Abhayagiri Kathina 2013

On Sunday, October 20th, over 300 lay supporters arrived on the Abhayagiri Monastery grounds to celebrate a 2600 year old tradition offering cloth donations and other material requisites to the monks who have stayed at Abhayagiri for the entire 2013 rains residence from July 23rd to October 19th.

Along with Ajahn Jayasaro, 15 Thai lay men and women came to support the building of Abhayagiri’s new Reception Hall, bringing over $220,000 with them from various donors in Thailand. An additional $100,000 was added by the local community and other visitors. This roughly $320,000 will go toward the building of the next phase of the Reception Hall (please refer to the construction section of the website for photos and articles about the Hall).

As for the rest of the day, the monks labored away according to the rules of the Kathina, cutting, sewing and dying cloth to make a new robe for Ajahn Ñaniko. This robe was offered at a ceremony just before 11:00 pm that same night.

Anumodana to everyone whose generous offerings this 2013 Kathina continue to allow Abhayagiri Monastery to flourish as a practice center of the Buddha’s teachings.