Kongshan Temple start of the Vassa Retreat

Today, the fifteenth day of the fourth lunar month, marks the beginning of the annual Summer Retreat (Vassa). This year, ten monastics of Kongshan Temple will remain in residence here for the three-month retreat and engage in collective cultivation and practice.

The Summer Retreat is an important institution established within the Buddhist Sangha in accordance with seasonal conditions and the requirements of spiritual cultivation. According to the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya (Si Fen Lü), the Buddha observed that during the rainy season vegetation flourishes and countless insects and small creatures abound. If monks continued traveling and teaching in different regions, they might inadvertently harm living beings and hinder their own practice. Therefore, the Buddha instituted the three-month retreat, during which monastics remain in one place, dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to cultivation, and refrain from unnecessary travel.

During the retreat, the focus is on the internal cultivation of the Threefold Training—morality (śīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (prajñā)—while externally maintaining harmony and purity within the Sangha. It is regarded as one of the most solemn and significant periods of practice throughout the year. The Ekottarika Āgama further states that monks who diligently cultivate meditation and contemplation during the retreat will increase their merits and virtues, thereby developing both blessings and wisdom.

On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the retreat concludes with the Pravāraṇā (Invitation Ceremony), during which monastics openly invite one another's observations and constructive admonitions. Through mutual encouragement and correction, they further purify the actions of body, speech, and mind.

The Summer Retreat not only embodies the Buddha’s compassionate intention to protect all living beings, but also demonstrates the discipline, harmony, and integrity of the monastic community. Through living and practicing together, monastics are able to overcome distraction, cultivate concentration, awaken wisdom, and advance on the path toward purity and harmony.

Editorial Team, Kongshan Temple

June 1, 2026