With the end of the three-month
Rains Retreat (about July to September), monks throughout the country
are free to move from place to place and are eligible to receive new
robes in an annual presentation ceremony called "Thot Kathin".
Besides new robes, Buddhist literature, kitchen equipment, financial
contributions and building materials e.g. nails, hand-saws and hammers
etc. are also presented to monks on this occasion.
In fact, the word "Thot"
means "making an offering to the monk" and the word "Kathin"
literary means the "embroidery frame" used in sewing the yellow
robes which, in those days, were collected from rags on dead bodies
in the jungle since clothes were not available in plenty as nowadays.
Buddhist people regard the "Thot Kathin" ceremony as the most
significant form of merit-making next to the ordination of their close
kin. Thus, once in their lifetime everybody is looking forward to having
an opportunity to be the sponsor of a Kathin ceremony as it involves
a lot of time, manpower and expense. Above all, an advance booking must
be made with the temple, otherwise, the chance to be a sole sponsor
of the Kathin may not be possible especially with the reputable temples.
Nontheless, those who fail to be the sole sponsor of Kathin can also
take part in the ceremony which, in this type, is known as "Kathin
Samakki" or the "United Kathin".
Sometimes a Kathin group
will travel for several hundred kilometers by bus, train, boat or even
by plane to present the Kathin robes and other necessities to monks
in remote temples or in other countries where Buddhist temples are established.
People thus hold this merit-making festival not only for earning merit
for themselves but also for enjoying a fun-filled holiday free from
the daily hectic life full of stress and strain in the city. During
the Thot Kathin period, it is very common to see Kathin processions
traveling to and fro throughout the country. In fact, anybody can take
part in the event through the simple method of enclosing a small amount
of money in the white envelope given by friends or relatives.
---------------------------------------------------
This
story comes from "Essays on Thailand" by Thanapol
Chadchaidee. It is used here with his permission. The book contains
60 essays about Thailand written in Thai and English.
