Significance of Vap Poya day Katina pinkama-The noblest Buddhist religious activity

Every monk to whom the Katina Cheevara is offered should have completed the rainy season sojourn in the proper way

Vap full moon poya day is of special significance especially for Buddhists in Sri Lanka because of Katina Cheevara puja –the offering of wet season robes to Buddhist priests who sojourn for the rainy season. For us Sri Lankans, the day is of special significance because of various other important events that took place on this day. Gautama Buddha’s completion of His Vas period in Thusitha heaven, the dispatching of an envoy by king Devanampiyatissa to emperor Asoka in Dambadiva –India requesting him to send a sapling of Sri Maha Bodhi to Sri Lanka, the attainment of Arahantship by Aritta Samanera as Singala Maha Thera and the recitation of Vinaya Pitaka under the supervision of Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera are the events that have taken place on Vap full moon poya day.

Monks who have completed a period of rainy season sojourn are entitled to receive Katina Cheevara. In the event of a number of monks observing Vas or rainy season sojourning in the same place only one monk is entitle to receive Katina at that place. However a single devotee can offer any number of robes but at different places

Rainy season sojourns by monks  

Buddhist monks complete Wassana Kala -the rainy season sojourn on Vap full moon poya day. This three month period is very important for ‘Savanak Piris’ or four groups of the Buddhist community viz. ‘Bhikkhus’- monks, ‘Bhikkhunis’ Nuns, ‘Upasakas’- lay male devotees and ‘Upasikas’- female lay devotees because this is the period of the year when they can accumulate merit in various ways. Buddhists perform a series of special religious activities, the most important of which is Katina cheewara puja- offering of robes to the Maha Sangha. Katina Cheewara is a web of cloth made in a day and presented to a Buddhist priest.

Katina Cheewara pooja

When Gautama Buddha was sojourning in Sawatri Nuwara Jetawanaramaya, 30 monks from Paveyya state came to see Him. Since it was the rainy season they remained with householders in Saketha Nuwara. At the end of the three month Vas period they set off for Jetawanaramaya, but on the way they got caught to heavy rain as the rainy season was not over. They came to Jetawanaramaya in wet robes. On inquiry they told the Buddha that they had got caught to the rain. Buddha gave them permission for “Katinaskaranaya” or entitlement for another robe.

New robes

Katina puja or offering of new robes to Buddhist priests is a long standing religious custom prevailing in all the Theravadi Buddhist countries. In Sri Lanka Katina Pinkama ceremonies are conducted in Buddhist temples during the period from the Vap Full Moon poya day to Ill full moon poya day. In the words of the Buddha this is the noblest religious activity for Buddhists in which limitless merit is accumulated. Monks who have completed a period of rainy season sojourn are entitled to receive Katina Cheevara. In the event of a number of monks observing Vas or rainy season sojourning in the same place only one monk is entitle to receive Katina at that place. However a single devotee can offer any number of robes but at different places.

In Buddha’s words all the items offered at a Katina Pinkama ceremony are equally efficacious bridges of offerings in the road to Nibbana. A number of prerequisites should be fulfilled to achieve the best results of a Katina Puja. In the first place every monk to whom the Katina Cheevara is offered should have completed the rainy season sojourn in the proper way. Cheevara should be a thick robe for the wet season cut and sewn on the spot in a day and night. 

Gautama Buddha set an example to His followers by sojourning Himself during the Wassana Kala or the rainy season.This first “Vas period sojourning of Gautama Buddha after His Enlightenment was at Baranas Isipatanaramaya- the grove in Benaris where He first preached to His monks- Paswaga mahanu.

Buddha’s seventh ‘Vas’ season sojourn is also of special significance. Gautama Buddha decided to be of service to His mother god who was in Thauthisa or Thavathinsa. Queen Mahamaya who died seven days after giving birth to prince Siddhartha was born in the divine world called Thavatinsa as a mighty god. During His sojourn in Thavathinsa Buddha gave religious instructions to the gods including the mother god. He preached Abhidharma or Transcendent doctrine. On hearing Abhidharma the mother god attained Sowan – the first of the four paths or stages leading to Nirvana.  It was on the seventh Vap full moon poya day after His Enlightenment that the Buddha returned to the world of men from Thavathinsa celestial world. Attended by celestial beings, Buddha descended to the world of men down a ladder of “Sath Ruwan”, seven precious things i.e. Gold, Silver. Pearls, gems, cats’ eye gems, diamonds and coral, *Shad warna” i.e. an aggregate of five colours, Blue, Yellow, Crimson, White, Red and the colour formed by the combined radiance emanated from His body and formed a halo around Him. Thousands of Devas and Brahmas stood in the air on either side of the ladder to pay respects to the Enlightened One.

Vap Full Moon Poya day is significant also in connection with the Sri Maha Bodhi. It was on a Vap Full Moon Poya day that King Devanampiyatissa sent his minister to the emperor as his envoy requesting him to send a sapling of Sri Maha Bodhi to Sri Lanka. The king dispatched this envoy under the admonition of Arahant Mahinda Thera. Emperor Dharmasoka who had already sent missionaries to various countries including Sri Lanka did not hesitate to send a sapling of Sri Maha Bodhi.

Craftsmen of eighteen ranks accompanied Arahant Sanghamitta Theri. Arahant Sanghamitta Theri who was also accompanied by a number of other nuns embarked from Thamraliththi fort and disembarked in Sri Lanka a few days later. Sri Maha Bodhi was planted in Mahameuna Uyana on Unduvap full moon poya day. 

Arahant Sanghamitta Theri established Mehenisasna-Order of nuns in Sri Lanka on a Vap Full Moon Poya day.

Prince Maha Aritta who was ordained by Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera was the first Sri Lankan to attain Arahantship- the goal of Buddhism. He held the convocation of Vinaya pitakaya. The commencement of this convocation was on a Vap Full Moon poya day.

There is historical evidence to the effect that King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe of the Senkadagala kingdom had offered Katina Cheewara to the Maha Sangha annually to Maha Sangha on Vap Full Moon Poya day.

The month of Vap is also important to farmers. It is the main sowing season.  Vap Mangula or Vap festival had been patronised by royal families. King Suddhodhana had taken prince Siddhartha – Bodhisattva out on that day to see the ploughing festival. Nineteen Amunas had been ploughed with sixty ploughs. Bulls of the best breed, well-made ploughs and yokes driving sticks and cords, were carried in carriages drawn by horses. According to Mahavansa Sinhala kings had conducted Vap Mangula – the ploughing festival with the highest esteem and in a grand scale. At present Vap Mangula is a National festival patronised by ministers and Parliamentarians including the President. Vap festivals are conducted not only at the National level but also at the provincial level. In certain Vap festivals elephants are used presumably for want of strong bulls and buffaloes. Presumably this is an attempt to make the festivities grand and mighty.