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Theravada Buddhist Festival

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Imprints of Theravada Buddhism are manifested not only in outward signs but also in the content of the festival, making the traditional festival more meaningfull. The festivals are often associated with a story, legend or an event relating to Theravada Buddhism, creating a rich spiritual consciousness.
Khmer people in the Mekong River delta regard life as opportunities for building up merit and grace by doing good deeds, so the festival is a chance for prayers, offerings and charities. Thus, the festival is not just for fun and entertainment but also an opportunity for people to express the desire to live honestly. Thus, in the festivities, people are not afraid of making a costly offering to the temple in a requiem, however poor they are. The rituals are usually attached to a Buddhist legend and certain purpose, and although Khmer youth today do not pay enough attention to the content of the legend, they regard it as a required element in a Khmer festival.
Apart from Buddhist festivals, folk festivals (also known as "Pithi") such as the New Year celebration, death anniversaries of ancestors, water festival, moon festival, boat-race festival ... show deep imprints of Buddhism. Therefore, we can say, most of the Khmer festivals are religious …show more content…

Therefore, the study of imprints of Theravada Buddhism in the traditional culture of the Khmer could not be carried out without studying their lifestyle. Right in this lifestyle we can see the most vivid and closest expressions of Theravada Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism has not only left great impacts on perceptions of life, but also had its mark in the code of conduct between man with nature, community and himself.
The great majority of men spent a certain time in temples, so when returning to the community life they were also carrying values of Buddhism into daily life, contributing to the formation of a own lifestyle of the ethnic

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