Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 101During the Rainy Season
Pāli / Sanskrit:Antovassa
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Antovassa Sutra: Offerings During the Rains Retreat
Context
The Antovassa Sutra (Pāli: anto = within, vassa = rains retreat) belongs to the Theravāda Vinaya tradition and records a rule of the Buddha concerning the provision of requisites to bhikkhus during the rains retreat (vassa season). The rains retreat is a three-month period in the Buddhist calendar year, beginning in the seventh lunar month, when bhikkhus gather in monasteries and do not wander, in order to avoid harming small living beings during the rainy season.
The historical context of this sutra reflects an important practical issue in the Sangha community: how practicing bhikkhus are to be supplied with basic necessities in a reasonable way consistent with the spirit of practice. The Buddha laid down specific guidance concerning offerings (dāna) during this period, so that compassion would be fulfilled while the purity of the discipline was ensured.
Main Content
According to the Pāli Canon tradition, this sutra stipulates that laypeople should provide necessary items for bhikkhus during the rains retreat, especially clothing (cīvara), food, and daily requisites. However, such offering should not be arbitrary, but should follow certain principles.
The Buddha taught that if a group of laypeople wish to offer robes together to bhikkhus during the rains retreat, they must come to a common agreement and make a shared decision, without disparity or unfairness. Each bhikkhu should be treated equally, without distinction between male and female, and offerings should not be excessive or too little in comparison with others.
The sutra also emphasizes that the spirit of offering is more important than the items themselves. If one offers with a clean mind, without seeking repayment or fame, the merit becomes immeasurable. Conversely, if one offers with a defiled mind or with expectation of karmic benefits, the merit is limited.
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