Salakabhat in Lanna

Abstract

This research has two objectives: 1. to study the history of the Salakabhat in Buddhism and 2. to study the history of the Salakabhat in Lanna.
This is a documentary research. The research results found that the word “Salakabhat” means food offered to monks by drawing lots to count as part of the offerings because it is an offering to monks in general, not specifically to any particular monk. The history of the Salakabhat began since the time of the Buddha and has been practiced until the present. In Lanna, it is popular to organize the tradition at the end of the Buddhist Lent, around the end of August to October, in order to create love and unity among people in the community and nearby villages, as well as to dedicate merit to parents and relatives who have passed away to show gratitude. In addition, the donors usually dedicate the merit to themselves because they believe that when they pass away from this world and are reborn in another world, they will receive the things they have dedicated while they are still alive. And it is considered a donation that has great merit from Salakabhat.