Lzh Dg Bu Pm Pc 47An Invitation for Four Months
Pāli / Sanskrit:Catumāsappaccayapavāraṇā
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
THE SUTTA ON AN INVITATION FOR FOUR MONTHS
Catumāsappaccayapavāraṇā
Background
This discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Early Buddhist tradition, specifically the Pāṭimokkha or the rules of practice of the Sangha. The main context is the rainy season (Vassa) in the cyclical calendar of Theravāda Buddhist practice, a sacred period when monks and nuns must remain in one place to concentrate on practice.
Catumāsappaccayapavāraṇā, literally “an invitation concerning requisites for four months,” relates to bhikkhus requesting an extension of the Vassa period from three months to four months. This happens when weather conditions or other causes make concentration on practice during the standard three months difficult. Such a request for extension must be approved by the Sangha through formal procedures.
This text reflects the flexibility of the Buddhist Vinaya, where rules are established not to impose rigid constraint, but to serve a higher spiritual purpose. Requesting permission for four months is an exception allowed when there is proper cause, showing wisdom in managing the life of the monastic community.
Main Content
The main content of this discourse concerns the official conditions and procedures by which a group of bhikkhus may request permission from the Sangha to remain at a place of practice for four months instead of the usual three.
According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, a bhikkhu must perform “Pavāraṇā,” the invitation or opening declaration of practice, after completing the rainy season (Vassa). This is an important ceremony in which bhikkhus declare to one another that they have completed the period of practice, and that if there are shortcomings or violations of the Vinaya, they are ready to receive instruction from their companions in the path.
When requesting permission for four months, the essential point is that the community of monks and nuns must agree and officially confirm the decision. This is not an individual act, but an act of the Sangha as a collective.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.