Kathina Pinkama at Das Buddhistische Haus (Berlin Vihara) in Germany
Posted on October 21st, 2013
German Dharmaduta Society
Kathina is a Theravada Buddhist Festival which comes at the end of Vassa, the three-month rainy season retreat. It is usually held, beginning after the full moon of the eleventh month in the Lunar calendar (usually October).
Kathina is a time of giving, for the laity to express gratitude to monks.‚ Lay Buddhists bring donations to temples, especially new robes for the monks.
A Kathina Pinkama was held at Das Buddhistische Haus (Berlin Vihara) on Sunday October 20, 2013 and on the preceding day Saturday October 19, a Pirith reciting ceremony was conducted.
During the Vassa period special Dhamma activities including Dhamma discussions, lectures, meditation classes and retreats were conducted at the Berlin Vihara.
The participants at the Kathina Pinkama included Germans, Thais, Cambodians, and Sri Lankans, among others. The programme for the day comprised a Buddha Puja, Sangha Dana and Kathina Chivara Puja.
Ten Buddhist Monks participated in the Katina ceremony. They were:
- Ven. Dikwelle Seelasumana Thero (Berlin Vihara)
- Ven. Kumbukmule Siri Sumana Thero, Bonn Temple, Germany
- Ajahn Kotti (Thai monk from the Wat Bodhi Dhamma Temple‚ – Note: Ajahn is a Thai term which translates as “teacher”. It is derived from the Pali word „cariya, and is a term of respect),
- Bhante Anusak from Thailand,
- Ven. Thammannawe Dhammananda Thero (Sri Lankan monk currently resident in Marburg, Germany)
- Ven. Kumburugamuwe Sugunadhamma Thero from Sri Lanka,
- Ven. Badalkumbure Dhammasiri Thero (Buddhist Temple, Milan, Italy)
- Ven. Kongaspitiye Santharakkhitha Thero, M.A. (Berlin Vihara)
- Ven. Thalpawila Kusalagnana Thera, M.A. (Hamburg Buddhist Centre, Germany)
- Ven. Bogahapitiye Dharmasirighana (Sri Lanka)
The pictures attached (6) show the Kathina Pinkama in progress at the Berlin Vihara.
German Dharmaduta Society