Visakha Bucha Day - A Teetotaler's Dream
Visakha Bucha Day in Thailand: Buddha's Birthday, Enlightenment, and Death. Also, No Alcohol?! So, you're in Thailand, ready to party, and suddenly bars refuse to serve cocktails, 7-Eleven won't sell you a Singha, and everyone's walking in circles around temples holding candles like it's some kind of spiritual conga line. Welcome to Visakha Bucha Day , the holiest of holy Buddhist holidays where the Buddha did his greatest hits: born, enlightened, and peace'd out, all on the same full moon day. Efficiency! What Even Is Visakha Bucha Day? Picture this: 2,600 years ago, Prince Siddhartha (future Buddha) was born, then 35 years later, while sitting under a tree had the ultimate "aha!" moment (enlightenment), and 45 years after that, he left this mortal coil (but in a chill, Nirvana way). All three events happened on the same lunar calendar date, which is either the universe's best scheduling or the biggest cosmic coincidence. Either way, Buddhist...