Ok Phansa: Held on the day of the full moon in October, or the fifteenth day of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar, Ok Phansa is a celebration marking the end of the three month long Buddhist lent. In the morning, offerings are made at temples all around the country. In the evening, candle-lit processions are held around the temples. Also held on this same day, although secular, or non-religious, in nature, is Lai Heua Fai.

Phansa: During Buddhist Lent (Phansa), monks try to remain in temple meditating, never spending overnight at another temple, although they are permitted to come out under special circumstances. However, they won't hold ceremonies away from temple, which means no marriages, making the time just prior to lent marriage season in Laos.

The Five Buddhist Precepts: The Five Precepts of Buddhism are much like the Ten Commandments in Christianity and they are:

  1. No Killing of Any Living Being
  2. No Stealing
  3. No Sexual Misconduct
  4. No Lying
  5. No Consumption of Drugs or Alcohol

Although they are supposed to live their lives by the Five Buddhist Precepts, Buddhist practitioners may choose to be a bit more vigilant during lent, when they abstain from drinking and eat only vegetarian meals. The devout also take alms to the temple and present them to the monks there, rather than having the monks travel to their houses to collect the alms. Doing so prevents the need for the monks to leave the temple. However, not receiving sufficient food is one of the special circumstances that allows monks to leave the temple during lent.