Buddhist Summer Retreat

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The 15th Day of the 7th Lunar Month is not only celebrated as Ullambana. It is also the day for monks to confess their sins.

According to Buddhist regulations, each Summer during the 90 days from the 15th day of the 4th moon to the 15th day of the 7th moon, monks will not go out to convert. They assemble together for the Summer retreat, during which they will follow the monastic regime strictly, purifying their spirits and concentrating on the right path. During this 90 day period, monks also gather together to study and meditate in a tranquil setting.

On the last day, monks confess their sins. Firstly, they will evaluate whether they have committed any physical, verbal or mental sins. Secondly, they invite other monks to comment on their opinion, what they have heard and what they doubt. The monks confess their sins at the main assembly which all attend, correct their mistakes and are restored to purity.

Why did Buddha implement the Summer retreat? Some of the answers are quite practical, as well as having religious implications. Buddhist monks normally practise near the bottom of hills, in forests or close to water. During the Summer, flooding occurs frequently in their traditional homelands of Northern (greater) India and Southern (greater) China. For the safety of all devotees, Buddha implemented the rule that monks should spend the Summer attending a safe retreat together.

Additionally, Summers in in many places in their traditional habitats are humid. It is the season for snakes and insects to grow. The Summer retreat allowed monks to avoid being hurt by these insects and animals - and at the same time prevented the monks from getting bad karma by hurting these insects, as they would not be going outdoors.

Emotionally and spiritually, the 90 days also gave Buddhist followers the opportunity not only to assemble and study together, but also the chance for them to encourage each other to achieve their goal.

After the confession of their sins on the 15th Day of the 7th Lunar Month, the monks then depart the retreat and return to their normal places of dwelling to resume their normal practice. They are then relieved of all the restrictions observed during the Summer retreat.