Vassa is one of the very important days in Buddhism. The word Vassa in English is translated as the Rains Retreat or Buddhist Lent. It is an annual three-month monastic retreat. It comes right after the full moon Asalha month which usually falls in July every year. This year 2021, it began on 25th July.
As a Buddhist Institution, IBC never fail to arrange this important ceremony. Before the day, all the requisites (Sangha dana) and the venue to hold the ceremony were prepared by the students working together in harmony. In the morning at 9:00 of 25th July 2021, the Professors, Lecturers, and Students gathered in the auditorium hall for the celebration. As usual, we opened the ceremony by paying homage to the Buddha, and started to with Pali chanting, then continued with the Chinese chanting led by the Maha Sangha. Lay members took the opportunity to receive the five precepts from a senior monk. After the precepts were established, all the lay members offered requisites to the monks and nuns equally.
This ceremony would not be completed perfect without understanding the meaning of Vassa day. Therefore, we invited Ven. Anandajoti to talk to this assembly on this occasion. In his speech Venerable gave us the necessary information about the Vassa such as background history, rules and regulations to be observed by the Sangha and benefits for the practice during the retreat. Finally, we ended up the program by transference of merits to all sentient beings and had a nice group photo together. In addition, in the evening of the same day, all monks gathered in the chanting hall for reciting the determination to enter the Vassa together. This year on every 15th of the waning and waxing moon day, all novices will observe ten precepts and get advice from a senior monk. This indeed is a good practice for Buddhists in training.
Before the origination of Vassa, some of the newly ordained monks and nuns who didn’t know the customs would travel here and there. Because of this some beings suffered from this behaviour, likewise: during the journey, some Sangha members, might have stepped on the insects and even the young plants of farmers, especially in the rainy season period. Because of this people criticized them. After hearing about this, the Buddha announced that the Sangha should stay in one place for the three months of the Rains Retreat.
During this period, they will not stay overnight anywhere else unless absolute necessary. Monks and nuns concentrate on the Buddha’s teachings by learning the Dhamma and the cultivation of their meditation practice. The Sangha members strictly do their daily duties such as morning chanting, evening chanting, meditation practice, going for alms round, cleaning, studying, teaching, and practicing the Dhamma. Importantly, the monks have to attend the Patimokkha recitals on the days arranged by the temples. This is a good time for the monks to have self-reflection and revise their understanding of the Vinaya regulations. The senior monks will take the opportunity to remind the junior members to strictly observe and follow the Vinaya which was established by the Lord Buddha.
During these times, lay devotees regularly come to the temples for offering food and the daily needs of Sangha members. They take this opportunity to observe eight or five precepts and listen to the Dhamma. Furthermore, lay people also like to take a vow to abstain from alcohol, smoking, and trying to avoid all bad deeds during this Vassa period. By doing this, many of them can abandon all unhealthy habits, and through this they become a better person.
In conclusion, Vassa is the time for the Sangha members to find a suitable place to practice the Dhamma, to reflect on themselves, to review the Vinaya, and to give the benefits to all beings. It is also the time for the laypeople to have a chance to make merits, to support the Sangha, and to learn the Dhamma. Finally, it is the time for all Buddhists to abandon evil deeds, do only good deeds, and to purify the mind.
Reported by: Ven Saksith Sounthone
