Bangkok: Dan Mae Kham Man: Buddhists in Dan Mae Kham Man Subdistrict, Laplae District, Uttaradit Province, have come together to decorate the sala of Dan Mae Kham Man Temple in an effort to preserve the ancient tradition of offering four-tiered robes, a practice dating back to the time of the Buddha.
According to Thai News Agency, the people of Dan Mae Kham Man Subdistrict are committed to keeping this tradition alive by recreating activities from the Buddha's era. They utilized local wisdom to craft four elephants by weaving bamboo into frames, filling them with kapok, and covering them with blankets painted to resemble white and black elephants. A palanquin was placed atop each elephant to recall the splendor of ancient times. Each monk robe was placed with offerings that included alms bowls, the eight requisites essential for monks, and four Tung Jais woven with vibrant yarn.
The ceremony saw four monks invited to the pulpit, where Buddhists presented the four robes. After the robes were considered, the monks donned them as offered by the devotees before delivering a sermon. The temple's sala featured sacred threads, and candles were lit in a holy water jar. Devotees illuminated 100 holy water candles, a ritual believed to prolong life, ward off illness, and ensure prosperity.
Mr. Suwet Mokham, the village headman of Village No. 5, explained that the tradition began during the Buddha's time when four monks, returning from receiving scriptures, were offered four elephants, robes, horses, and essentials by a wealthy man in the city of Siwirat. This offering led to light shining through to Indra, believed to stem from the man's generosity. The tradition has been passed down through the Lanna people during the fourth and sixth months, known as offering four Jum robes in the northern dialect.
The offering of four robes is considered an act of great merit, surpassing that of Kathin robes. The community has revived and developed this tradition over the past three years to prevent it from fading away.