Buddha's Teaching

OFFERING OF KATHINA ROBE

The meaning of Kathina is firmness or stability. Because of the celebration of Kathina monks can get five privileges for a certain period. Maks are allowed to celebrate a Kathina ceremony within one month of completing their Vassa.

The robe which is offered by the devotees is called the Kathina robe. The monks should not hint either directly or indirectly that people should offer the Kathina robe; it must be offered through the devotees natural desire to support the Sangha. The Kathina robe must be "fresh" occording the Buddha's teaching. That is to say, after accepting the Kathina robe, the monks must perform the Kathina robe ceremony at the Sima Hall on the same day. According to the Vinaya rules, if it is performed teh next day, it is a "stale" robe. A "stale" robe is not allowed for the Kathian. The robe must be intend for the Sangha, not for an individual.

I have jsut recited "IMAM CIVARAM KATHINATTHAYA SANGHASSA DEMA" in oder to perform the Kathina ceremony according to the Vinaya rules. The meaning is "We offer teh robe for the Kathina ceremony to the Sangha"; which refers to the monks who have just completed their Vassa in the Vihara.

During the time of the Buddha, monks used to sew and dye their own robes because at that time devotees simply offered cloth to the Sangha. Nowdays, the monks need not sew and dye the robes themselves because the devotees offer the devotees offer the finished robe.

Here, we should understand why Buddha allowed the Sangha to perform a Kathina ceremony. While the Buddha was staying at Savatthi, at the Jetavana monastery, in Anathapindika's Park, a group of thirty monks, who practised Dhuanga (austerities) to shake of their defilements, went to pay respect to the Buddha, but they could not reach Savatthi in time. So they remained at Saket city on the way to Savatthi for their vassa. Because they were obliged to spend their vassa away from the Buddha they were not joyful. Their thoughts were on their separation from the Buddha. Immediately after finishing the Vassa they left for Savatthi but it was raining beavily during the journey. Since they were Dhutanga monks they had only their three robes and bowl; they didn't have any umbrella like present day monks so they exhausted with caring for their requisites when they eventually arrived at Savatthi to pay thier respects to the Buddha.

The Buddha greeted them and asked about their journey. After heaing about their difficulties the Buddha decied it would be good to allow the Kathina for such monks who used only three robes so that they need not take any double robes when they travelled. Former Buddhas, too, had allowed the Kithina. The Budda said: "Monks, I allow monks who have completed their Vassa in a certain place to perform a Kathina ceremony."

This is the Agenda for the Kathina Ceremony:

1. Acceptance of the Kathina robe from the devotees.
2. Selection of a monk who should perform the Kathina ceremony.
3. The giving to the Kathina robe to the celected monk in the Sima Hall by the Sangha.
4. Discarding, by the seclected monk, of his old robe after accepting the Kathina robe.
5. Putting a small mark (Kappa Bandhu) on the corner of the new robe.
6. Determining the Kathina robe by an adhitthana (determination).
7. Performance of the Kathina ceremony with the new robe.
8. Expression of their consent and approval by all monks in the Sima Hall.

The monks who have performed the Kathina ceremony and expressed their consent can get five privileges:

1. Anamantacara - which means he can go anywhere without asking for permission. A monk who has performed the Kathina ceremony can go to the town or village, or to a house Dana without asking permission for the monks. Because of taking part in the Kathina he is released from this obligation for five months.
2. Asamadanacara means that he can keep a set of robes - an inner rove, an outer robe and one double robe - anywhere that he wishes.

Let me explain how monks use their robes. They can determine on of the two ways:

• The first way is to determine them just as miscellaneous requisites (Parikkhara-cola). He just uses the robes as clothing without giving them spectific names.
• The second way is to specifically determine the three robes (Addhitthanacivara)

If a monk wants to use the robes as Adhitthanacivara he must be more mindful. But even though he uses the robes as Adhitthanacivara he can use extra robes if he wants. But it is different for a Dhutanga monk. A monk who practises Dhutnga must only use three robes. he cannot keep any others and wherever he goes he takes the three robes.

A monk who uses Adhitthanacivara has to keep his three robes, including his double robe, within his reach at dawn. If he is separated from his robe at dawn the offends the Vinaya rules. But if he has performed the Kathina ceremony, he can leave one robe anywhere he likes since he has the Kathina privileges and can go freely wherever he likes for five months after the ceremony without taking the double robe with him.
  
    3. The third privilege is Ganabhojana which means he can take a meal in a group of four or more monks even though they have been invited in unsuitable terms. Unsuitabel terms means that the kind of food to be offerd is specifically mentioned.

According to Vinaya rules, a group of four or more monks must not take a meal together unless they are invited in suitable terms. The Omniscient Buddha laid down this rule as a consequence of Devadatta's unseemly behaviour. Devadatta had attained Abhinna (supernormal knowledge) and because of that he used to receive a lot of requistites. But after he had committed many offences against the Buddha and encouraged Ajatasattu to kill his father, he lost all his powers. The people lost their respect ofr him and even complained to King Ajatasattu who supported Devadatta. As a result, King Ajatasattu withdrew his support and Devadatta and his followers, unable to get any food, asked for food from one house to another and ate together. When the Buddha was told about this he laid down the rule that eating in a group of four or more monks is a Pacittiya offence.

But the monk who has performed the Kathina ceremony can take a meal together in a group of four or more monks, even if they have been invited in unsuitable terms, during a period of five months after the Kathina.

   4.  The fourth privilege is Yavadattacivara which means he can keep the robes for the 5-months period without Adhitthana (determination) or Vikappana (assignment). According to the Vinaya rules if a monk has received any cloth or robes he would have to declare either Adhitthana or Vikappana within a period of ten days in order to use them respectfully. Here, Adhitthana means determination and Vikappana means assignment. The robes which are determined for his own use are called Adhitthanacivara. Extra robes which he does not acknowledge as his own but assigns to other monks who should live at the same place, are called Vikappanacivara. If he does not determine or assign them within ten days he will have to give them up and confess his Nissaggiya Pacittaya offence to other monks.

At the time of the Buddha, monks were carrying heavy packs of robes, others were putting them on their heads, others were carying them on their hips. When the Buddha saw them he thought it was improper for a monk to try to keep too many robes. It would be better to set a limit for the number of robes. Then the Buddha carried out a test to see how many robes should be sufficeint for a monk. While he was residing at Vesali during a bitterly cold winter he sat at night with only one upper robe. In the middle of the night he felt cold so he used another robe, then another until, by the end of the night he was wearing four robes. He realised that these four robes should be enough for a monk. So now, monks use an inner robe, an outer robe and a double robe. The Buddha told the monks that it was awkward for a monk to carry and care for too many robes and that the had tested the robes. Then he made a rule allowing the monk to use three robes.

One day, Venerable Ananda received an extra set of robes and wanted to offer it to Venerable Sariputta who, at that time, was away in Saketa for nine or ten days. Ananda asked the Buddha what he should do. So the Buddha amended the rule in order that a monk who received and extra robe could keep it for ten days without determination or assignment. But if the monk has performed the Kathina ceremony he can keep extra robes for a period fo five months without making a determination or assignment.

   5.  The last privilege is Yocattha Civaruppada which means that robes or other requisites offered by devotees can be shared among the monks who have completed their vassa in the same place. But a monk who has broken his vassa or did not express his consent during the Kathina ceremony in the Sima Hall should not share the requisites.

According to the Vinaya rules, if the devotees offer requisites to the Sangha in a certain place the monks will have to share them without discriminating between resident and visiting monks. If there si not enough for all they must be distributed by drawin lots or the Sangha should agree to whom the requisites should be given. But the monks who have performed the Kathina ceremony and expressed their consent may share teh requisites among themselves during the period of five months and are not obliged to share them with others.

Only the performance of the Kathina ceremony can release monks from some of the rules. After the Buddha laid down the Vinaya rules no one could rovoke or add to them, and apart from the Kathina no other Dana could release monks from the Vinaya rules. Let me say, even though you offer a magnificent Vinaya it cannot release the monks from their Vinaya obligations, therefore this Kathina Dana is more excellent than other Dana.

The donors of the Kathina robes can also get five results like the Sangha. In the Abhidhamma it says "Janeti sadisam pakampatisandhippavattiyam." which means "This giving produces similar results at rebirth and during one's lifetime". The donors who offer Kathina robes can:

1. Go anywhere without danger.
2. Whatever they eat they are in no danger from their meals.
3. Their property cannot be destroyed by fire, water, wicked kings, thieves and bad sons and daughters
4. They can get many clothes, and
5. They can own many other possesions.

But I would also like to remind you that if while offering Kathina robes you feel happy then, since you have practised Vipassana meditaion, you should be aware of the feeling of happiness. And if your practice is keen enough nad sufficiently developed you will realise how mind and its objects are arising and passing away. If you understand the reality of anicca you will also understand dukkha and anatta. In this way you can attain nibbanic peace.

May all the donors of the Kathina robes and devotees be well and happy, may they attain nibbanaic peace.

Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu.

Extracted from English book written by SAYADAW U PANNATHAMI

ការព្យាបាលរោគផ្លូវចិត្តតាមវិធីពុទ្ធសាសនា

(រៀបរៀងដោយ​ ព្រះតេជគុណ ហុក សុវណ្ណ)

ព្រះពុទ្ធជាម្ចាស់សំដែងថា រោគមានពីរប្រការ គឺ៖

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  រោគផ្លូវកាយ១
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  រោគផ្លូវចិត្ត១

បណ្ដារោគទាំងពីរប្រការនេះ រោគកើតផ្លូវកាយត្រូវព្យាបាលដោយប្រើថ្នាំកែរោគផ្សេងៗ។ ឯរោគកើតផ្ឡុវចិត្ត ត្រូវព្យាបាលដោយធម្មាសថ ឱសថគឺព្រះធម៌។

អំពីរោគកើតផ្លូវកាយ

ព្រះពុទ្ធសំដែងថា តែមានរូបតែងមានរោគ គ្រាន់តែខ្លះកើតរោគច្រើន ខ្លះកើតរោគតិចប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ កាលណាមានរោគ ព្រះពុទ្ធសំដែងថា កុំឲ្យបន់ស្រន់ ទេវតា ខ្មោច បិសាច ឬបន់ព្រះពុទ្ធឲ្យជួយ មិនអាចជាបានឡើយ។ ប៉ុន្តែព្រះអង្គបញ្ជាក់ថា កាលណាកើតរោគគួរប្រើថ្នាំសំរាប់ព្យាបាល ដូចព្រះអង្គមានពុទ្ធានុញ្ញាតដល់ភិក្ខុនូវគិលានភេសជ្ជបច្ច័យ ដែលប្រែថា ថ្នាំសំរាប់ព្យាបាលអ្នកមាន ជំងឺ។ ការព្យាបាលនេះ គ្រាន់តែសំរួលដល់ធាតុឲ្យដើរស្រួលប៉ុណ្ណោះ ប៉ន្តែពុំមែនជារហូតទេ ព្រោះមនុស្សតែងស្ថិតនៅក្នុងការចាស់ ឈឺ ស្លាប់ គ្រប់គ្នា បើជីវិតពុំទាន់អស់ទេ ការព្យាបាលនេះ អាចជា។ ម្យ៉ាងទៀត ពុទ្ធសាសនា បង្រៀនឲ្យមនុស្សមានអនាម័យ ដើម្បីការពារកុំឲ្យមានរោគ គឺការពារមុនប្រសើរជាងកើតរោគហើយទើបព្យាបាលក្រោយ ដោយពុទ្ធភាសិតមួយបទ ពោលថា អរោគ្យោ បរមា លាភា ប្រែថា ការមិនមានរោគជាលាភដ៏ប្រសើរ។ ពុទ្ធសាសនាក៏ទទួលស្គាល់ តាមផ្លូវវេជ្ជសាស្ត្រថា ជម្ងឺបណ្ដាលមកពីមេរោគ ឬ ខូច ផ្នែកណាមួយនៃអាការៈក្នុងខ្លួន ហើយថ្នាំ អាចដាក់ជា បើថ្នាំនោះស្របទៅតាមប្រភេទនៃជម្ងឺ ព្រោះព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនាដោះស្រាយតាមហេតុ និង ផល គឺជម្ងឺជាផល ហេតុដែលនាំឲ្យកើតជម្ងឺជាហេតុ។ បើគេដោះស្រាយហេតុឲ្យរលត់ ផលក៏រលត់ដែរ។ ប៉ុន្ដែបើរូបរាងកាយមានសុខភាពល្អ ប៉ុន្ដែផ្លូវចិត្តមានកើតទុក្ខ នោះគេពុំមាន សុភមង្គល គឺសេចក្ដីសុខឡើយ។ មនុស្សក្នុងលោក តែងតែចាប់អារម្មណ៍ពីរោគផ្លូវកាយ តែរោគផ្លូវ ចិត្តគេពុំសូវចាប់អារម្មណ៍ ដើម្បីព្យាបាលឲ្យជាឡើយ៕

អំពីរោគផ្លូវចិត្ត

ចិត្តជាធម្មជាតិ គ្មានរូបសណ្ឋានទ្រង់ទ្រាយអ្វីទេ គឺជានាមធម៌ គឺមានតែឈ្មោះ ប៉ុន្តែវាមានការពិត របស់វា គឺចិត្តជាធម្មជាតិចេះនឹកគិតទៅរកអារម្មណ៍ផ្សេងៗ ចេះរីករាយ ចេះទោមនស្សតូចចិត្ត ចេះកើតទុក្ខ ចេះទទួលអារម្មណ៍ជាសុខ។ រូបនិងចិត្តកើតរលត់គ្រប់ខណៈ ដែលហៅថា ខណិកមរណៈ ប្រែថា ស្លាប់តាមខណៈ។ ត្រង់នេះហើយដែលហៅថា ទុក្ខៈ ប្រែថា ទ្រាំនៅក្នុង សណ្ឋានភាពមួយពុំបាន វាចេះតែប្រែទៅជាលមដាប់។ ប៉ុន្ដែចិត្តរលត់រហ័សជាងរូប ដូច្នេះសេចក្ដី ទុក្ខដែលប្រព្រឹត្តតាមផ្លូវចិត្តច្រើនជាងផ្លូវរូប នេះជាសេចក្ដីទុក្ខដ៏ល្អិត។ តែសេចក្ដីទុក្ខក្នុងផ្លូវចិត្តដែល មនុស្សលោកអាចដឹងបានច្បាស់លាស់ បានដល់អ្វី?

អំពីសេចក្ដីទុក្ខក្នុងផ្លូវចិត្ត

     មនុស្សភ្ញាក់ពីដេក កាយពុំទាន់ចាប់ធ្វើការអ្វីផង ចិត្តចាប់ធ្វើការមុនរួចទៅហើយដោយគិតថា តើអញធ្វើការអ្វីថ្ងៃនេះ? ។ ជួនកាលលាយដោយការព្រួយបារម្ភក្នុងចិត្តផង។ ដូច្នេះហើយបានជាគេឲ្យដេកឲ្យបាន៨ម៉ោងក្នុងមួយថ្ងៃ ព្រោះដើម្បីឲ្យចិត្តសម្រាក។ បើចិត្តពុំបានសម្រាក ចេះតែគិតគ្មានឈប់ មិនយូរប៉ុន្មានទេនឹងទៅជាឈឺ កើតរោគសរសៃប្រសាទ ពុំខាន ព្រោះកាយនិងចិត្តទាក់ទងគ្នា ការគិតសរសៃប្រសាទក៏ខំប្រឹង ធ្វើការគ្មានឈប់សម្រាកដែរ។ ទុក្ខកើតអំពីការបាត់បង់វត្ថុនិងជនជាទីគោរព ជាទីស្រលាញ់ បានសេចក្ដីថា ជនណាមួយជាប់ចិត្តស្រលាញ់ពេញចិត្តវត្ថុណាមួយ លុះវត្ថុនោះខូច ឬវិនាស បាត់បង់ទៅ ជននោះតែងតែកើតទុក្ខ នឹកស្តាយវត្ថុនោះ។ ក៏ដូចគ្នានឹងជនណាមួយជាទីគោរព ជាទីស្រលាញ់ ជាទីគាប់ចិត្តរបស់ខ្លួន ពេលដែលជននោះមានវិបត្តិគ្រោះថ្នាក់ ឬក៏ស្លាប់ទៅ អ្នករស់នៅនោះ តែងតែកើតទុក្ខអង្គុយយំ សោកស្ដាយ ដាយនឹកស្ដាយស្រណោះ អាឡោះអាល័យ ចំពោះជននោះ។ បើជនដែលបាត់បង់ទៅនោះ ជាទីស្រឡាញ់ខ្លាំង សេចក្ដីទុក្ខក៏ខ្លាំង បើស្រឡាញ់ ល្មម សេចក្ដីទុក្ខក៏ល្មម បើស្រឡាញ់តិច សេចក្ដីទុក្ខក៏តិច។ ផ្ទុយទៅវិញ គេសង្កេតឃើញថា បើជនដែលវិនាសទៅនោះ មិនជាទីស្រឡាញ់របស់ខ្លួនសោះ ការកើតទុក្ខផ្លូវចិត្តក៏គ្មានសោះ។ ត្រង់នេះហើយបានជាព្រះសម្ពុទ្ធបញ្ជាក់ថា សេចក្ដីទុក្ខ សេចក្ដីសោក ការភ័យ ត្រូវបានកើតចេញមកអំពីសេចក្ដីស្រឡាញ់។ ជាឧទាហរណ៍ ជនម្នាក់ មានកូនរបស់ខ្លួនម្នាក់ស្លាប់ ក៏យំទួញសោក តែបើកូនអ្នកដ៏ទៃស្លាប់វិញ ជនដដែលនេះគ្មានយំសោកសោះឡើយ។ នេះបញ្ជាក់យ៉ាងច្បាស់ថា ជននោះយំមកពីការស្រឡាញ់ ឯកូនអ្នកដទៃស្លាប់ពុំយំ មកពីមិនស្រឡាញ់។ សេចក្ដីកើតមកអំពីការប្រាថ្នាបែបណា ហើយពុំបានសម្រេចដូចសេចក្ដីប្រាថ្នា បានសេចក្ដីថា បុគ្គលគ្រប់តែងតែមានសេចក្ដីប្រាថ្នា បែបណាមួយសម្រាប់ជីវិតរបស់ខ្លួន។ បើសេចក្ដីប្រាថ្នានោះបានសម្រេចដូចបំណង ក៏ត្រេកអរ រីករាយសប្បាយ។ បើពុំបានសម្រេចទេ ក៏កើតទុក្ខ។ ម្យ៉ាងទៀត សេចក្ដីទុក្ខអំពីការជួបប្រទះភពប្រសព្វវត្ថុ ឬមនុស្សសត្វពុំជាទីស្រឡាញ់ ជាទីគាប់ចិត្ត។

(នៅមានត)