Page 24 - CEFR Infographics by RTNLC Miscellaneous

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The people’s faith in Buddhism is reflected in many rituals (พิธีกรรมทางศาสนา)
and festivals passed on from generation to generation. Among them is the
candle festival (ประเพณแห่เทยนพรรษา), which is celebrated to mark the start of the
ี
ี
Buddhist Lent as a tribute to the Buddhist Triple Gem (พระรัตนตรัย).

During the three-month period, which is in the rainy season in Thailand,
Buddhist monks and novices stay in the temple to study and practice Dhamma
(ศกษาพระธรรมคาสอน) and do not stay overnight (คางแรม) at any other places. The
้
ํ
ึ
custom for monks to spend the three months of the rainy season in a fixed
place has been observed since the time of the Buddha. In those days,
unnecessary travel by monks during this period could damage young
seedlings planted by villagers.

Due to the pandemic (การระบาดใหญ), it might not be suitable for Thais to make
่
merit (ทาบญ) at the local temples as we usually do. As a result, we would like to
ุ
ํ
encourage you to do another way of merit making such as donation.

Donation (การบริจาค) is one of the best ways of merit-making. As in Buddhism,
Buddhists believe that giving serves as a way to eliminate (กาจัด) our greed
ํ
ุ
(ความโลภ) and ill-will (ความม่งร้าย ) and also to reduce attachment (ลดความยึดมั น
ถอมั น).
ื

Now, more than ever, health workers need our support. Healthcare systems
are overwhelmed (เกนจะรับไหว). Hospitals and healthcare charities are doing all
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they can to ensure they can care for all COVID-19 patients as the number of
infected patients (ผู้ตดเชื อ) are continued to rise and there’s no sign of it
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stopping just yet.