Kathina Ceremony at The Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple Inc.
489 Elgar Road, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia,
held at St. Leo International College, 1 Hay Street, Box Hill, 3128
Saturday 9 November 2002
by Frank T. Carter
The Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple Inc. of 489 Elgar Road, Box Hill, Victoria, held its annual Kathina Ceremony on Saturday 9 November 2002 at St. Leo International College, 1 Hay Street, Box Hill, 3128.
Fourteen Buddhist monks and approximately 400 laypersons were present for the occasion. Most of the monks in attendance were visiting Australia from Thailand.
To commence the ceremony the lay people circumambulated the hall three times, carrying the robes, umbrellas, flowers, incense and other offerings to the Buddha Dhamma Sangha.
Phra Thamkhunaporn from Kanchanburee Province, Thailand then led the chanting for the Kathina offering. The laypersons each offered a robe and other items such as flowers to the monks sitting at the front of the stage area.
Frank Carter and Jason Glasson represented the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. and were both fortunate to participate in the robes offering ceremony and offering of dana to the assembly of Monks.
Thank you to Phra Maha Boonsom of The Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple Inc. and other Members of the Sangha who were present and the Committee of the Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple Inc. for organising this important Buddhist ceremony and providing lay persons with the opportunity to make this special merit.