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. |