The Significance of the Kaá¹hina Robe Offering Ceremony
Buddhistdoor International Venerable BD Dipananda 2013-10-31
The three-month rains-retreat seclusion of Buddhist Saá¹…gha concludes with the pavÄ�raṇÄ� (invitation) ceremony, which is in turn followed by Kaá¹hina robe offering festival. It is a traditional ceremony and ancient custom mostly found in the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Today, the Kaá¹hina robe offering is a large, annual festival where Buddhists get together and celebrate the day by offering monastics gifts, such as robes and alms.
Kaá¹hina means “hard”, “stiff”, “difficult”, etc. The word Kaá¹hina denotes a cloth offered to the monks annually after the end of the rains-retreat (vassÄ�vÄ�sa). It also refers to a wooden frame used by the monks in sewing their robes. However, the word mostly denotes the robe, cÄ«vara in pali, known as Kaá¹hina cÄ«vara. The character of the material used symbolizes the cÄ«vara, which is one of the four requisites of a monk. The Kaá¹hina robe is offered to the monastic Saá¹…gha by lay followers. Apart from the lay followers, monks, nuns and novices also can offer to the Buddhist Saá¹…gha.
The historical background of the Kaá¹hina robe offering is mentioned in theVinaya Pitaka. While the Buddha was dwelling at JetavanaVihar in Shravasti, a group of thirty monks visited the Buddha after the three-month rains-retreat. The Buddha asked them about their retreat and noticed their worn out robes. It is said that at the time, monks used to wear sewn pieces of cloth collected from different places such as cemeteries, streets, rubbish-heaps, etc.To rectify this, the Buddha granted permission to celebrate the Kaá¹hina ceremony with the following such rules:
- Only those who have successfully completed the rains-retreat can accept the Kaá¹hina robe.
- The period of the offering is only one month, from the middle of September-October to October-November (lunar month), and contemporary Assayuja to Kattik� (full moon of the Buddhist month).
- When the Kaá¹hina robe is offered to the Buddhist Saá¹…gha by lay followers, a group of monks (not less than four monks) will officially hand over to a selected monk by performing some Buddhist ritual activities (Vinaya rules).
- A monk who has received the Kaá¹hina robe, is not allowed to receive the Kaá¹hina robe a second time in the same month period.
- Whoever observes rains-retreat from the later (pacchimikÄ�) time, also not allowed to receive the Kaá¹hina robe. Only those who have entered the rains-retreat from the earlier (purimikÄ�) time, are allowed to receive it.
The proper time to give the Kaá¹hina robe is from sunrise to dawn the next day, and in modern time it is calculated as twenty-four hours.
The monk who accepts the Kaá¹hina robe enjoys five privileges. From the date of the ceremony, (i) he is free to go to a meal invitation without having informed another monk. (ii) Usually monks use a full set of three robes, but he is allowed to go without taking a full set robes according to a specific period of time without any fault. (iii) He can enjoy a group meal (with four or more monks). (iv) He can use as many as robes as he likes (v). Finally, he can receive other robes offered to the Buddhist Saá¹…gha during the period of rainy season and on the occasion of the Kaá¹hina ceremony.
The Buddha himself stated the significance of the offering of Kaá¹hina robes in the Vinaya Piá¹aka. In the MahÄ�vagga, it is stated that the Kaá¹hina robe offering is the highest offering and the most meritorious of skillful deeds. The immeasurable merits of offering the Kaá¹hina robe can be illustrated in many examples. In a previous life, the Venerable NÄ�gita Thera offered the Kaá¹hina robe to the Saá¹…gha. As a result of accumulated merits, he enjoyed divine pleasures and reigned as the king of heaven for many eons. He never suffered in the unpleasant planes and in his last birth he became an Arahant (a worthy one), during the Buddha's era.
Today, the Kaá¹hina robe offering ceremony is celebrated as the largest festival among traditional Buddhists in the world. Throughout the day, Buddhists enjoy the ceremony with cultural entertainment and performing many meritorious acts. According the schedule, it begins early in the morning. People gather in the monastery, undertake the five precepts, and listen to Dhamma talks. The first session is concluded before noon. Thereafter, the devotees serve a meal to the Saá¹…gha and enjoys whatever is left over. The main theme of Kaá¹hina begins at midday, around 13:00, where many monks give Dhamma talks and talk about the significance of the Kaá¹hina robe offering. A representative of the laypeople leads the ceremony and announces the offering. After receiving the robes, monks do other activities and perform some Vinaya rules. At the ending session, the festival is concluded by sharing the accumulated merits to relatives and sentient beings. In the evening, the people perform some cultural programs such as singing Buddhist songs and traditional dancing. It is important to mention that, in this present day and age, people offer ready-made robes to the Saá¹…gha for the Kaá¹hina robe. In contrast to this, some monasteries' devotees in Bangladesh offer handmade Kaá¹hina robes. Within the Kaá¹hina day, a group of people scratches the fibers, cut the threads and make the cloth. After sewing the robe, it is dyed and made a suitable color, and the resulting robe is offered to the Saá¹…gha.
The meaning of Kaá¹hina cÄ«vara is associated with a number of Buddhist rules and regulations. For example, monks observe the rains-retreat for three months. At the end of the rains-retreat, they perform the pavÄ�raṇÄ� (invitation), and after the rains-retreat the Kaá¹hina robe offering ceremony takes place annually for one month by performing Vinaya activities. That is why the Kaá¹hina ceremony demands more determination, firmness and stability, and the sponsors, receivers, and makers accumulate immeasurable merits. The ceremony is far more special than other offerings. It is the most important and beneficial skillful deed that cultivates all that is good within us. And from that, we gain all the blessings toward the highest goal known as NibbÄ�na.
Originally posted by Forrest_Gump:Hi,
Is there any online donation where I can donate monk’s robe? Or is there any temple in singapore where I can donate a monk’s robe. Thanks
Many temples have conducted their late last month. Sorry to come back to you late. In fact the Uttamayanmuni Buddhist Temple in CCK conducted their last Sunday (3/11/13). However you can contact the below 2 temples that are conducting their on the 17th. You can check them out further if the location suits you.
Budda Tooth Relic Temple
Event : Pindapata Ceremony (Alms round Ceremony)2013 – Offering 10000 Robes
Date : 17 November 2013, Sunday Time : 10am
Venue : Singapore Expo @ MAX Atria, Garnet & Topaz –
See more at: http://www.btrts.org.sg/english-home#sthash.SqUOpeqw.dpuf
www.tripfactory.com/.../singapore/singapore/buddha-tooth-relic-temple
Chanmyay Yeiktha Meditation Centre
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Date |
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17 November 2013 (Sunday) |
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Time |
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8:30 AM - 10:00 AM : Offering Kahtina Robe to all Venerable Sayadaws 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM : Paying homage to the Triple Gems and observing Nine Precepts - Dhamma Talk & Sharing Merits 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM : Lunch Dhana for Sayadaws and all devotees 12:00 PM - 04:00 PM : Vipassana Meditation Retreat |
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Venue |
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Japanese Garden Gust House, Chinese Garden Road, Singapore 619795 (5mins walking distance from Chinese Garden MRT) Please drive your car into chinese garden road and park your car at car-park lots near japanese garden entrance and walk to guest house. |
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Contact |
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6367 3100, 9138 9712, 9844 9256, [email protected] |