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Greatest offering
By L.B. Senaratne
The period of 'Vas' ended last Tuesday with Il Poya. This writer was at Asgiri Maha Vihare Pirivena where 178 Upasampada monks or monks who have had higher ordination spent three months in a period of 'Vas’ or retreat and participated in a Katina Cheevara ceremony on poya day.

This was the largest gathering of monks in the Central Province for the almsgiving and the offering of robes and other requisites needed by the monks. With the ending of this period of retreat, devotees of the respective temples, big or small started offering the Katina Cheevaraya to the monks who had observed ‘Vas’ in these temples. This is one of the greatest offerings that they could give the monks and also for the monks themselves it signified the culmination of their period of retreat.

During the time of the Buddha, Jainism was at its highest peak with nearly 76 sects practising Jainism. They used to hold a retreat during the rainy season in their own places, but the monks used to go about in the rainy weather to attend to the needs of the people whom they were serving. While moving about, they would inadvertently trample insects and break young plants. This was something that Jains did not like.

'Vas' began during the time of Buddha where the Learned One and his five disciples entered into 'Vas'. There was no rule that all monks should observe the 'Vas' period and monks used to travel during the rainy season preaching in various villages.

Those of the other sects, especially the Jains were critical of the monks for their travel and these complaints were brought before the Buddha who ruled that all monks observe 'Vas' or retreat at different temples. In our own temples around the country, 'Vas' is observed by monks who have been through Upasampada or higher ordination.

Three months prior to the offering of the Katina Cheevarya, the devotees of the respective temples invite monks who are resident in the temple or from outside to observe 'Vas’. On the day, the devotees gather in the Bana Maduwa (preaching hall ) and call upon the monks to observe 'Vas', with the offering of betel known as 'Dhathwattiya ' (tray of betel). With this acceptance, the monk or monks come into an agreement with the devotees that he/they would observe 'Vas' in this particular temple and also not leave the temple without informing them and above all not be out in the night.
On the other hand, the devotees agree to look after the needs of the monks in ‘Vas', their food, their stay, their medicines and all that is necessary to keep the monks in good health.

The monks who observe 'Vas' hold discourses, preach the Dhamma and do everything possible for the devotees to attain their one purpose of salvation. The devotees, through the three-month period set up a calender of events so that both the monks and devotees are in constant contact.

After the end of the period of 'Vas' which falls on the poya preceding Il Poya, the monks who had observed 'Vas' make their way to the Poya-ge, where they go through a process of being questioned on their faults and also placing before the elders their shortcomings, if any.

Katina Cheevara has to be offered to the monk on or before Il Poya, after which they are not eligible to accept it. The devotees make arrangements for the offering of the Katina Cheevara. They decide whether it should be an all-night pirith ceremony or only a bana preaching session, followed by a dhane, where there are at least five monks (Sangeeka Dhane) who have been bestowed with Upasampada.

On the day of the offering of the Katina Cheevara, the Cheevara which is a white cloth is brought from one of the households in the village before dawn. This is the obligation of the Village Headman.

After the Cheevara is brought, it is entrusted to a monk so that it could be turned into a Katina robe. Now, it is time for the devotees to prepare the robe for the offering of the Katina Cheevara. In most temples there are persons who know how to cut and sew the robe. It is said that the robe is cut into pieces of cloth which resemble the paddy fields of King Suddohadana. Once the robe is cut out from the cloth that was brought in the early hours of the morning, devotees take a hand in stitching the robe. Devotees, young and old, men, women and monks, participate in this process.

Once the stitching is complete, the robe is dyed to the colour of the robe, according to the sect. In this case it was rich yellow. The dyeing process, in the good old days was carried out in a 'dye boat' or "Pandu Oruwa”. But, this could be only seen in the old temples and one such is at Hantane Raja Maha Vihare. But, others dye it in a tub. Sometimes the cloth that is brought is yellow.

After the almsgiving is over, the Katina Cheevara is brought in procession and placed before the presiding monks. The ceremony begins with a most democratic process, as to who should receive the Katina Cheevara. It is not necessarily an elder monk. The assembly decides and the ceremony of offering follows.

At Asgiri Maha Vihare Pirivena the Katina Cheevara was offered to a young monk who had observed 'Vas' for the first time. Unlike in other temples where the Katina Cheevara is offered at the spot of the almsgiving and the sermon, at Asgiri Maha Vihare it was offered to the receiver inside the Asgiri Poya-ge, the hallowed spot of the Asgiri Maha Vihare.

The ceremony was headed by the Anunayake of the Asgiri Maha Vihare, Venerable Galagama Attadhassi Thera. The Katina Cheevara was first shown to the figure of Buddha which is in the Poya-ge and stanzas were recited by two senior mentors. After this ceremony, the Katina Cheevara is handed over to the Anunayake Thera, who in turn offers it to the recipient monk and asks him to place a mark on the edge of the robe. This is done with a key. Under the hem of the robe is a betel leaf. This process makes an indelible mark on the robe.

After this ceremony the Ven. Anunayake Thera advised the monk that he should never leave the robe unattended, but could wear it. He also advised the monk that he should not leave the temple even for a night without the dayakas of the temple being notified.

With this advice, the monk was asked to touch the robe thrice, before he donned it. The ceremony concluded with the monk paying obeisance to the elders.

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