The Offering Of The Kathina Robe To The Maha Sangha

Senior Lecturer, Pandit,
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Dr. Ven. Dodamgoda SumanasaraThero

As mentioned in the lunar calendar of 2022, the month of the Kathina Robe offering to the Maha Sangha commences on the Vap Full Moon Day and it continues to the Il Full Moon Day (from 9 th October to 8 th November 2022) at Buddhist monasteries all over the world.

Accordingly, devotees of each temple decide on different dates with the advice of the chief incumbent within this period to organize their respective days for the Kathina ceremony.

The word ‘Kathina’ originated during the time of our great teacher, the Buddha. First, he used the word Kathina to refer to the frame which was used for spreading the cloth that was used to make the robe. Gradually, with time the basic meaning of the Kathina has changed to be known as the extra or special robe called ‘Kathina Robe’ to offer to the Maha Sangha at the end of the rainy season retreat. The literal meaning of the Kathina comes diversely such as ‘hard’, ‘unbreakable’, ‘stable’, ‘solid’, ‘durable’, and so on.

Once when the Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery, a group of thirty monks decided to observe Vas (the rainy season retreat) with their great teacher, the Buddha at the same monastery. With this intention, these monks left their monastery at the beginning of the Vas season to approach the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, but they were unable to reach there on time before the Vassana began. Therefore, they had to observe Vas close to Savatthi practising meditation. Just after finishing the Vas period, the group of monks approached the Jetavana monastery to visit the Buddha in the torrential rain and they were drenched. Then, the Buddha saw that they were in the wet robes and granted his permission to hold an additional Kathina Robe for the monks who have observed ‘Pera Vas’ regardless their prevailing three robes.

At present, the Kathina Robe is offered by the devotees to the Maha Sangha who have observed ‘Pera Vas’ within a three-month period from the Esala Full Moon Day to the Vap Full Moon Day each year. However, if a monk fails to observe Vas continuously in this period, he is not eligible to accept the Kathina Robe. Eventually, this robe is offered by the Maha Sangha of the temple to one of the monks who is most qualified to accept it according to the Vinaya rules and regulations in the Vassupanaikakkhanda of the Mahavagga Pali.

The final day of the three months of rainy season retreat marks the end of Vassana with ‘Pavarana’ monastic discipline at the Uposathagara. At this Pavarana ceremony, each monk is invited by other monks to honestly reveal any misbehavior or offence that they have committed during the time in order to purify from their offences in the presence of the Maha Sangha. Prior to this Maha Pavarana disciplinary rule of the Maha Sangha, the Kathina Robe ceremony commences in each monastery.

The offering of the Kathina Robe to the Bhikkhus is a great meritorious deed and both the clergies and laypeople in this society can obtain merit through it. Additionally, merit can also be gained by doing some wholesome acts during the Vas season such as offering alms for monks and the poor, listening to the Dhamma, participating in poojas, organizing meritorious activities, doing meditation, and so on. As mentioned in Buddhist literature, offering a Kathina Robe to the monks is one of the great eight merits (Attha punnani) which are mentioned below.

1. Offering Kathina Robe

2. Offering eight essentials

3. Offering residential facilities (Buildings)

4. Offering alms to the Buddha and his disciples

5. Writing and offering the books regarding the Dhamma

6. Offering lands and estates

7. Erection and offering the Buddha statues

8. Building and offering sanitary facilities

Also, by offering these items and other necessary requisites with the Kathina, people would obtain more merit for the betterment of this life and the life after as well.

According to the Vassupanaikakkhanda, the following five specific consequences (pancanisansa) can be accumulated by the monk who holds the Kathina Robe.

1. He has the full freedom to walk in the village without informing the resident monks. (Anamantacara)

2. He is allowed to stay in the two robes (outer robe and inner robe) using the double robe until the Medin Full Moon Day. (asamadacara)

3. He is allowed to receive alms by requesting from devotees to have it with the company. (ganabhojana)

4. He is allowed to keep an additional robe or additional clothes for a robe for more than ten or thirty days. (yaavadattacivara)

5. He is allowed to obtain all robes and clothes offered by devotees to the monastery for the monks until the Medin Full Moon Day. (yo ca tattha civaruppada)

Lay Dhamma followers would also obtain a lot of merit by offering Kathina Robe to the monks. The well-known story of the Arhat Nagitha Maha Thero tells us how he accumulated merit byoffering a Kathina Robe to the Vapassi Buddha and his disciples ninety-one aeons (kalpa) ago.

As a result of his meritorious deed, he was never born in the Four Hells like naraka, tirisan, preta, and asura in his cycle of existence. Further, he has stated that he was only born in divine worlds and human realms with luxurious facilities due to offering a Kathina Robe.

In brief, both monks and lay Dhamma practitioners can accumulate more merit by engaging in diverse religious activities and offering a Kathina Robe to the Maha Sangha respectfully during this special time of every year.