Focus on serenity

BUDDHISTS will celebrate the Katina ceremony at Berwick on Sunday 23 October.
The annual event features lay people handing over a specially made robe to monks.
The allday affair will begin just after 9am as a cultural pageant leaves the Old Cheese Factory in Homestead Road, Berwick, for the temple at 125 Homestead Road.
Children from the Sinhala cultural school, young adults group (Thurunusaviya) and adult devotees will be at the cultural pageant.
Colourful dancers and three elephant dressups parading on Homestead Road will be a feature of the pageant.
The offering of alms (dana) to the monks will take place at 11am.
The Buddhist Vihara Victoria (BVV) has invited all communities to attend this year’s ceremony and lunch, sponsored by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC).
Katina ceremony is one of the most significant ceremonies performed at all Theravada Buddhist communities on the full moon day of October.
Custom dictates that once a year lay followers invite the monks to spend July to October focusing on helping the community to improve skills in living wholesomely.
Monks accept the invitation and put extra effort into bringing serenity to busy lay followers who live stressful lives.
This is called “Vas” retreat because it originally took place in the rainy season in India.
The Katina ceremony also creates an opportunity for lay followers to celebrate and perform the practice of generosity or giving.
The custom acknowledges the services received from the temple throughout the year, by showering it and the monks with ample gifts useful in maintaining the livelihood of the temple and the monks during the following year.