follows the Buddhist calendar that is astrological in nature.