Gaya: More than 1,000 Buddhist monks from Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Vietnam, Myanmar and other Buddhist countries offered special prayers on Monday at the world-heritage Mahabodhi Mahavihara and monasteries in Bodh Gaya to mark the end of the three-month rainy retreat (Varshawaas).As per Buddhist tradition, monks spend the rainy season indoors, meditating and offering prayers for the happiness of all human beings.According to the spiritual calendar for annual world peace puja events, the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) will organise robe offering for the monks on Nov 1.Mahavihara caretaker monk Bhikkhu Manoj said, “The tradition of Varshawaas has been mentioned in Buddhist text ‘Mahavagga’. The reason behind remaining indoors for three months in meditation, called Varshawaas is that during rainy season several creatures take birth or the new plants grow. By moving around, a human being can cause damage to these creatures and the plants. As non-violence is the main principle of Buddhism, the tradition came into effect to avoid any harm to creatures or the plants by the Buddhist monks.”Chakma monastery monk in-charge Bhikkhu Priyapala said, “The three-month-long rainy retreat is the period of scriptural study, religious research and meditation practice for the Buddhist monks after which period, the Buddhist monks get new robes offered by the devotees. Buddhist devotees organise robe offering for the monks after the end of the rainy retreat. Along with the robes, devotees also donate other daily use items for the monks.”Monks from Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Japan, Korea and different parts of India visit Bodh Gaya annually for meditation during the retreat.
