The three most important holy days of the year for Thai Buddhists all include the word “Puja” which means to pay homage. Asanha Puja commemorates the day the Lord Buddha preached his first sermon. Makha Puja marks both the occasion when 1,350 of the Buddha’s disciples gathered without prior notice and listened to the Buddha elaborate some of his most important teachings in a sermon, As well as the day he foresaw his own death and attainment of Nibbana (Nirvana).