Vassa time begins

  We cordially invite you to the Vassa beginning      

On Sunday, 17/07/2022 

in the monastery Sirisampanno

Program:

• 11 am: Reispindapat in the monastery courtyard for the Sangha.
• followed by a communal meal
• 1 p.m. - approx. 2 p.m.: Dhamma talk at the beginning of Vassa.
• afterwards admission of nekkhamas - lay people who would like to spend the vassa time with us.
• and stupa transformation with light - candles are welcome!

It is possible to spend the vassa with us, fully or partially, and to take on the eight silas during this time and practice intensively. For inquiries please contact the monastery.

 

 

Background to Vassa:

The Vassa period begins on 07/14/2022 and ends after three months on 10/10/2022. It is a time for the Sangha to go into seclusion. This time is used for intensive study and deepening of meditation practice. 

Vassa start is traditionally the day after the July full moon - the Asalha Puja.

 Rainy season instructions from Mahavagga III 1. chapter

1. At that time the Blessed One dwelt at Rājagaha, in the Veḷuvana, in the Kalandakanivāpa. At that time the retreat during the rainy season had not yet been instituted by the Blessed One for the Bhikkhus. Thus the Bhikkhus went on their travels alike during winter, summer, and the rainy season. 2. People were annoyed, murmured, and became angry, saying, 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas go on their travels alike during winter, summer, and the rainy season? They crush the green herbs, they hurt vegetable life, they destroy the life of many small living things. Shall the ascetics who belong to Titthiya schools, whose doctrine is ill preached, retire during the rainy season and arrange places for themselves to live in? Shall the birds make their nests on the summits of the trees, and retire during the rainy season, and arrange themselves places to live in; and yet the Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas go on their travels alike during winter, summer, and the rainy season, crushing the green herbs, hurting vegetable life, and destroying the life of many small things?'

3. Now some Bhikkhus heard those people that were annoyed, murmured, and had become angry. These Bhikkhus told this thing to the Blessed One. In consequence of that and on this occasion the Blessed One, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus:

'I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, that you enter upon Vassa.'