Union Kathina 2011 at Wat Rajchaphohong Teluk Wang

Kathina 2011 was held successfully in this Thai Buddhist temple at Teluk Wang, Ara Kuda. Well ! The Buddhism flags were everywhere. More and more people came after 8.30am, mostly were Chinese and local Thai people.

People came and paid respect to Buddha and Sangha (monks) first. Some people brought thiers' own food to offer to the monks. Most of the poeple are busy in the kitchen. The food mostly put into the big round tray. Buddhist can offer anything to monk to eat. Somehow not to give the fruits which have the seeds for monks to eat. This Hinayana Buddhism cannot eat the foods after 12 noon.

Wow ! In the kitchen ! there were two happily brothers chef, cooked something with the big wok. Everyone were so busy.......One of the auntie, she made this 'glutine dumplings' Ketupat....herself and also she cooked this curry....well ! when the ketupat dipped with this Thai curry....wow ! marvelous !

A monk gave dhamma talk in Dharmasala Hall. Many of them do not understand the Thai language which spoke by the monk. Somehow, one thing very good about was, a Thai speaking translator gave some informations in Hokkien dialect, so that local people did not get lost.

In the hall, many people gave donation by put on the banana tree. There were many robe offerrings items which wrapped with the yellowish paper and put on the long table. Of course there were the main sponsor offering items.
Tak bhat (offerring of foods) by main sponsor family also happened in the hall.

Many devotees went to the dining place to do the Tak Bath. After the monks took the lunch, all the lay people quee up and took the foods and Ulams (fresh salad) with Thai chilli paste....hot !

After the lunch, the main sponsor guiding the group of people (took the offerings items) round the Dhammarsala hall for 3 times and took off the slippers and walk on the tar road. Sponsor offered the kathina robe and some other items to the monks. Then followed by the lay men and lay women. The kathina 2011 programme last at about 2 pm.

Why Buddhist celebrate Kathina ?

The buddhist will give the most supports and also generous in donation for this kind of ceremony, they believe that this meritorious resulted the great happiness and merit towards own good karma in life.

Kathina celebration marked the ended of the 3 months rainny season retreat for the sangha (monks) organization. It also called as "Phansa period". This celebration mostly held in October or November each year.

This ceremony has to be perform only once within one month right after the end of the rainny season retreat, the criteria will be at least 5 monks in the group.

The main Kathina robes can only be presented to the most noble monk who practise well during the rainny season retreat. The noble monk who get this robes will be select base on the discussion by Sangha group.

They also offering the other requisites besides the robes to the monks.

All these offerings need to be willingly give and in happily feelings and the best is the lay people also take the sila (precepts). If both party, the people who receive and people who give also take precepts, then it will be the most meritorious and blessing one.