Rains-retreat (Vassavasa)
A Practice for the change of the life style of Buddhist monks
Buddhism was rooted in the ancient Indian tradition of homeless wanderers
renouncing the social world. Alara Kalama and Udaka Ramaputta, the teachers of Ascetic
Gotama, were such homeless wanderers. The Ascetic Gotama and his companions, the
group of five ascetics (pancavaggiyas) came to the renouncers to learn from them. Later
on the Buddhist samgha also grew apart from its origin, the wondering samgha, because
the monks took settlements during the rainy season.
At first, the Buddha and his disciples had no fixed abode; they never stayed long
in the same place. They traveled around, alone or in group even during the rainy season.
At the time of the Buddha there were also many groups of wandering ascetics. The
ascetics were constantly on the move; for them traveling was a way to practice
detachment. The Mahavagga Pali reports that they traveled for the good, benefit and
happiness of men and gods, to preach the Dhamma. At first, the monks’ traveling was
necessary. Some of them in Rajagaha traveled throughout the year, even during the
rainy season while other religious sects were observing their practice of rains-retreat.
People criticized them, according to the Mahavagga Pali, saying: “How can these
recluses, sons of the Sakyans, walk on tour during the cold weather and the hot weather
and the rains . . .?'' As a result of this a rule was prescribed by the Lord who said: “I
allow you, monks to enter upon the rains.'' It is understood that Buddhism borrowed this
tradition of rains-retreat from other sects of wandering ascetics.
The rains-retreat, "staying during the rainy season or spending the rainy season, "
vassavasa or vassa in Pali which required the monks to stay in a certain locality during
the rainy season is of two kinds: (a) the earlier rains-retreat (purimikavassapanayika) that
lasts for the first three months of the rainy season and (b) the later rains-retreat
(pacchimikavassupanayika) that lasts for the last three months of the rainy season. One of
the qualifications of a kathina worthy monk is to enter upon the earlier rains-retreat. In
the Buddhist calendar, which practically follows the Indian tradition, rainy season lasts
for four months namely in Pali Savana, Potthapada, Assayuja and Kattika. The first
month of the rainy season generally falls on June or July.
During the rains-retreat Buddhist monks are not to go on tour, but there are some
exceptions. For example, monks may visit their parents if they are sick; they may visit
another monk if he is sick or dissatisfied with his holy life or confused with dhamma etc.
[See more example in the corresponding answer (A-0001, General Section). To read the
answer, follow the link by giving a mouse click on the linked texts while pressing control
key on your keyboard.] However his return must be made within seven days. Though it is
said
“seven
days”
monks may spend only six nights outside their monastery; because days are, in Vinaya,
counted by dawns, and the first dawn of the day on which they start the journey is
counted as one day. But during a rains-retreat monks may make several tours, again and
again, for proper reasons for example when their parents are sick; but it is important to
spend at least one night in their monastery between two journeys. If he does not observe
the earlier rains-retreat, or he happens to have stayed away more than seven days during
the rains-retreat, he is not allowed to receive the kathina robe, he cannot hold kathina
ceremony, nor can he enjoy the kathina benefits which release him from practicing some
vinaya rules.
As to the places where the rains-retreat takes place, monks are specifically
forbidden to observe the retreat in hollow trees, in forks of trees, in the open air, without
lodging, in a charnel-house, under a sunshade, or in a water-jar. Over the centuries,
monks' residence for the rainy season and for the other season has developed much. To
dwell at the foot of trees was an original rule for primitive monks and“ a dwelling-place
(vihara), a curved house (addhayoga), a long house (pasada), a mansion (hammiya) and
a cave (guha) '' were, later, allowed as extra concessions. In the earlier development of
the Order, monks were virtually homeless living on alms-food and wandering in all
directions to spread the truth. Before monastic lodgings were permitted, they had to stay
here and there: “in the forest, at the root of a tree, on a hillside, in a mountain cave, in a
cemetery, in a forest glade, in the open air, on a heap of straw''. Then at the request of a
rich man from Rajagaha the Buddha allowed lodgings for monks and lay devotees
zealously participated in building and donating more dwelling places. However the
condition of those dwelling places was actually simple being compared with later
lodgings. Most of the lodgings were just for individual monks but not for group of
monks. They have somewhat pitiable doors which were, indeed, pieces of flat wood tied
with creepers and cords to the holes of the walls at the entrances. Next, windows were
allowed, of three kinds: railing, lattice and stick windows. Next were draperies, shutters,
and little bolsters across the windows. Next came the furniture: grass matting, solid
bench, couch and chair, mattress, pillow, bed-cloth etc., came successively to be allowed,
too. In a compass many buildings were made for different purposes: cells (parivena),
porches (kotthaka), attendance halls (upatthanasala), fire halls (aggisala), huts for
allowable things (kappiyakuti) privies (vaccakuti), halls in the places for pacing up and
down (cankamanasala), halls at the wells (udapanasala), halls in the bathrooms
(jantagharasala) and temporary sheds (mandapa). Over the years, supported by rich and
royal families, lodgings for monks have developed into grand and great ones.
Monks may build small monasteries (kuti) for themselves, but suitable sites for
big or small monasteries must be approved by a group of monks according to the two
training rules namely Kutikarasikkhapada and Mahallakaviharasikkhapada. Monks are
united when a monk's monastery is constructed. That is their life style is now very much
different from that of wanderers. Moreover, a monk dwelling in monastic community
may
act
as
an
office
bearer
for
monastic
buildings:
repairs-in-charge
(navakammakaraka), assigner of lodgings (senasanapannhpaka), issuer of lodgings
(senasanaggahaka) and storeroom keeper (bhandagarika). Monks may also appoint
monastery attendants (aramika). The elder and elder monks are favorable in taking
possession of the best seats and lodgings, and sells and lodgings are to be distributed
according to seniority among the monks by an assigner monk. A monk may not accept
two lodgings for a rains-retreat (vassavasa) and, on the other hand, without lodging
monks may not spend their rains-retreat.
The Buddha declared three periods for the assignment of lodgings: the earlier
(purimaka), the later (pacchimaka) and the intervening (antaramuttaka). The earlier
period for the assignment of lodgings starts from the day following the full moon of
asalha, the first month of rainy season and it lasts for three months; the later period for
the assignment of lodgings starts from the month following the full moon of asalha, and
it also lasts for three months; the intervening period for the assignment of lodgings starts
from the day following the Invitation Day (pavarana), with reference to the next rainsresidence, and it lasts for eight months. Monks may take hold of their dwelling places for
all the three periods. That is they are allowed to dwell in monasteries all the year round,
year after year.
Introduction of the practice of rains-retreat did not bring about a complete
settlement of the wandering monks; even after being given places to live, the Buddha and
his disciples did not abandon traveling; particularly the Buddha himself did not yet settle
in a certain place during the whole period of the first twenty years after attaining his
enlightenment. But it is true that it served as a watershed which encouraged the monks to
settle under shelters for the rainy season; it served as a bridge between two different
periods in the history of the Buddhist monastic community: complete wandering and a
settled life.
When the rains-retreat is introduced to Buddhism, Buddhist monks started to
settle under shelters. They had to stay in a certain locality at least for three months every
year and they may continue their stay in a monastery year after year. By this, unity of the
monks is encouraged. And by this their relationship with the lay community is also more
supported than before. As a consequence, the Buddhist samgha developed much wider
than its origin, the traditional wanderers' community. And life style of the Buddhist
monks changed from that of homeless wanders to that of monastic men.
With Metta,
Ashin Acara