The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast Archives

The direct cost of this program is sponsored by Evelin Halls.

Today's sponsor wishes that you be well and happy.

As you can imagine, our weekly radio broadcasts require persistent effort at forms of journalism by many persons.

As our radio team gathered production experience over time, it defined some operational steps of the type of journalism we needed and wrote them down.

At first, these pre-runners of what will become our radio style manual were simple checklists.

Over the last few weeks, key Members of our organisation's radio team have been looking at and writing conceptual plans for the directions we wish to take in broadcasting about Buddha Dhamma and how we are to fund the programs.

Our executive producer, who has written all the radio scripts, wishes to encourage Members of the team to develop and use a written radio style manual to edit the information accessed from our data warehouse.

Then, they are trained to use good journalism by using our LAN to research material that brings welfare to others.

We must train our radio team with an end-in-view that some Members will produce radio scripts in our image and style.

One important notion within our conceptual plan for broadcasting production is to realise that we must define good journalism as something having as its outcome the notion that it is to produce useful commentary on how to live wisely within the Middle Path.

Our conceptual plan is not suggesting that we intend to disparage journalists at large; we merely wish that we awaken our radio team Members to the notion that the major premises used in our radio talks ought to be supported by Buddha Dhamma textual references.

We decided that to help the flowing nature of a radio talk a name and year is enough for most listeners who could contact our Centre if they needed to obtain a complete reference. At times, we would not reveal our overseas sources.

Such things become clear and self-evident as we write down our framing of policy issues and in many ways we find we have common ground and somewhat similar editorial policies to those of commercial radio.

To write the conceptual plan, our radio team has to become critical about their considerable amount of on-air experience they have had to date.

They have learnt that our editorial policy on scripts is not to slander others.

When they write scripts themselves, they must keep this precept combined with our editorial policy so that we guard what we say.

It is apt that our organisation displays fairness to others on air.

When we chant in traditional Pali, it is our policy that we like to spell out in the English language some idea of what we is saying when we chant.

Although it was necessary for the team to set up at our Centre our coaching of how to do it by listening and learning, the bottom line is that the team must structure themselves to provide our own internal training for chanting and reading Buddha Dhamma.

Likewise, we must produce internal training for good journalism as defined so authentic writing useful for the school that never came to error can be produced.

The virtues of the Buddha are vast and seemingly without limit; they cannot be comprehended with a momentary deliberation or viewed with a single glance.

However, with persistent effort and lifetimes of learning, they can be seen and entered into to some extent.

We tell our Members not to be too timid to start attending to writing about Buddha Dhamma because they have close at hand our great non-sectarian reference collection - our library resource called the John D. Hughes Collection.

We have a policy of not being sectarian so we report on the good things other organisations arrange for Buddhist Followers.

For example, some of our Members attended the Buddhist Vihara Victoria Incorporated Kathina Ceremony yesterday. Although their Vihara is at 21 Rich Street Noble Park, they held the Kathina Ceremony at an English language School in Thomas Street, Noble Park.

In 1990, we printed about Victorian Kathina Ceremonies 1990.

We noted that the maturity of Buddhist Practice in Australia was becoming more evident each year. Several Kathina Ceremonies illustrate this observation.

The Annual Robes Presentation is considered to be a great offering to the Monks (Sangha) because it must be organised by the Lay Practitioners.

It occurs once a year at a chosen day (within the month following the end of the Rains Retreat during the October-November period.)

The Kathina Robes Presentation is the most significant merit making opportunity of the Buddhist calendar for the Lay Devotees since it is bound by time and both benefactors and recipients equally share the advantages.

When we consider the meaning of the Kathina Robes we feel happy.

The word Kathina or Kathin literally means a formal act performed by the Community of Monks. The name Kathina is derived from the name of an embroidery frame which is used for making the Saffron Robes of the Monks.

The Kathine story is worth retelling.

During the lifetime of Gautama Buddha (the Historical Buddha), there was a group of thirty Monks from a town called Patha travelling to Jeta
Grove Monastery to see the Buddha.

Realising they would not arrive at Jeta Grove Monastery in time for the Rains Retreat, they decided to stay at Saketu town.

Having stayed at Saketu for three months they continued their journey through all kinds of weather, then made haste in order to see the Lord Buddha. All their Saffron Robes were worn out and spoiled by the end of the journey. These difficulties were known to the Buddha.

He therefore set down for the first time a rule for the Monks that enables them to receive a set of Robes which is offered for personal use.

The Kathina Robes Ceremony originated at that time and has continued to the present time.

After the Robes Presentation was completed, the lay practitioners offered dana to the Sangha.

The Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple Incorporated Kathina Ceremony

On 28 October 1990, 10 Members of the B.D.C. (U) Ltd attended the 5th Annual Kathina Ceremony of the Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple
Incorporated, which was situated at 489 Elgar Road, Box Hill, Victoria, 3128, held at the Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill, Victoria.

The Temple Abbot, a naturalised Australian, The Most Venerable Dr. Viriyananda Mahathera M.A., Ph.D., presided over the Ceremony. He was accompanied by four Buddhist Monks, three of whom are Abbots of other Melbourne Buddhist Temples.

This multinational Kathina Ceremony, catered for about 350 Buddhist Lay Persons.

After the usual offerings of light and fragrance before the Buddha Image, Lay Practitioners chanted in Pali; Homage to the Buddha; Three Refuges
and Five Precepts.

The Most Venerable Dr. Viriyananda Mahathera then led the assembly in the traditional Kathina Robe Chanting:

IMAM SAPARIVARAM KATHINA-CIVARA-DUSSAM SANGHASSA ONOJAYAMA and so on.

("We, of this retinue, cloth for the 'Kathina' Robe, to the Order dedicate" and so on...)

The Kathina Ceremony of 5 November, 1987, was held by the Melbourne Thai Buddhist Temple Incorporated (Wat Thai Nakorn Melbourne) at 489 Elgar Road, Box Hill, Victoria.

That Kathina Ceremony was held followed by the ordination of five men and five women as Buddhist Monks and Nuns. Seven of the people ordained were Members of the B.D.C. (U) Ltd.

The following information regarding the Kathina Ceremony was given by Phra Maha Chamras Viriyanando, Abbot of the Temple.

The Kathina Ceremony, the annual Robe presentation, takes place in the month following the end of the Rains Retreat, Post-Lenten. It is the occasion for the devout to express their devotion and faith in their religion by giving necessities to the Monks who live in one place for a full three months.

Only one person has the opportunity to offer robes to the Chief Monk, others must offer to the Sangha. Buddhist people believe in generosity to gain merit for their future.

In 'Thailand it is traditional for practising Buddhists to be ordained as a Monk or Nun at least once in their lifetime to acquire a religious training. However, this is a new practice in Australia.

Fifteen senior Monks from Thailand travelled to Australia, as arranged by tour leader Phra Theppanyasuthi, to perform the Ordination Ceremony (Phithi Upasornbot).

Officiating at the ceremony were--

Preceptor: Phra Thepiruni; Act Announcing Teacher, and Preacher: Prakhru Nonthasophan.

For the giver of Kathina Robes the merit is very great.

For the benefactor, the merits are:

1. will bring wealth and fortune, together with success in following one's career;
2. will bring constant freshness, brilliance and purity of mind;
3. will facilitate concentration of the mind and attainment with ease of the Dhamma inside;
4. will bring about wisdom in using one's wealth for the creation of long-term benefit, nurturing and protecting oneself not only in this life, but also in those to come;
5. will bring physical beauty and radiance of complexion, making one loved by all;
6 will bring one fame and respect, praise and admiration: the inspiration of those around one;
7. will cause one to be reborn in the heavenly realms when this life is done.

Hence the fleshing out of this Review includes good examples of meritorious deeds which we hope inspire persons to echo by iteration in their own Dana practices.

As His Royal Holiness the Late Supreme Patriarch has made clear, Scholars should note that passages describing the virtues of the Sangha are markedly different from those concerning the virtues of the Buddha.

The Buddha's insight is superior to that of all celestial beings. At the best level, those beings who have been fully trained by him have an irreversible degree of perfection. By contrast, those trained by the gods or Devas may over many lives reverse their good tendencies as they have not fully broken the factors that cause their cycle of births and deaths.

Among the Buddha's tenfold insight (dasabalanana) is the insight determining the defilements, and implies the knowledge of the causes of development and decline of meditation and other related matters (jhanadisankilesadinana).

This is one particular area that requires very careful attention and clear exposition in this Dhamma ending age. For these reasons the term Buddha is included in the title of our Journal the Buddha Dhyana Dana Review. We also refer to this program as the Buddhist Hour.

The ten perfections were classified into three groups or grades. These three groups were called, in progressive grades, Perfections (parami), Near-Perfections (upaparami) and then Super-Perfections (paramatthaparami).

A Bodhisattva's perfection of giving consists in that with production of thought associated with the knowledge of all modes, he gives gifts, i.e. inward and outward things, makes these common to all beings and dedicates them to full enlightenment; and he instigates others also.

Kathina Ceremonies in Victoria

Members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. attended several Kathina Ceremonies during the month of November 1997. The first of these was at the Sri Lankan Temple, Buddhist Vihara Victoria Inc., Rich St, Noble Park, on 25th October 1997. Anita Svensson offered a robe to the Sangha on behalf of her family who attended the ceremony.

On 2nd November 1997, a Kathina Ceremony was held at the Cambodian Temple, Wat Buddharangsee, Clarke Rd, Springvale.

Member Paula Burling was honoured to be asked to carry a robe by the Monks to whom she teaches English. In Cambodian tradition, a senior female member of each family group carries the robe on a decorative tray held above the head.

Before the official ceremony began, women had the opportunity to be photographed carrying the robe upon an ornamental tray covered with flowers, whilst standing under an ornamental umbrella.

With the assistance of Venerable Sokhom and a member of the Cambodian community, who provided the traditional white scarf, Paula was able to participate in this tradition.

Official events began with a Dhamma talk followed by the offering of Dana to the Sangha. Then the lay people circumambulated the meditation hall three times, carrying the robes, umbrellas, flowers, incense and other offerings to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

The offerings were then carried into the Hall, and many blessings and chanting followed during the official offering ceremony. Paula Burling and the Svensson family, who also participated in the Kathina ceremony, thanked Venerable Thou Nan for inviting them to the occasion.

Venerable Thou left Victoria several days after the Ceremony to attend a Kathina Ceremony at a Cambodian Temple in India.

John D. Hughes and many Members attended the Kathina ceremony for Buddha Vihara Temple of Canterbury Rd, Box Hill. The ceremony was held at the Box Hill Community Arts Centre on 15th November, and was attended by seven members of the Sangha, including:

- Ajahn Dr Viriyananda, abbot of Buddha Vihara Temple.

- Ajahn Bounmy, abbot of Wat Lao, Burnt St, Nunawading.

- Master Ru Sun, abbot of Inh-Young Temple, Reservoir Rd, Narre Warren.

- Two members of the Sangha from Buddhist Vihara Victoria, Rich St, Noble Park.

Following Ajahn Dr Viriyananda, participants paid homage to Buddha by chanting Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa, took refuge in the Triple Gem and took the Five Precepts. Robes were offered to the Sangha and blessings then given by the Sangha to the lay persons.

Dana was offered to the Sangha including lunch and baskets of groceries.

Thank you to Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha for giving us the opportunity to make this special merit.

May you all be well and happy.

Your present enjoyment of various transportation facilities without getting foot-worn is a reward for your help in the construction of bridges and roads in you past life. To donate clothing to monks will ensure you are well provided with clothing in future lives or in your next life. (Offering of Saffron Robes during Kathina Festival).

To be free from hunger and starvation is the result of your providing food to the poor in your previous life.

To be miserly and unwilling to help the needy gives rise to future starvation and lack of clothing.

To have ample housing is a reward for donating food to monasteries in your past life. (Offering of Dana to the Monks).

To build temples and public shelters will give you future prosperity and happiness.

For your respecting and offering of flowers to Buddha's altar in the past is the reward of being pretty and handsome.

To abstain from eating meat and to pray constantly to Buddha will assure you to be reborn a very intelligent child in your next rebirth.

To have a good wife and son is reward for your disseminating Buddha's teaching in your past life.

Furnishing Buddhist temples with hangings and tapestries will enable you to have a good marriage in your next rebirth.

To have good parents is a reward for your respecting and helping those who were lonely and desolate in your past life.

There is another way of thinking about the history of the Kathina period.

All ceremonies in Buddhism take place on auspicious dates and times. The full moon day of the 11th month, which always falls in October or November, is an important day for the Monks. It is Wan Ok - Phansa or the end of the Buddhist "Lent".

After that date, Monks are once again allowed to spend nights outside the Temple, as well as to leave the Monkhood while other men may ordain as Monks. It also marks the date when Kathina ceremony can begin.

This ceremony takes place at every Temple all over Thailand and some other Buddhist countries. During the whole of the following month, that of the 12th lunar month, Thot Kathin or offerings of robes are made before all the Monks in the Temple.

Historically and traditionally the main offerings at the Kathina ceremony have always been, and still are, cloth from which to make new robes.

As with so many traditions, there was a very practical reason behind this one: "Lent" coincides with the rainy season, and the Monks' old robes would have become soiled and perhaps tattered by the end of it.

Nowadays, ready-made brand-new robes are given.

Other gifts are presented as well, such as blankets, kitchen utensils and various necessities of Temple life, as well as money by making donations to needy Temple in order to make merit.

There are certain rules and privileges connected with Kathina ceremony: after this ceremony Monks from the Temple concerned may leave off their shoulder piece, a carefully folded length of cloth known as Pha Sangkhati, until the next four months.

On this auspicious occasion, please come and join the Kathina ceremony to offer robes to the Monks and to make a special merit for the benefit of our life.

A few years ago, a delegation of 40 monks from Thailand gathered in Melbourne to help celebrate a ritual as old as Buddhism itself.

The event took place in the unlikely setting of the Kew City Hall, where several hundred believers gathered for the impressive Kathina ceremony, or presentation of robes.

The visiting High Priest of Wat Pak Nam, Phra Dhammadhiraraj Mahamuni, told worshippers the presentation of offerings to so many monks "is the most marvellous good fortune. It is the giving of life itself, the real giving of happiness."

The robe is the symbol of monkhood among Buddhists and the presentation of the Katin robes is traditionally a time of giving.

In this instance it was an occasion for the locals to collect offerings from interstate representatives, as well as those from Thailand, to build
their own temple.

Dr. Phramaha Chamrad Soontornvitit, of Balwyn, accepted the gifts on behalf of Buddhists in Melbourne. He said their combined generosity would help buy the land on which the sacred temple would be built.

At the end of the Rains Retreat, Monks are offered robes during the Kathina ceremony. The benefit of the Kathina ceremony is one of mutual
support between Monks and lay people; lay people can gain merit for their future practice.

"The Kathina ceremony helps to make a Bhikkhu a good Bhikkhu, and a layman a good layman" (Page 118, The Triple Gem and the Uposatha, by Alec Robertson).

During the Monks' Vassa at the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey), many people have benefited from the opportunity to make food offerings (Dana) and attend the Monks. Members of the Centre will offer robes at the end of Vassa.

It is very fortunate to have so many Monks in Australia. May the Buddha Sasana prosper.

So we now repeat the blessings that can be expected.

Remember the fruits accrued by the giver of Kathina Robes are very great.

For the benefactor, the merits are:

l. will bring wealth and fortune, together with success in following one's career;

2. will bring constant freshness, brilliance and purity of mind;

3. will facilitate concentration of the mind and attainment with ease of the Dhamma inside;

4. will bring about wisdom in using one's wealth for the creation of long-term benefit, nurturing and protecting oneself not only in this life, but
also in those to come;

5. will bring physical beauty and radiance of complexion, making one loved by all;

6. will bring one fame and respect, praise and admiration: the inspiration of those around one;

7. will cause one to be reborn in the heavenly realms when this life is done.

If you wish to attend a Kathina Ceremony contact your nearest Temple.

Next Saturday, there will be a Kathina ceremony at the Box Hill Community Arts Centre 470 Station Street Box Hill (repeat).

It commences at 10 am. The Venerable Abbot of Buddha Vihara Temple will preside over the Ceremony.

For further inquires contact Ajarn Viriyananda on 9899 0638.

May you be well and happy.

Disclaimer:

As we, the Chan Academy Australia, Chan Academy being a registered business name of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd., do not control the actions of our service providers from time to time, make no warranty as to the continuous operation of our website(s). Also, we make no assertion as to the veracity of any of the information included in any of the links with our websites, or another source accessed through our website(s).

Accordingly, we accept no liability to any user or subsequent third party, either expressed or implied, whether or not caused by error or omission on either our part, or a member, employee or other person associated with the Chan Academy Australia (Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.)

This Radio Script is for Free Distribution. It contains Buddha Dhamma material and is provided for the purpose of research and study.

Permission is given to make printouts of this publication for FREE DISTRIBUTION ONLY. Please keep it in a clean place.

"The gift of Dhamma excels all other gifts".

For more information, contact the Centre or better still, come and visit us.

© 2002. Copyright. The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.