Do you remember our previous article on a Buddhist festival concerning clothing you might not have heard of?
Yes! The Kathina season is around the corner when lay people gather at temples to offer robes to the monastics as a gesture of generosity and gratitude. And if you didn’t know, the word “Kathina” has its origin in Pali referring to the wooden sewing frame once used to make robes for Buddhist monks.
This tradition has it that during Buddha’s time, a group of monks was on their way to meditate and practice with the Buddha. Unfortunately, the rainy season began and they stopped travelling to avoid stepping on newly planted crops or creatures escaping the heavy rain.
While waiting out the rainy season, they practised together in the ways taught by the Buddha. This austere practice and exposure to the elements made their robes dirty, wet, and torn.
After the rainy season, the monks finally met the Buddha. The Buddha greeted them, asked about their retreat and journey, and noticed their wet and torn robes.
The lady disciple of the Buddha, Visakha was also there visiting and listening to the Buddha. When she saw the monks in tattered and worn robes, she asked permission from the Buddha to offer new robes to the monks, and the Buddha granted her request.
Since then the Buddha granted the monks the opportunity to accept robes offered by donors during the one month from the middle of the Eleventh Lunar Month to the middle of the Twelfth Lunar Month.
The Kathina ceremony was thus born and is still practised today among many Theravada Buddhists. During this Kathina season, various events are held across the island to mark the joyous occasion. Do check them out below and “soak” in the atmosphere of this festival with a “rain-soaked” past!
(1) Singapore Buddhist Mission
The Kathina Ceremony organised by Singapore Buddhist Mission is a half-day programme that begins with a Kathina procession, followed by puja and chanting before devotees offer robes and requisites to the Maha Sangha. There will be a vegetarian lunch for devotees at the end of the programme.
When: 10 November 2024, 9am to lunch
Venue: 9 Ruby Lane, Singapore 328284
Want to find out more? Check out our listing event here!
(2) Dhammakami Buddhist Society
The Kathina Ceremony at Dhammakami Buddhist Society gives the opportunity to support the monks in Sri Lanka as all robes offered during the Ceremony will be donated to the monks’ training centres in Sri Lanka. There will also be chanting of the Triple Gem during the half-day session.
When: 10 November 2024, 2 – 5 pm
Venue: No. 29 Lorong 29 Geylang, #06-01/02, Singapore 388078
Want to find out more? Check out our listing event here!
(3) The Buddhist Library
At the Buddhist Library, the Kathina tradition is also observed and kept alive at one of their annual events. Apart from the commonly offered robes to monks, the Buddhist Library has also introduced the innovative practice of offering books during Kathina to give added meaning to this event observed at the Buddhist Library!
When: 20 Oct 2024 (Sunday), 7.30pm to 9.30pm
Venue: No. 2, Geylang Lorong 24A, Singapore 398526
Want to find out more? Check out our listing event here!
(4) Wat Ananda
The oldest Thai Theravada temple in Singapore, Wat Ananda invites devotees to offer robes and candles to the monastics. There will be live-streaming of chanting every evening from now until the actual Kathina ceremony on 20 Oct.
When: 20 Oct 2024 (Sunday), 9.30am
Venue: 50B Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 169545
Want to find out more? Check out our listing event here!
(5) Burmese Buddhist Temple
Experience Kathina at a Burmese temple, the oldest Theravada tradition temple and the only Burmese temple of its kind in Singapore! The Burmese Buddhist Temple, founded in 1875, began its journey as a small temple on Kinta Road. It gradually gained prominence and relocated from its original site and since 1990, the current temple has been a place of worship and learning for both locals and Burmese people living in Singapore.
When: 27 Oct 2024, 9am to 6pm
Venue: 14 Tai Gin Road, Singapore 327873
Want to find out more? Check out our listing event here!
To explore other events, activities, communities and temples in Singapore and Southeast Asia, you can also look up our very own Handful of Leaves’ Buddhist Directory!
