10. Pavāraṇā Is of Great Benefit
By Luang Pu Thate Desaraṅsī
October 21, 1983
It's unusual that the Uposatha day is the Pavāraṇā day. Pavāraṇā takes the place of the Uposatha. In truth, the Pavāraṇā day is of much greater benefit than the Uposatha day. Therefore, it is said that if the holy day falls on the 14th moon, but Pavāraṇā falls on the 1st moon, then take the Pavāraṇā day as the standard. They say that because it signifies that it is of great benefit.
Pavāraṇā means inviting admonishment regarding oneself, as stated: "With what is seen, or with what is heard, or with what is suspected, let the venerable ones speak to me out of compassion, wishing for my welfare." Whether it is from having seen something, having heard something, or having suspicions, in whatever way, please admonish me with compassion, with kindness, and with a wish for my well-being.
The invitation to admonish is like this. Everyone invites admonishment from each other, regardless of who they are, senior or junior, regardless of whether they have more or less rains retreats. We invite one another to advise and warn each other with kindness and goodwill. If anger and conceit arise within one's own mind, then even a well-intentioned admonition is of no benefit to oneself. If the person being admonished accepts it and is willing to follow it, it will be beneficial for that person going forward. But if the practitioner speaks back to the teacher or admonisher, it is of no benefit. There is a lack of mutual kindness, compassion, and mercy. This Pavāraṇā is of great benefit, not only for this time or only within this monastery. If you go elsewhere and see each other, you can admonish each other at any time. That's why it's said to be of great benefit. We have come to live together for the Rains Retreat, setting aside various views and conceits, yielding all things, humbly coming together. We will surely find happiness and peace.
Today is the end of the Rains Retreat. After the retreat ends, everyone has their own duties and responsibilities and will have to go. They are not required to stay for the Sattāha, the seven-day grace period. Observing the Rains Retreat is not a compulsion, not oppression, not like being forced to stay in prison. If one enters the Rains Retreat just waiting for the day it ends, wondering when will the retreat end, when will it end, thinking like that is incorrect. That's called being confined by rules. In truth, whether one is within the Rains Retreat or outside of it, practice can be done at any time. It can be done during the retreat or outside the retreat, anywhere at all. However, after the retreat ends, one is not allowed to go anywhere without returning within the Sattāha, the seven-day period. After the retreat ends, you can go to any town or place with peace of mind. But practice, whether during the retreat or after, is the same. It's not that after the retreat ends, you don't practice. To abandon practice after the retreat ends is incorrect practice.
It's the same for those who will disrobe. Having ordained and lived within the bounds of the Dhamma and Vinaya, within good customs and rules, this is considered making oneself good, deserving of respect and reverence from fellow practitioners, and from all laypeople, both men and women. Because we have the boundaries of the Dhamma-Vinaya, we practice well and properly, becoming worthy of respect, faith, and veneration from the general public. Therefore, it is regrettable. One should feel regret that upon leaving, one abandons all practice because of being compelled by many duties and responsibilities, unable to maintain the boundaries of the Dhamma-Vinaya, and thus must let go.
Nevertheless, some things we should take to practice, so that it's fitting that we have trained in the Buddha's teachings and have ingrained habits. That is, we have habits that allow us to continue practicing. For example, maintaining the Five Precepts regularly, paying homage to the Buddha, chanting regularly, or making merit regularly. This is better than if we had never ordained. Paying homage to the Buddha is not difficult at all. It doesn't require anyone else, nor does it involve persuading anyone else. Making it a regular practice to pay homage and chant can be done anywhere. This is called "having ingrained Buddhist habits." Reflecting on the virtues of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha every evening and morning, or every day and night, is called "ingrained habits." We have the Five Precepts. If we cannot keep all five, even keeping three or four consistently is good. Make it a regular, constant practice. That is developing some ingrained habits, gradually improving step by step. Making merit and giving donations, if you can't do it every day, doing it occasionally is still best. It's better than not doing it at all. This is what we call training our habits.
Practicing meditation is the same. We have come to strive, to practice meditation in the monastery. Having ordained for a few months, you may feel the mind is calm. Sometimes it can become very calm. That is called "having ingrained Buddhist habits." Because you see its value and benefit, why wouldn't you continue to practice after leaving? You should do it. This is a truly great benefit. When you leave, you train and gradually improve your habits. It's not that you leave and abandon everything abruptly, taking nothing with you, not even a little bit. That would be a total loss. That would be like a prisoner who was held in prison, taught various vocational skills, but upon release, refuses to use those skills, abandoning everything, just going with the flow. That would be hopeless, with nothing good.
Regarding practice, even for monks who remain ordained, after the Rains Retreat ends, they are no longer bound to the limits like during the retreat within the monastery. They go to other, perhaps distant, places. But we must practice continuously. It's not that after the retreat ends, we abandon it. It's not that after the retreat ends, we think it's special or extraordinary, eager to leave, eager to go.
Where are you going? What's so special about it? We ordained to practice, didn't we? Whatever practice becomes ingrained, leading us in the ways of Dhamma-Vinaya, that is good. Whether staying or going, it is good. It's not that after the retreat ends, we become careless and negligent, abandoning all practice. That's not acceptable. The Rains Retreat is merely a designation of time set by the Buddha. In truth, virtue isn't limited by the retreat. Goodness is the same everywhere. Those who do good, who practice the Dhamma-Vinaya, do not think in terms of being within or outside the Rains Retreat. They practice continuously. After the retreat, they become even more courageous and resolute because they engage in meditation and seclusion, which can be even more profound than during the retreat. During the retreat, there may be certain duties and responsibilities. After the retreat, there are no such obligations, like studying Dhamma or teaching Dhamma. After the retreat, practice becomes even more enjoyable. So, after the retreat, it's not about abandoning the things we do. We do them constantly. Therefore, this is truly called "practicing the religion." This is called "truly practicing the religion," not waiting only for the Rains Retreat to practice. This is the value and benefit of the end of the Rains Retreat.
Whether one disrobes or remains ordained, let one recognize this benefit and value. Then we can live comfortably. Laypeople, for instance, do not have a designated period for the Rains Retreat because they are constantly engaged in their livelihoods. Why should our monks designate practice only for the retreat? If we don't practice outside the retreat, we must practice constantly. For those who disrobe and return to lay life, if they have Buddhist practices ingrained and regularly present with them, they can be called true disciples of the Buddha, fitting the term "Pandit," which is the origin of the colloquial term "Tid." "Pandit" means a wise person, skilled and proficient in the Dhamma-Vinaya. It is fitting for us who have spent three months to have gained a proper understanding of the Dhamma-Vinaya. Having reached that level, one is called a "Tid." Some people, after disrobing, cannot even pay homage to the Buddha, cannot request the precepts, cannot request a sermon, cannot request the Paritta chanting. That is hopeless. If that is the case, abandoning everything, they are not people who have ordained in the Dhamma.
This religion was not taught by the Buddha only for monks to practice. Laymen and laywomen can practice it too. That's it.