Bon Om Touk and the Spirit of Giving
In Khmer Buddhist tradition It is believed the Buddha was once a rabbit who sacrificed himself to feed a hungry old man, who was actually the god Indra in disguise.
To honor the rabbit's virtue, Indra painted the rabbit's image on the moon. This story is often told during the Bon Om Touk (Moon Festival) in Cambodia.
Our connection to the Rabbit Buddha:
The last time I was In Cambodia, My friend Vichet hosted a farewell dinner a few nights before we left the country.
That night, My friend Vichet told me the story of the rabbit buddha.
“Sometimes I am working late at night. Lonely!” exclaimed Vichet. “I look at the sky. I see the full moon. I think about my friends in many countries. Germany. Portugal. Spanish. Australia. Canada too.
if you look at the moon at night, do not forget me. I am looking at the moon too. we are all looking at the same moon.”
We just concluded our first event, Little Friends: Amigos Pequenos, Where we pledged to donate 10% of our gross merchandise sales to Vichet and Sour-lay, two Khmer men working tirelessly to elevate their families to a safer and more comfortable lifestyle.
We are still selling merch at the rEvolver Festival (ending June 1st). Once the festival concludes, we plan to document our donation, as well as include other options on this page to donate to this worthy cause. Our goal is to set aside 10% of all merchandise sales in perpetuity, in order to provide a much needed, consistent stream of revenue for two khmer families that struggle to lift themselves out of poverty.
