On 3 March 2026, Venerable Phrakrusamu Sanitwong Wuttiwangso, director of Communication Department, Wat Phra Dhammakaya, said that Magha Puja Day 2026 was on the full moon day of the fourth lunar month, marking the 56th foundation anniversary of Wat Phra Dhammakaya. The temple organized meritorious activities, for example, the mass meditation and lunch offering to monastic community in the late morning at Dhammakaya Assembly Hall.
In the afternoon, there was the presentation ceremony of 22 trophies of the 43th International Morals and Ethics Contest (IMEC) including the royal trophy of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and the trophies of committee members of Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand and leaders of religious organizations, followed by the presentation of 3 trophies of the 18th Morality Revival Quality Awarding Ceremony and the presentation of 21 trophies of the 19th World-PEC to schools and Buddhist organizations within Thailand and from abroad. The officials from government sectors and leaders of Buddhist organizations brought and/or presented the trophies to students at Dhammakaya Assembly Hall and Pathum Thani Governor Ekavit Mi-Pian received an honor to bring the award. The evening session was the lighting of over 200,000 lanterns to commemorate the event on Magha Puja Day.
In the ceremony, there were more than 50,000 Buddhists and representatives from Buddhist organizations in 19 countries, such as U.S.A, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Myanmar Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands and Sri Lanka. Over 2,000 Nepalis also joined this ceremony on Magha Puja Day.
“Magha Puja Day means the worship on the full moon day of the third lunar month on occasion that the Lord Buddha delivered a sermon called “Ovada Patimokkha” for the first time including goals, principles and methodologies to access the essence of Buddhism to 1,250 Arahants or the enlightened monks, who came to see Lord Buddha without any prior arrangement at Veḷuvana near Rājagaha (present Rajgir in northern India) and all Arahants were ordained by the Lord Buddha. These four factors caused Cāturaṅgasannipāta Day or Fourfold Assembly Day. The main principles of “Ovada Patimokkha” are 1 Abstaining from all misdeeds. 2.Doing only good deeds. 3.Purifying one’s mind by practicing meditation. They are the guidelines for laypeople to live their life peacefully,” Venerable Phrakrusamu Sanitwong added.
