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{{short description|Theravāda Buddhist festival, held yearly}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = Kathina or Kathina Civara Dana (the gift of the Kathina Robe)
| type = Buddhist
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| official_name =
| nickname = {{unbulleted list|Kaṭhina Cībar Dān (কঠিন চীবর দান)| Kahtein (ကထိန်)|Kathen (កឋិន)|Kathin (กฐิน) |Kuh-htay (ကထ့ၢ်)}}
| observedby = [[Buddhism in Bangladesh|Bangladeshi Buddhists]], [[Myanmar|Burmese]], [[Cambodia]]ns, [[Kayin State|Karen Buddhists]], [[Laos|Lao]], [[Sri Lanka]]ns, [[Malaysian Siamese]], [[Thai people|Thais]], Indian Theravada Buddhists.
| litcolor = ៤ =
| significance =
| begins =
| ends បានគេ៦ =
| date =
| scheduling = Full moon of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar
| duration = 1 month
| frequency = Annual
| date2016 = October 23<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wattampainenglish.com/test/13-special-events/holidays/22-end-of-buddhist-lent.html|title = End of Buddhist Lent - October 04, 2020 Cancelled - WatTampaInEnglish}}</ref>
| date2017 = 
| date2018 = 
| celebrations =
| observances =
| relatedto = [[Vassa]]
}}

[[File:Abhisit offer Kathina robes.jpg|thumb|Former Prime Minister [[Abhisit Vejjajiva]] of Thailand offers Kathina robes to monks at 2010 Kathin.]]
'''Kathina''' is a Buddhist festival which comes at the end of [[Vassa]], the three-month rainy season retreat for [[Theravada|Theravada Buddhists]] in [[Bangladesh]] (known as Kaṭhina Cībar Dān), [[Cambodia]], [[Laos]], [[Malaysia]], [[Myanmar]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[India]] and [[Thailand]].<ref name="bbc">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/holydays/kathina.shtml Kathina] at [[BBC]]</ref> The season during which a monastery may hold Kathina is one month long, beginning after the full moon of the eleventh month in the [[Lunar calendar]] (usually October).

It is a time of giving, for the laity to express gratitude to [[bhikkhu]]s (Buddhist monks).<ref name="kathina">[http://www.viet.net/~anson/ebud/ebdha086.htm Vassa (Rains Retreat) and Kathina (Robe Offering) Ceremony]</ref><ref name="tv">[http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=6,9375,0,0,1,0 Vassa, The Rains Retreat]</ref> Lay Buddhists bring donations to temples, especially new robes for the monks. Also the gift of the attha parikara (in Sri Lanka it is known as Atapirikara අටපිරිකර ) - the Eight Requisites - is part of the offerings.<ref name="bbc"/><ref name="kathina"/><ref name="tv"/>

==Origins==
''Kaṭhina'' is a [[Pali]] word referring to the wooden frame used to measure the length and width by which the robes of Buddhist monks are cut.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.identity.opm.go.th/identity/doc/nis00847.PDF|title=The Royal Kathin Ceremony|work=Thailand: Traits and Treasures|publisher=National Identity Office|access-date=19 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603232056/http://www.identity.opm.go.th/identity/doc/nis00847.PDF|archive-date=3 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> As the legend goes, thirty [[bhikkhu]]s were journeying with the intention of spending Vassa with [[Gautama Buddha]].<ref name="bbc"/> However, the rains began before they reached their destination and they had to stop at Saketa.<ref name="bbc"/><ref name="mind">[http://www.buddhamind.info/leftside/lifesty-2/kathina.htm Buddhist Festivals: Kathina]</ref> According to Buddha's guidelines for Vassa, mendicant monks shouldn't travel during the rainy season as they may unintentionally harm crops and/or insects during their journey.<ref name="access">[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel206.html#rains Lay Buddhist Practice - The Shrine Room, Uposatha Day, Rains Residence]</ref> As such, the monks had to stop.<ref name="bbc"/><ref name="mind"/>

The bhikkhus passed their time together without conflict and practising Dhamma so afterwards, the Buddha rewarded the monks by demonstrating a way to practice sharing and generosity. A lay disciple had previously donated pieces of cloth to the Buddha, so the Buddha now gave the pieces to the group of monks and told them to make it into a robe and then offer it as a gift to one of them. A frame, called a Kathina, was used to hold the pieces while they were being made into one robe.<ref name="bbc"/><ref name="mind"/>

==Practices==

=== Malaysia ===
Kathina has been held in Malaysia since 2009, across many temples. Although 19.4% of those practising [[Buddhism in Malaysia]] are predominantly of the [[Mahayana]] tradition, a recent emergence of the [[Theravada]] tradition from Thailand in the North and Sri Lanka in the South has started the tradition of the observance of [[Vassa]] across Buddhist temples in Malaysia. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2009/10/29/kathina-fest-in-a-cave|title=Kathina fest in a cave|date=2009-10-29|website=The Star Online|language=en|access-date=2019-10-20}}</ref> Vassa is observed starting on the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, and the choice of the date of the Kathina celebration, as well as the end of Vassa observance for each respective temple, can range from the first day of the ninth lunar month to the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month.

===Myanmar===
[[File:Trees of plenty Padaetharpin.jpg|thumb|Kahtein trees from Myanmar]]
[[File:Portrait of Lord Buddha created with money in Kahtein festival.jpg|thumb|Kahtein tree portraying [[Lord Buddha|Buddha]] made out of money]]
'''Kathein''' ({{lang-my|ကထိန်}}, from Pali {{lang|my|ကထိန}}) refers to the ceremony during which yellow robes called ''matho thingan'' ({{lang|my|မသိုးသင်္ကန်း}}) are offered to the [[Sangha (Buddhism)|sangha]] between the first waning day of [[Thadingyut]] ({{lang|my|သီတင်းကျွတ်}}, approximately October) and the full moon day of [[Tazaungmon]] ({{lang|my|တန်ဆောင်မုန်း}}, approximately November)<ref name="kahtein">[http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/Article/Article2004/Nov/Nov12.htm Kahtein Festival of Tazaungmon]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> in the [[Burmese calendar]]. During this period, certain rules of the [[Vinaya]] are relaxed for monks.<ref name="kahtein"/> Kahtein trees called ''badaytha bin'' ({{lang|my|ပဒေသာပင်}}), on which offerings like money are hung, are also offered.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://myanmartravelinformation.com/mti-myanmar-festivals/kathein.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620194621/http://myanmartravelinformation.com/mti-myanmar-festivals/kathein.htm |archive-date=2010-06-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Kahtein trees can also be portrayed by using [[Burmese kyat|Kyat]] money between ten to hundred thousand as desired.<ref>{{cite journal |title=ငွေပဒေသာပင်တို့သီကုံးရာ |journal=The Voice Journal |url=https://thevoicejournal.com/archives/6898 |access-date=6 November 2017 |language=my |format=News}}</ref>

===Thailand and Laos===
'''Kathin''' ({{lang-th|กฐิน}}) in [[Thailand]] (there is also the transcription "gathin" in use) is the name for the robes of an [[Buddhism in Thailand#Ordination and clergy|ordained monk]].<ref name=ORID>[http://rirs3.royin.go.th/dictionary.asp On-line Royal Institute Dictionary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303000030/http://rirs3.royin.go.th/dictionary.asp |date=2009-03-03 }} (ORID - 1999)</ref>

The ceremony of ''kathina'' is called ''Thod Kathin'' ({{lang-th|ทอดกฐิน}}). The [[Thai lunar calendar]] reckons the day after the 11th full moon as ''Waning 1, Evening, Moon 11'' ({{lang-th|แรม ๑ ค่ำ เดือน ๑๑|translit=Raem 1 Kham Deuan 11}}). The presentation of ''kathin'' by the [[Rama (Kings of Thailand)|King of Thailand]]'s representative is called ''The Royal Kathin Ceremony'' and often has been an [[Buddhism in Thailand#Government ties|occasion]] for one of Thailand's [[Royal Barge Procession]]s.

The Kathin Festival is a traditional Buddhist festival celebrated by villagers in [[Isan]] and [[Laos]]. Colourful parades and offering ceremonies at the end of monks' retreat at local temples. On Ok Phansa day of the full moon, villagers and city dwellers will go to their local temple for prayers and paying respect to the sacred. Ok Phansa is also the beginning of a 30-day period of [[merit-making]] which affords a special opportunity for prayers to Buddha and for the presentation of gifts to the monks for preserving the faith. This 30-day span of merit-making and religious gift-giving is referred to as Thord Pha Gathin.

Thord Gathin takes its name from the "laying down" of new robes to the monks. The offering of new, saffron robes to the monks is particularly meritorious and important. Other gifts to the monks may include basic utensils, toiletries, writing materials, and food. Gift-giving is an act of appreciation and gratitude to the monks. Individuals or community groups (such as a village) may perform them. Many villagers combine efforts by collecting cash donations for the maintenance of their local temple. Such donations are vividly arranged on a "money tree" which looks rather like a colourful Christmas tree bedecked with banknotes as the "foliage". The money tree is ceremoniously paraded to the temple, led by a team of drummers and musicians, with the villagers carrying their own individual gifts on trays bringing up the rear. In this way at Thord Gathin, the lay-people of Thailand reaffirm their faith and, in a joyous fashion, bring gifts to Buddha and his servants.

==See also==
*[[List of Buddhist festivals]]
==References==
{{commonscat|Kathina Festival}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Buddhism topics}}

[[Category:Theravada]]
[[Category:Buddhist festivals]]
[[Category:October observances]]
[[Category:Buddhist festivals in Thailand]]
[[Category:Buddhist festivals in Myanmar]]
[[Category:Observances on non-Gregorian calendars]]
[[Category:Autumn events in Myanmar]]

Kathina - Revision history

UpdateBot at 14:32, 29 June 2022