Vassana or the retreat during the rainy season is considered to be significant for both Buddhist monks and lay devotees.During the vassana season monks will devote most of their time for meditation and for performing religious activities.Lay devotees will provid alms and other requisites for monks.They will also visit the temple more frequently as there are sermons and other religious functions regularly.Thus both groups-monks and laymen-acquire merits in this season.
At the inception of the buddhist order Bhikkhus did not observe vas.They continued to travel and conduct sermons even during the rainy season.Other ascetics,howeve,remained in their monasteries.These ascetics thought that the insects and other tiny creatures would get trampled and killed if they travel during this season.Trampling the grass and vegetation was also discouraged.Therefore,the ascetics began to criticize the wandering Buddhist monks for not following these conventions.When the Buddha came to know about it he advised monks not to wander during the raing season and to remain in their temples observing 'vas' This shows that Buddha laid down vinaya rules when the need arose.
The vassana or the rainy season retreat falls between the months of july and octomber.Only the monks with higher ordination,upasampada can go into the rainy season retreat.During this season monks observe a vow known as 'vas' and adhere to it.They need to curtail frequent outdoor visits and remain in the temple.If monks go out for a religious function or any other task they must return to the temple within seven days.Failure to do so will be considered as a violation of the vow.
The end of the vassana season is marked by the ceremony known as 'kathina pinkama'.The monks and lay devotees select a suitable date for this function.'kathina ceremony' commences very early in the morning on the assigned date.A new white cloth for sewing the kathina robe will be brought into the temple by the devotees before dawn in a colourful pageant.This cloth is offered to the entire community of monks.Then the monks engage in sewing this cloth in order to make the 'kathina' robe.Even the lay devotees help in the sewing of this special robe.Later the sewn white robe is dyed saffron colour.Any monk observing "vas" in a temple is eligible to receive the kathina robe.Monks gathered at the ceremony usually decide as to whom this robe should be offered.The receiver is expected to wear this robe and deliver a discourse at night narrating its merot.According to tradition all other Bhikkhus who observe 'vas' are offered robes.
A significant event associated with this function is the offering called a "kapruka".Alms and other necessary requisites are brought for the "kapruka" by the devotees to be ofered to all monks participating in the function.Finally a senior monk delivers the sermon on "kathinanisansa" the significance and meritorious effect of vassana to the gathering of lay devotees.
බුද්ධ චරිතයෙන් හා බොදිසත්ත චරිතයෙන් හෙලිවෙන පරාර්ත සෙවය එසන්මට්
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