Precious Traditions and Ways of Life |51
Sart Duan Sib
The Tenth Lunar Month Festival
Dedicating Merit to Ancestors
Thailand has a tradition to express gratitude and reverence, which is the foundation of ancient
Thai virtues, especially to ancestors and benefactors. Although they have passed away, but the descendants
still give importance and always keep them in mind. As obviously seen from the Sart Duan Sib Festival (Tenth
Lunar Month Festival) of the Southern Thai Buddhists. It is the successive tradition held every year. The purpose
is to make merit dedicated to ancestors who passed away.
From the Buddhist beliefs that if the ancestors had done good deeds when they were still alive, they
will be reborn in heaven. But, if not, they will be fallen to hell as evils or become hungry ghosts (Pret/Preta).
Hungry ghosts are suffered and rely on merit dedicated by descendants to stay alive. They are only released to
the human world once a year on the first day of the 10th lunar month to seek merit from descendants. On that
day, Southern Thai Buddhists arrange the Hmrub Lek ceremony (The sound of M and R is diphthong following
the Southern Thai dialects) or the day of welcoming grandparents for descendants to make merit dedicated to
relatives who may be born into hungry ghosts. Afterwards, on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, is called
the day of Hmrub Yai (The great day or the ceremonial day). They bring a plate of food and supplies to make
offerings to monks at temples and perform religious ceremonies such as laying down a funeral robe, to dedicate
merit to ancestors and relatives. It is believed that making merit on that day is extremely important. If they
do not perform the rituals on that day, their ancestors and relatives who passed away will not receive merit.
They will continue to be suffered and hungry, while the living descendants will become ungrateful.
• “Hmrub” is arranged to make
offerings to monks as for dedicating
merit to ancestors in the Tenth Lunar
Month Festival.