The Benefits of the Rains Retreat
When the Lord Buddha first turned the Wheel of Dharma and established the Sangha, he and his followers spent most of their time wandering on foot throughout northern India. However, during the rainy season there were many insects and other living creatures underfoot, so some of the Buddha’s lay disciples suggested that the monks spend the rainy season in one place. The Buddha agreed, and thus the tradition of the Rains Retreat (yarney in Tibetan, varsha in Sanskrit) was born.
The Rains Retreat soon became one of the most important parts of the monastic calendar. It became an opportunity for the monastic Sangha to gather together for a period of study and practice to deepen not only their understanding of the teachings but also to preserve and propagate the monastic traditions taught by the Buddha. Every day during the Rains Retreat, the sangha recites the Three Daily Practices and takes a formal midday meal following the regimen described in the Vinaya scriptures. They take great care to follow the guidelines for monastic life the Buddha established as a way to remember the Buddha’s great kindness.
The Rains Retreat also became a chance for the lay community to deepen their connection to the sangha and further their own practice. During the time of the Buddha, laypeople would offer food to the Sangha during the retreat and give the monks and nuns new robes at its end. These days as well it is a chance for people to practice generosity by making offerings to the Sangha. In addition, seeing a Sangha of bhikshus wearing all three dharma robes while sitting in rows and mindfully taking a meal or performing an ancient monastic ritual can instill a sense of faith and devotion and also remember the kindness of the Buddha and Sangha in giving us the precious teachings and preserving them for over 2600 years.
In particular, holding the Rains Retreat at Thrangu Monastery Canada is especially important. There are three fundamental rituals of the Sangha, two of which are associated with the rains retreat: the Rains Retreat itself and the Release of Strictures (gak yey or pravāranā) that closes the retreat. The third fundamental ritual, has already begun at Thrangu Monastery, so by instituting this retreat here now, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche has now established all three fundamental rituals here; we can now say that the complete teaching and practice of Buddhism is present in British Columbia. We pray that it may continue to flourish for generations to come, bringing benefit to those who live in the area and all other sentient beings as well.