Khmer New Year celebration Episode 06

For over 2,500 years. When he became enlightened, he declared that the Tathagata had ceased to be involved in the cycle of birth and death (samsara), a trap that the Brahmans had created to deceive and oppress the common people (that is, to attain Nirvana). He forbade his disciples to make any images, or to worship his body or remains, as the Brahmans did with the incarnations of their gods, because his body or remains had no substance for the worshipper. The Buddha had already attained enlightenment as an Arahant, that is, he had become a person who had completely separated himself from all material things that were created or made from the things of this world; He is no longer bound by the hatred, love, or praise of ordinary people. Furthermore, the Buddha has also passed away, meaning that he no longer has the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, body, and mind) that can perceive the taste of all things like a living person. Why do most people continue to sing his praises, still worship him with candles and incense, still make offerings to him, continue to ask for his forgiveness, still collect and offer sacrifices to his burnt bones? All these are remnants of Brahmanical practices, from which living people have benefited a little bit. These are not tasks for the dead, because the dead have no pain, hunger, desire, or objects to receive, just like a dead cow that cannot get up and eat the straw and water that the farmer puts in front of it.

The Buddha's Prayer

After completing the tasks, the abbot recites a prayer and offers offerings to the gods and Yama, who always oversee the affairs of the world, to ask for forgiveness for past sins, to ask for forgiveness, to ask for the cessation of karma, to ask for the cessation of suffering, and to ask for eternal happiness. After the abbot offered his blessings to the departed, including parents, grandparents, and all his friends. The next day, the Buddhist monks gathered together. The abbot began the process of worshiping the Buddha and performing the precepts at the Dhamma Hall. Then, they counted the bowls and continued until all those who had the means had finished. When the counting of the bowls was finished, they went to the Sand Mountain with candles, incense, and flowers in their hands. The abbot began the ceremony at the Sand Mountain as in the evening. At the same time, the monks chanted the Buddhist mantras for blessings and good fortune at the Dhamma Hall. The abbot continued the ceremony outside the mountain, crossing the pond and performing the ritual of destroying the mountain, saying: “I am destroying this stone pagoda now,” meaning that it is no longer considered a pagoda. Whoever destroys it will not be sinful. They go to the temple to pay their respects to the monks. In the afternoon, they gather to pay homage to the Buddha and listen to the monks giving sermons. The program continues, they clean the Buddha image and scatter flowers and spray incense (sang preah). This is a religious ceremony.

Khmer New Year Festival

Khmer New Year is a traditional national festival that people in Cambodia always celebrate every year. In the Khmer New Year festival, there are the following arrangements: The New Year festival is held for 3 days, on the 13th, 14th, or 15th of April because it is the season when the Khmer people have free time from harvesting rice and other agricultural crops. Before celebrating the New Year for one or two days, Cambodian people usually clean, decorate their homes, and prepare various items to welcome the New Year’s deity. On the first day of the Khmer New Year, which in Cambodian tradition is called Sankranti. At that time, Cambodian people who follow Buddhism prepare a place to welcome the New Year’s deity with various decorations and colorful lights in their homes. The decorations include: water with flowers, 5 candles, 5 incense sticks, flowers, drinks, and many snacks, fruits, etc. Then they will make offerings with incense and candles at their homes. When the time comes, the New Year gods will descend to bestow blessings and prosperity on them so that they will have peace and happiness throughout the year. On the second day of the Khmer New Year, which is called Varakornbat, people go to the temples to bring food, bread, and fruits to the monks. In addition, there are also folk games such as throwing a bamboo pole, throwing a bamboo pole, hiding a scarf, and singing and dancing traditional songs at the temples and in various regions of Cambodia. The third day is the end of the Khmer New Year celebrations, called Varak Hoi Sak or the Day of the Cross. On that day, people often hold a ceremony to pour water on Buddha statues at temples to ask for good luck, and it is also the end of the Khmer New Year celebrations.

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