Plus

Plus

Nikini Poya falls today
Vassana days are here
By D.C.Ranatunga
The 'vassana' (rainy) season is now on when monks are expected to remain in their temples during the three month 'vas' period. On the last full moon Poya day, the temples throughout the country observed the 'vas aaradhana' ceremony when, following tradition, resident monks are invited by the 'dayakas' to observe the 'vas' in the temple.

Venerable Narada Maha Thera in 'The Buddha and His Teachings' refers to the three regular seasons that prevailed in India at the time of the Buddha - 'vassana' (rainy), 'hemanta' (winter) and 'gimhana' (hot). The 'vassana' or rainy season starts in 'Asalha' (Esala) and extends up to 'Assayuga' (Vap).

"During the 'vassana' period, due to torrential rains, rivers and streams usually get flooded, roads get inundated, communications get interrupted and people as a rule are confined to their homes and villages and live on what provisions they have collected during the previous seasons. During this time the ascetics find it difficult to engage in their preaching tours, wandering from place to place.An infinite variety of vegetable and animal life also appears to such an extent that people could not move about without unconsciously destroying them. Accordingly all ascetics including the disciples of the Buddha, used to suspend their itinerant activities and live in retirement in solitary places. As a rule the Buddha and His disciples were invited to spend their rainy seasons either in a monastery or in a secluded park. Sometimes, however, they used to retire to forests. During these rainy seasons people flocked to the Buddha to hear the Dhamma and thus availed themselves of His presence in their vicinity to their best advantage," Venerable Narada states.

Preparations for the 'vas aaradhana' begins with the cleaning up of temple premises, colour washing of the 'kutis' where monks reside, the 'budu-ge' (image house), 'dana salawa' (alms hall) and other temple buildings. The 'dayakas' turn up in their numbers on an appointed day and do shramadana to have everything spick and span on the Poya day. Early morning on Poya day, tom-tom beaters will remind the 'dayakas' of the big event. Buddhist flags would adorn the temple premises and a festive mood prevails in and around the temple.

On Esala full moon day (this year it happened to be the 'Adhi-Esala Poya' since there were two 'Pasaloswaka Poya' days in July) the 'dayakas' would invite the monks in their temple to observe 'vas' by offering a 'bulath gotuwa' (cone of betel leaves) and a piece of white cloth symbolizing a robe. Each monk is invited separately by offering these. They would promise to look after the monks attending to their needs since the monks are expected to stay indoors without going out. The monks jointly accept the kind offer and in return agree to advise the laymen based on the Dhamma on a regular basis. A monk would deliver a sermon on the significance of 'vas', reminding the 'dayakas' of their great service during the three months and how much merit they would accrue. Sometimes the resident monks would invite a guest monk from another temple to come and spend the 'vas' with them. This gives the 'dayakas' an opportunity of listening to sermons by an additional monk thereby providing a change. The 'vas aaradhana' would end with the offering of 'pirikara' to the monks. The 'pirikara' would consist of some of the daily needs of each monk.

Though it is accepted that monks would spend the 'vas' in the temple, they are not prohibited from moving about. A monk can do so by getting permission from the chief monk. However, he can only stay out for five nights and should be back at the resident temple on the sixth night. If he doesn't, he would be breaking the 'vas' which is not considered a healthy sign for a 'upasampada' monk - one who has received higher ordination.

Venerable Narada records an incident when the Buddha along with other monks observed 'vas' in a village at the invitation of a Brahmin. The man completely forgot to attend to the Buddha and the other monks. Although Venerable Moggallana, a senior disciple of the Buddha, volunteered to obtain food by his psychic powers, the Buddha, making no complaint, was contented with the fodder of horses offered by a horse dealer.

During the prescribed three months of Vas the temple becomes much more active than in other months. The 'dayakas' would take particular interest in seeing that the monks get their alms regularly. A 'bana' sermon would be arranged during the week-end in addition to the normal Poya day programmes. 'Gilampasa Buddha poojas' are held regularly where the village folk would participate.

Back to Plus