Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Np 1The Robe-Making Season
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kathina
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Explanation of the Kathina Discourse (The Robe-Making Season)
Background
Kathina (Pāli: Kathina, meaning “hard, difficult to bend”) is an important ceremony in the Vinaya of Theravāda Buddhism. This discourse records the account in which the Buddha permitted bhikkhus to gather in the cold season (hemanta-kāla) to sew robes together and receive the benefits after the rains retreat. This reflects the Blessed One’s wisdom in balancing strict discipline with human frailty.
According to the Theravāda tradition, at the end of the rainy season (vassa), after three months of rains retreat, Buddhists have the opportunity to offer robes and requisites to the monks. The Kathina ceremony is considered one of the most meritorious occasions for nurturing compassion and gladness (muditā). However, the Kathina discourse is not merely a formal ritual, but a profound system of practice intended to educate the minds of the monks and the Buddhist community.
Main Content
The Kathina discourse stipulates that during a specific period, the monks are permitted to gather to make robes (civara) together from materials that have been offered. This process includes preparing the cloth, cutting, sewing, dyeing, and completing the robe. The special point is that the work is carried out within one day and one night, from the time the cloth is offered until the robe is completed, symbolizing total concentration and collective effort.
This discourse also stipulates the conditions for a successful Kathina: at least five bhikkhus must take part, the robe must be completed within the prescribed time, and the monks must regard this as a collective act. After the Kathina is completed, the entire Sangha receives certain privileges, such as being permitted to share in the Kathina even if they did not participate in sewing the robe, provided they remain and arouse the intention to support it.
Behind these regulations is the Buddha’s profound teaching: cooperation, voluntary discipline, and humility. Kathina is not for displaying personal strength or skill, but for training the mind to be free from resentment (avyāpajja), free from jealousy, and ready to support fellow practitioners.
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