why and how were monasteries used in the rainy season
Answers
Due to India’s heavy monsoon rainfall, it was impractical for Lord Buddha and his Sangha to continue their daily walk from village to village to beg for their food. During monsoon, many thousands of insects inhabit the muddy footpaths and the surrounding jungle. To protect these tiny beings from being crushed under foot and to prevent the farmers’ crops from being trampled, the Buddha settled his followers in one place for three months.
Each summer, the Buddha and his ordained Sangha settled near a village, and lived quietly meditating. During this time, the Sangha asked the Buddha questions to clarify their understanding of every aspect of his teachings. Eventually, these question and answer sessions during the seasonal retreats were recorded as the Sutras.
In tribute to the wisdom and compassion of Lord Buddha, Buddhist ordained throughout the world engage in some form of summertime Rainy Season Retreat.
From the Full Moon of the 6th lunar month until the New Moon of the 8th lunar month of the Tibetan calendar, the monks of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery gather to observe their annual Rainy Season Retreat or yar-ney (Tib.) For 6 weeks, the assembly of monks, both young and old, confine themselves strictly to the monastery grounds where all their daily needs are provided and where distractions of noisy village-life are shunned. The monks enjoy this quiet retreat since it promotes the sense of a brotherhood dedicated to a single virtuous purpose—to become the best practitioners that they can possibly be and to benefit others to the best of their capacity. Additionally, this is a special time for reviewing what was learned in classes throughout the year, for intensively studying the Buddhist scriptures, and for contemplating and strictly adhering to their vinaya vows.