Katina, The Ritual Offering of the Robe
Swarna Wickremeratne, Loyola
University Chicago
Author of the book: Buddha in Sri Lanka
Katina refers to the offering
of the special robe (Katina civara) prepared and presented to monks
who have completed the three-month period of retreat called Vas in Sinhala,
and Vassana in Pali, meaning the period of rain. Katina literally means
‘firm,’ or ‘solid,’ because the offering of
a Katina robe helps to earn solid good karma. The Katina Ceremony is
over 2500 years old. It is a monastic tradition preserved and observed
by Buddhists all over the world because it is an extraordinary opportunity
to acquire merit once a year.
Three Gems of Great Value
In Buddha’s time the Triple Gem, which Buddhists the world over
venerate was a visible reality – the Buddha, and the Dharma that
he evolved and preached, and the Sangha, whom he assiduously trained
in mastering his teachings, were all alive. After the Buddha’s
passing away the Triple Gem in its entirety was personified in the institution
of the monks, who are therefore rightly called the sons of the Buddha.
When it Rains Monks Must Stay Indoors
According to our earliest records, monks did not stay in one place for
long periods of time. They traveled distances, from place to place,
teaching and preaching the dharma and meditating. As stated in the Mahavaggapali
the Buddha instructed the monks thus, “Go forth, O monks for the
good of the many, for the happiness of the many, for the welfare, benefit
and happiness of gods and men.”
As time passed, the Buddha was made aware of the difficulties the monks
faced when traveling during the rainy season, which usually lasted for
three months. As a result the Buddha established the practice of Vas
or a retreat during these months of rain when monks would be domiciled
in a single monastery. Monks commence the retreat usually starting on
the full moon day of the month of July and ending in October.
Although the origin of Vas is related to the rainy season, the Buddha’s
intention of recommending this practice had loftier intentions and objectives.
In time the ideals and practices of the retreat season, transcended
the issue of the rainy season and acquired more profound depths and
meaning. The Buddha transformed this rainy retreat to a period of intensive
practice of the Dhamma. Monks were advised to limit their traveling
and spend more time dedicated to spiritual practice and sharing of the
Dhamma with lay people. Lay followers are also advised to closely associate
with monks and spend their lives committed to spiritual practice.
Invitation to the Monks
On one occasion during the time of the Buddha a prominent chief lay
lady disciple, Visakha expressed her desire to offer a special piece
of cloth to each monk and invite monks for Vas observation in the monastery.
The Buddha accepted the invitation. Following this custom, Buddhists
follow the practice of inviting monks to go into retreat and the invitations
is called vas aradana.
It is customary for prominent supporters to invite the monks formally
to observe the retreat in a temple or other dwelling place. If the monks
accept the invitation, the hosts would assume responsibility for providing
all the needs of the monks during this period, and this is done with
diligence as it is regarded as highly meritorious. Vas provides an opportunity
to lay Buddhists, to express their devotion to Buddhism and to the Sangha
with diligence.
Monastic Confessional
At the close of the Vas retreat, the monks perform the pavarana ceremony.
During this ceremony, the monks get together and invite one another
to point out their faults and lapses. It is friendly and constructive
criticism and almost invariably well received. The practice is intended
to help the monks purify themselves.
Another benefit of the pavarana ceremony is that it could also help
to keep the monastic rules alive. Retreat spent together provides the
monks with an opportunity for in depth evaluation of their spirituality
and commitment as monks. Each member of the Sangha (community of monks)
has equal rights regardless of hierarchy to point out lapses and errors
in judgment and conduct of others for the good of the whole Sangha.
This tradition is one of the earliest examples of the development and
evolution of democratic norms and ideals in human civilization.
At the end of the pavarana, the Katina ceremony proper is held. Robes
can be offered to monks any time. The offering of a Katina robe is of
utmost significance to a Buddhist who knows the meaning of it, and is
of curiosity to someone with no knowledge of it.
Why is the Katina Robe Special?
The Katina robe is significant because during the three-month Vas period,
Buddhist monks are required to remain fully dedicated to purifying themselves
through the rigorous practice of meditation and moral conduct. As the
monks end the retreat and come back to society, they become deservedly
worthy of offering and veneration as ‘punnakkhetta’ or ‘field
of merit’ to the fullest extent possible. A robe offered to such
a monk potent with spirituality and dedication to religious living at
this time, helps one to earn solid merit or good karma.
The offering of the Katina robe is considered immensely meritorious
since it involves three months of preparation and dedication. The ceremony
become important and meritorious because of the potency of the merit
gathered during the period of retreat, both by the monks and the devotees.
The Katina robe is symbolizes the successful culmination of the rainy
retreat.
And Now for the Robe!
The main event in the Katina ceremony is the offering of the special
robe known as the Katina-civara to the Sangha. This ceremony is meant
to be performed with devotion and is an occasion of religious significance
for Buddhists all over the world.
Offering of the Katina robe started during the time of the Buddha. A
group of monks went to a place for retreat. At the conclusion of the
retreat they returned to visit the Buddha. On the way they were caught
in a heavy downpour of rain and one monk got more wet than the others.
The Buddha seeing this monk, advised the monk to accept an extra robe
as a Katina. The extra robe was always given to the one who needed it
the most. There are many traditions and rituals of offering a piece
of cloth to monks in the name of Katina.
Chance to Gain Great Merit
Katina is the most significant merit making ceremony performed by Buddhist
communities in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia. Vas is
also the time for lay Buddhists to express their devotion and practice
generosity by providing their temples with the requisites for maintaining
the temples and the inhabitant monks. It is an important period for
gathering merit for both the layman and the monks. During this period
devotees are given the opportunity to learn the Dharma from the monks
by listening to sermons, getting involved in dhamma discussions, participating
in meditation programs, and listening to pirith chanting. It is a time
to get blessings for good living by performing and participating in
religious ceremonies. Monks help the community to lead a pure life,
emphasizing the importance of practicing the Five Precepts and teachings
of the Buddha.
More significantly Vas is a time to strengthen ties and form bonds between
monks and the laity. As spiritual leaders, monks guide the lay people
towards ways of resolving problems with compassion and understanding,
thereby forming strong bonds with the community. Monks dwelling in one
place during Vas have more time to communicate with the laity on a one
to one basis. They get the opportunity to listen to the problems of
the laity and provide solutions to live a stress free life.
For the above-mentioned reasons, the offering of the Katina robe is
considered one of the greatest meritorious deeds. Whatever else is offered
to a monk on Katina day is also considered meritorious on this special
day. It is even said that one who offers a Katina robe, to a monk who
has observed the spiritual guidance given by the Buddha with diligence
and commitment, even on a single occasion in his lifetime, would in
samsara when he is born over and over again-never be in want or destitution
and never to be reduced to rags for want of clothes.
Glory of Giving
One of the stanzas chanted during Katina glorifies the greatness of
the merit which one gets from performing Katina. It says that even this
solid earth, or a solid rock or a piece of diamond could tremble, shake
and break at times. However, the merit obtained by offering of Katina
cannot be nullified by anything until one achieves the ultimate goal
of Buddhist aspiration which is Nirvana.
It is also believed that the merit, or the positive karma, gained by
the offerings at the Katina ceremony could reduce the negative effects
of other minor bad karma one may have committed. One would be blessed
with long life, happiness, good health, good complexion, physical strength,
peace and wisdom in this life and many more lives to come until one
attains Nirvana. However, it is important to remember the receiver of
the Katina robe needs to be spiritually cleansed and worthy of receiving
such a glorious offering to get the maximum benefit from the offering.
What makes Katina ceremony wholesome meritorious deed, is not the ceremony
itself, but the spiritually and purity of the monks in retreat and the
devotion and commitment of the laity. This will bring the most merit
and make it a solid good karma.
Oh Wishing Tree! Oh Wishing Tree! Grant Me My Wishes
A fascinating ritual associated with the Katina ceremony is the setting
up of the "wishing tree", traditionally referred to as the
kapruka, (legendary tree of bounties, which grants all that one would
wish for) in the temple premises. The idea is that by offering various
items for the use of monks, including money which the devotees tie on
to the tree, all their wishes would be granted. In Thailand, I have
seen every conceivable item that could be of use to the monks, hung
on the wishing tree at Katina time, in the hopes of acquiring merit.