2021 Vassana Season – වස් ආරාධනාව – ( July 24, 2021 07.00pm)
Vassana Season Has Arrived
It has been an age-old virtuous Buddhist tradition for a group of devotees to invite a single monk or a group of monks for the Vassana (rainy season) retreat as the Vassana season approaches every year. Based on Buddha’s directives, it is the responsibility of an ordained Buddhist monk or a group of monks to spend the Vassana retreat at a chosen location, with or without an invitation. Although monks have spent the retreat at our own temple during the recent years without such invitations, in this year’s retreat, we have decided to incorporate the Vas invitation ceremony as well, along with other relevant customs. Furthermore, it has been decided to perform the above ceremony in such a manner that the devotees affiliated with our temple would be able to witness the customs associated with the related ancient traditions and even participate in them.
Accordingly, on the full-moon day of July (Esala) twenty-third, the traditions associated with the Sangha code of conduct will be fulfilled first. Subsequently, on the following day, which is the twenty-fourth of July, the Vas invitation will be conducted right after the Gilampasa Buddha Pooja scheduled for 7.00 pm.
Starting from the Buddha’s time, it has also been a great meritorious act on the part of devotees seeking refuge in the triple gem to provide with piety, the four basic requisites of clothing, food, shelter, and medicine of the monks who spend the rainy season retreat indoors. On accepting the devotees’ invitation tolerantly, the clergy, in return, generally spend their time counseling the devotees on spiritual and other matters and on achieving their own personal objectives.
This year’s Vassana retreat period will last three months from the full moon day of July (Esala) 23rd. It will span 89 days inclusive of the four full moon days of July 23rd, August 21st, September 20th and October 19th. Therefore, the three-month period from July 23rd to October 19th must be considered as the duration of the Vassana retreat this year.
Then the Kathina robe donation month will dawn. This year, that will be the period between the full moon days of Oct. 19th and Nov. 18th. Traditionally, it is expected to complete all ceremonies associated with Kathina, before the last day (Nov. 18th) of the above period. In keeping with the above timeline, it has been decided to schedule this year’s Florida Buddhist Vihara’s Kathina ceremony on Saturday, November 6th (we wish to inform you the devotees of the related details of that ceremony, in the near future).
Based on the aforementioned description, the different avenues in which you can contribute to defray the significant expenses involved in securing the four basic requisites of robes, food, shelter, and medicine of the Vihara’s resident monks and other incidental monthly costs involved with water, electricity and internet facilities and regular maintenance of the Vihara’s extensive yard, particularly during over three months long Vassana retreat, can be found in the following attachment.
All in all, we kindly bring to your attention the fact that the total monthly expenditure incurred by the temple is nearly $3,000 and you are also kindly reminded that you devotees can contribute to the above cost in any manner you wish. In this regard, you may wish to bear the expenses for one week or more by yourself or in partnership with several others.
All you devotees will have the opportunity to participate in and contribute to the series of special Dhamma sermons to be conducted during the coming Vassana season. In addition, if you wish to sponsor one of those sessions in order to transfer merits to someone near and dear to you, please identify those individuals along with your name, corresponding to the chosen date on the attachment. It is with compassion that you are invited to acquire good merit by focusing on the meritorious deed that has been described in this announcement, joining Florida Buddhist Vihara in the religious ceremonies that it has organized, and contributing to the expenses needed for the temple’s upkeep.
May the Triple Gem bless you!
Click here for Vassana Season Sponsorships