Buddhist calendar

High school (ages 12+)
Holidays & Celebrations

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/buddhist-calendar

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the calendar type?Lunisolar, based on ancient Indian astronomical principles with regional adaptations
2. What is the key function?Determines the timing of Theravada Buddhist festivals, monastic observances, and auspicious dates
3. Why do Buddhist calendars add extra months?A year of 12 moon months is about 11 days shorter than a solar year. Adding an extra month keeps the calendar in sync with the seasons.
4. Where are Buddhist calendars used?They are used in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Tibet, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Sidereal Year: The time it takes the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun relative to the fixed stars.
Synodic Month: The period of approximately 29.53 days from one new moon to the next.
Intercalary Month (Adhikamasa): An extra month added periodically to a lunisolar calendar to keep it aligned with the solar year.