Asalha Bucha Day [วันอาสาฬหบูชา: wan aa-săan-hà buu-chaa] marks the day when the Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon known as “Dhammachakkappavattanasutta” (ธัมมจักกัปปวัตนสูตร) which he preached to five ascetics at Benares in India over 2,500 years ago, as result all of them attained enlightenment and was ordained by the Buddha as the first ever Buddhist monks. Hence, the origin of Buddhist monks, we see wearing orange color saffron.
It falls on the full moon day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar year, generally in July.
Buddhists participate in the ceremonies by performing a variety of Buddhist activities at the temples, mainly merit-making ceremonies. They offer food and alms to monks, give donations, listen to sermons, and observe the Five Precepts or the Eight Precepts. Some practice meditationม some more devout ones also practice renunciation by wearing white robes and staying in the temple for a number of days. They chant prayers, abstain from all kinds of immoral acts, and try to have their mind purified.