History of Thod Kathin Ceremony

(Robes presentation to monks at the end of the Buddhist Lent)

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During the Buddha’s era , once about 30 monks from Patha town who led austere lives of pilgrimage on foot, wished to visit the Buddha, at that time staying at Sawatthi. Thus, they made the journey. Upon arriving at Saket town, it was the Buddhist Lent. So, they had to stay there under the rule of discipline of the Sangha. At the end of the Buddhist Lent, they hurriedly made the trip. It rained on the way, causing them to have to travel on muddy roads until reaching Sawatthi in great difficulty. When having a meeting, the Buddha conversed with them about the Buddhist Lent and the journey. Those monks told him of their wishes to make the visit and the difficulty during the trip. The Buddha, therefore, granted permission of Kran Kathin (Kran Kathin is a ceremony of which a monk who receives robes presented can take them to make and dye as clothing) for any monks who stayed in a single monastery during the Buddhist Lent to accept robes made and dyed for presenting to monks at Kathin offering. In addition, good effect would be gained under some rule of discipline of the Sangha.

Previously, monks had to look for the old cloths abandoned, or to take robes offered to them at cremation, to make clothing. They could not accept directly from those who wished to make the offering. So, when the Buddha granted such permission, people who would like to present cloths to monks for cutting as new robes could do so. They didn’t have to pretend to drop cloths on the passing ways of monks as if they were old cloths like the time before. It has later become Thod Kathin ceremony.

The word “Kathin” means wood frame, a pattern for making robes, which may be called “hoop”. Since during the Buddha’s era, to make robes as per the pattern was difficult. There must be a readily wood frame as a tool to make lower garment, robe, or outer robe for monks.

“Thod Kathin Ceremony” is to offer robes to monks, by placing down the robes and saying the words of offering among the monks. They can be made as lower garment, robe, or outer robe. There are also several conditions as follows.

• It’s a merit making with limited time, only once a year or within 1 month after the end of the Buddhist Lent, that’s from the 1 st day of the 11 th month of the waning moon to the 15 th day of the 12 th month of the waxing moon. This period is called “Thod Kathin Festival”. This year it’s from 8 th October to 5 th November.
• The monastery accepting Kathin under the Tipitaka (Triple Basket) must have 4 monks at least.
• The monks accepting Kathin must have been staying in that monastery during the Buddhist Lent for 3 months.
• There must be approval from the assembly of monks in giving Kathin cloths to any one monk.
• The Kathin must be offered out of faith on one’s own initiative, not by request, verbally or in writing, from the monastery, as it will be deemed as a breach of the rule of discipline of the Sangha and becoming void.

Because of these conditions, Kathin gives great benefit or merit to those made. (In the old times, monks had to find cloths to make their own robes). It’s therefore deemed as a help to monks, who had practiced Dhamma during the Buddhist Lent, to get new robes. In addition, it must be made under several conditions and within limited time, which is in special nature not like general merit making. So, it causes a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. Furthermore, it’s to support Buddhism and brings about unity in making merit. It’s also a part to renovate monasteries, to maintain religious places, religious objects, and religious traditions.