Kathina Festival at the Alabama Buddhist vihara 2018
A Kathina Festival will be held at Alabama Buddhist Vihara, 18 November 2018. The Kathina is a tradition that has been followed for over 2500 years. It takes place during the month following the end of the Vas (the three months’ Rains Retreat). At the time of Kathina, lay followers make a special offering of the Kathina cloth, and in addition, other requisites to the Sangha.(monks)Kathina is a very happy, warm-hearted time for celebration. It is a time to come together, focusing on the single act of generosity of offering the cloth and other requisites.
November 17, at 06 pm 2018 Maha pirith chanting
Dear Devotees,
We would like to invite you to the 2018 Kathina Robe Offering Ceremony at the Alabama Buddhist Vihara on Sunday 18th November 2018.
As you know, Kathina is a tradition which has been followed since the time of the Buddha. Every year,
the Alabama Buddhist vihara the ceremony right after the Vassa period for devotees to have an opportunity to offer four requisites to the Sangha and accumulate merits for themselves. The merits of the four-requisite offered to the Sangha were mentioned by the Buddha in the Anapanasatti Sutta as follows:" O Bhikkhu! The Sangha here is a pure assembly. It is worth for devotees to come a long way to pay respect and make a donation. For this assembly, a small donation will get a lot of merits and a large donation even gets more merits in return. The Sangha Assembly is indeed a field for all devotees to seed their good kamma and cultivate their merits."The Kathina ceremony program is as follows: on Saturday 17th & 18th November
on Saturday 17th November
05:30 p.M.: Arrival of devotees
06:00 p.M.: atavistic pooja
07:00 P.M.: maha pirith chanting
08:30 P.M.: Adjournment
on Sunday 18th November
06:am arriving to the temple with kathina robe
6.30 am offering buddha pooja
7:00 am dana to the maha sangha
10:30 am buddha pooja
11:00 dana for the maha sangha
12:00 luncheon
01:00 kathina offering
Coming to the Kathina Ceremony, devotees will have an opportunity to take five precepts, be blessed with chantings from the Sangha, listen to Dhamma talk, offer robes and other requisites to the Sangha and share merits to all beings.
We hope many of devotees will participate in the Kathina ceremony and look forward to welcoming you. If you could not attend the ceremony but would like us to offer a robe to the Sangha and share merits to your beloved ones and all beings on your behalf.
May you all be well, happy and peaceful!
In Metta,
the Alabama Buddhist vihara.
