Kathina
Kathina is a festival month between the day after the full moon in October
lasting through the full moon of November. Kathina occurs at the end
of the Vassa, the three-month rains retreat also called “Phansa” in Thai.
At traditional Theravadin monasteries, monks have observed the Vassa
as a period of intensive training in both meditation and study of the
Dhamma-Vinaya, the sermons of Lord Buddha and the body of Buddhist literature
pertaining to training and discipline. The time of Kathina is when lay-followers
can make special offerings of robe-cloth and other requisites, to see
that the basic needs of the monks are met. The origin of the Kathina is found in the Pali scriptures. It tells us
that when a group of thirty bhikkhu’s were traveling together, intending
to spent the Vassa with the Buddha, they were delayed and had to end
their travels and retreat elsewhere. At the ending of Vassa they continued
on to meet the Buddha. When Lord Buddha heard of their disappointment,
he decided to give a special kindness of allowing them to roam the countryside
to collect robe-cloth for one month. It is in this mood
of generosity and sharing that the present Kathina tradition is observed.
The word "kathina" means wooden frame,
referring to the devise used to assemble pieces of cloth together to
be stitched into a monks robe. When the robe-cloth is gathered, the
monks are to make it into a robe to give to one of their congregation
who has
been recognized as having practiced well during the Vassa retreat.
The monks cannot request kathina, so this is a ceremony that is entirely
up to the initiative of lay-followers. However, the Buddha suggested
that the robe-cloth be offered to the entire congregation of bhikkhu’s,
not to just one in particular, so that the bhikkhu sangha could decide
upon which of their number deserved the robe. The cloth offered must
be at least three meters, enough to make one of the main robes, and
must
be assembled before dawn the following day. The entire congregation
will take part in the assembly.
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