KATHINA ROBE OFFERING

Kathina civara means robes offered to the sangha during the kathina ceremony. Offering of kathina robes was originally made to a group of bhikkhus known as the Bhaddavaggi Brothers of Paveyya region. The Buddha allowed a special form of robe offering to the members of the Sangha who were in need of robes. This special offering is purely voluntary. Bhikkhus are not supposed to ask for such offering even from their own parents. Robes are offered to the Sangha and not to any individual bhikkhu. These offerings are placed before the members of the Sangha who have observed their rains retreat. A prescribed ritual is held in a sima (hall) by the Sangha before distributing the offerings to the needy bhikkhus in the presence of the assembly. This special offering of robes brings five kinds of benefit to the donors: These five benefits are as follows: