Dharma Day is a special event for the Buddhist people. This day celebrates the first teaching of
Buddha, given to his five disciples at a park in Sarnath, near
Varanasi in
Uttar Pradesh. This teaching marked the beginning of
Buddhism. The festival is observed on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month, which comes around July. It is also called Ashala Puja.
On the Dharma day, Buddhist scriptures are read with full veneration. The reader reflects on the thoughts expressed by these scriptures. The religious leaders share their knowledge with each other on this day. The festival is usually celebrated in Buddhist temples or monasteries, in the presence of the monks and nuns.
