The text describes the making of candles for the rainy season and offering them to monasteries on the Buddhist Lent day (van khao phansa). After making the candles, the Buddhists take them in procession to a monastery so that the monks can light them during their Buddhist Lent period (or the rain retreat) for three months. In the past there was no electricity, candles were thus needed to light, especially during Buddhist religious ceremonies such as chanting. The merit gained by those who donated candles to the monks in the monasteries is becoming knowledgeable, clever, wise, and bright like the light of the candles.
Colophon:
Folio 8 on the recto side: In BE 2515, a tao chai year, on the ninth day of the waning moon of the eighth [lunar] month, a Tuesday, at 10.00 o’clock, [the writing was finished]. Pha Phui Thiracitta Thera, the abbot of Vat Pha Maha That Rajabovoravihan, and the Chao Khana Tasaeng of Vat That (the ecclesiastical head of the sub-district of Vat That), the district and province of Luang Prabang, had the most ardent religious faith to sponsor the making of this manuscript entitled Anisòng kan lò thian khao vatsa (the merit derives from making big candles for the Buddhist Lent) to support the Teachings of Gotama Buddha to last until the end of 5000 years. May the benefits derived from this merit bethe condition for us to reach Nirvana in the future. Nibbāna paccayo hotu no niccaṃ dhuvaṃ paramaṃ sukkhaṃ (May this be a condition for us to reach Nirvana which is the greatest bliss, constantly and certainly).
Item 1 - Title in Native script:
ອານິສົງຫຼໍ່ທຽນເຂົ້າພັນສາ
Item 1 - Title in Roman script:
Ānisaṃsa Lò Thian Khao Bansā
Item 1 - Title in English script:
The merit derived from making candles for the Buddhist Lent