Vap Full Moon Poya day Message

Dr. Mirisse Dhammika Thero

Vap full moon poya day is considered as the day to end the rainy retreat season (Vas Kalaya) which goes on for a period of three months. As we are aware during the rainy retreat season venerable monks mostly spend their valuable time developing their morality, concentration and wisdom whilst lay followers gather merits by taking care of those monks and learning the Dhamma , dedicating their time to practice the Dhamma preached by the Buddha . After properly ending the rainy retreat on Vap full moon poya day, the lay followers will offer the Kathina Robe (Kathina Cheewara) to the venerable monks up until il full moon poya day, which is the next full moon poya. This month is thus named “Cheewara Masaya” or “Month of Kathina Robes”.

Once, during Buddha’s time when he was living in the city of Savasthi , a group consisting of thirty Monks started walking to the city of Savasthi from the city of Paveyya with the intension of meeting the Buddha. The journey was arduous, since it was during a rainy season. Hence the Monks decided to stay in the city of “Saketha” until the rainy season ended. Thereafter, they started their journey towards the city of “Savasthi” and arrived at the Buddha. When they arrived, they we in wet robes and it was obvious that they had experienced much difficulty due to heavy rains and wind. The Buddha then permitted the Monks to accept an extra robe called “Kathina Cheewara” which is to be used in situations of this nature.

This became a tradition in India and then in Sri Lanka and continues to this day, as a very important annual religious event. The merits of offering the “Kathina Robes” to venerable monks are explained extensively in Dhamma. Mainly, one who offers a Kathina Robe may not be born in hell and the possibility of them being born in heaven and human world is greater, unless they commit one of the five Heinous Deeds (Panchananthariya Kamma). It is further preached that, the graveness of any bad kamma can be softened by the merits of offering a “Kathina Cheewara”. Furthermore, when confidence (saddha), effort (veerya), mindfulness (Sathi), concentration (Samadhi) and wisdom (Pragna) become well-developed during the rainy retreat season it automatically helps one to walk in the eight fold path which ends in enlightenment, supreme bliss of Nirvana.

Thus, it is well understood that the offering of a “Kathina Robe” starting from the Vap full moon poya day and attending to religious activities during the “Month of Robes” is helpful for the spiritual development of both monks and lay society.