Asalha Month

Asalha Puja is a Theravada Buddhist observance which typically takes place in July, on the full moon of the eighth lunar month (July 11 or 12, 2014, depending on location). Asalha Puja, also known as Dharma Day, is one of Theravada Buddhism’s most important observance, as it does the Buddha’s first sermon in which he set out to his five former associates the doctrine that the Buddha discovered leading to his enlightenment.This first pivotal sermon, often referred to as “setting into motion the wheel of dharma,” is the teaching which is encapsulated for Buddhists in the four noble truths: there is suffering (dukkha); suffering is caused by craving (tanha); there is a state (nibbana) beyond suffering and craving; and finally, the way to nibbana is via the eightfold path.Go here for the first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta SN 56.11 ... www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.nymo.html- Posted by CFFong