✨ WELCOME to Dhammadharini's Bhikkhuni Sangha Kathina - Saturday October 15th ✨

[❧ Dhammadharini Monastery]

Greetings dear Venerable monastics and Dhamma friends -

The Dhammadharini Bhikkhuni community has had a rich and full Vassa - feeling the blessings of our friends' generosity, inaugurating the sima at our outdoor Sala pavilion and welcoming two new Bhikkhunis into the Sangha, holding Vinaya classes to deepen our understanding of this way of training, practicing with our Dhamma theme of "Stop the War," and experiencing daily the incredible value of walking this path together in community - both our resident community, and our larger circle of friends and supporters, near and far.

Now, with the successful completion of Vassa, the whole Dhammadharini monastic community from Dhammadharini Monastery and Aranya Bodhi Hermitage, together with Ayya Anandabodhi, Ayya Santacitta and Anagarika Bethany from Aloka Vihara, will be gathering together at our monastery in Penngrove for the celebration of Kathina on Saturday, October 15th. We are expecting a total of 11 monastics: 4 senior bhikkhuni theris plus 3 new bhikkhunis, together with 2 samaneris and 2 anagarikas. We hope that you will join us, either online or in-person!

The Kathina Civara Dana ("Gift of the Kathina Robe/s") aka Kathina Puja ("Offering the Kathina") comes in the month after the end of the Vassa, the three-month rainy season retreat, and is a celebration of community and generosity. It is the traditional time of year for the lay community to express their support for the monastic Sangha by offering essential requisites (food, clothing, shelter, and medicines). This year the Kathina lead donors of the Kathina are our dear long-time friends Shari Gent and Upasamaya~Shirley Kwok.

The central feature of Kathina is the offering of robe cloth to the Bhikkhu-Bhikkhuni Sangha. The Sangha then bestows the robe cloth upon one of their bhikkhu/ni members - in some traditions (including ours) this cloth is then sewn into a robe before dawn of the next day, followed by the "Spreading of the Kathina" by the recipient bhikkhu/ni, who then dons the robe while the community rejoices, and then  shares blessings with the whole community.

Our Kathina Day program will begin in the early morning with the offering of the Kathina robe cloth at dawn: 6:30am (California time). You are most welcome to join for all or part of the day -- morning, midday or afternoon.

Out of care for the vulnerable members of our community, the event will be held outdoors with COVID safety precautions in place.

You may also participate in the event by Zoom, Facebook Live, or YouTube Livestream.

To sign up to attend in person or online, please register on our website.

Here is the planned schedule for the day. All times are provided in Pacific Daylight Time (California time) - please see this Time Zone Converter to find your local time.

Morning Kathina program:
6:00am	Visitors arrive & set up for breakfast dana
6:30am dawn	Refuges and precepts
	Undertaking the 8 Lifetime Precepts for leading Kathina donors Upasikas Shari Gent and reaffirmation of Lifetime precepts for Upasamaya Shirley Kwok
	Offering of Kathina robe cloth to the Bhikkhuni Sangha
	Bhikkhuni Sangha bestows the Kathina cloth on the Bhikkhuni recipient
7:15am	Breakfast offering to the Bhikkhuni Sangha
8:30am	Community sewing time
9:00-10:00am	Morning Dhamma speaker
Meal offering:
10:00am	Arrival & setup for lunch offering to the Bhikkhuni Sangha (Amisa Dana)
10:30am	Refuges and precepts
11:00am	Offering of lunch to the Bhikkhuni Sangha (Amisa Dana)
Afternoon Kathina program:
(sewing continues)
1:30pm	Welcome from Dhammadharini Leadership and Kathina Sponsors
	Dhamma contemplations emerging from our Vassa theme of "Stop the War," from members of the Dhammadharini community
3:30pm	Kathina robe parade
	Sanghadana offering to Bhikkhuni Sangha
	Anumodana blessing chanting
We will continue with sewing, Dhamma talks, and community time until the Kathina robe is complete.
When the robe is complete:
Spreading the Kathina
Anumodana Dhammakatha Dhamma reflection by Bhikkhuni robe recipient
Sharing of blessings

 

To make a Sangha Dana Offering and join in the joy of Kathina Giving during this auspicious season, please see the Support page on our website and our Kathina Wish List.

If you plan to attend in person and bring food for breakfast or lunch, we would be appreciative if you let us know what food you will be bringing, to help in the planning.

With metta and appreciation,

from our Dhammadharini community

--

Dhammadharini Monastery

6791 Sturtevant Dr., Penngrove CA 94951

tel or text: +1 707.583.9522

email: dhammadhari...@gmail.com

more info on the web @ dhammadharini.net