Buddhist Lent Day
Buddhist Lent Day mars the beginning of the annual retreat for monks as laid down by Lord Buddha more than twenty-five centuries ago. On that day all monks take a vow to stay in a particular place or temple for three months from the first Day of the Waning moon in the
8th Month to the 15th Day of the Waxing Moon in the 11th Month. It coincides with the rainy season during which the monks are not allowed to stay overnight anywhere else, except in exceptional cases based on reasons granted by Lord Buddha.
Buddhist Lent day means the day on which the Buddhist monks take the vow to stay only at one particular place or temple which can shelter them from the sun, storms and rain.
Significance
For Buddhism and its followers, Buddhist Lent has the following important characteristics :
1. Buddhist monks who have been travelling from place to place have totake up shelter in a particular place, according to Lord Buddha’s discipline.
2. Buddhist monks who stay at a particular place for a length of time shall teach young boys who wish to be ordained in order to study the Buddhist Doctrine and preach to lay followers.
3. During the Buddhist Lent, lay followers refrain from bad actions, in particular drinking alcohol, taking drugs or leading an inappropriate life.
4. During the Buddhist Lent, laymen acquire merit, observe five or eight precepts, listen to sermons and sit in meditation in temples.
Historical Background
Lord Buddha’s Motives for Laying Down the Discipline of the Buddhist Lent
When Lord Buddha was staying at Veluvana Temple in Rajagriha City of Magadha State, a group of people complained to Lord Buddha that the Buddhist monks did not act appropriately, as they kept travelling even in the rainy season, walking through the rice fields, and damaging the farmer’s paddies, while ordained people of other religions stopped travelling and took retreat. Lord Buddha held a meeting, the Buddhist monks discussed the matter, and in the end Lord Buddha formulated the rule enforcing all Buddhist monks to take retreat during the rainy season by uttering the following words :
“Anujanami Bhikkhave Vassang Upagantung.”
O Bhikkhus, I allow you to observe the Lent Retreat.
Buddhist Lent Day usually falls on the 1st Waning Moon Day of the 8th Month and the retreat ends on the 15th Waxing Moon day of the 11th Month, which is also known as the First Buddhist Lent Day (Purima Pansa). In some years, two Eight Lunar Months occur, and in that case, Buddhist Lent Day is postponed to the 1st Waning Moon of the 2nd Eight Month, or the 1st Waning Moon Day of the Ninth Month (Pajchima Pansa) until the 15th Waxing Moon Day of the 12th Month, which is the end of the Second Buddhist Lent (Pajchima Pansa).