UPSC Prelims 2002 Q19: Art & Culture – Philosophy & Religion
- (a) occasion to elect the Sanghaparinyaka and two speakers, one on Dhamma and the other on Vinaya
- (b) confession by monks of their offences committed during their stay in the monasteries during the rainy season
- (c) ceremony of initiation of new person into the Buddhist Sangha in which the head is shaved and when yellow robes are offered
- (d) gathering of Buddhist monks on the next day to the full - moon day of Ashadha when they take up a fixed abode for the next four months or rainy season
Answer: (b) confession by monks of their offences committed during their stay in the monasteries during the rainy season
Explanation
Pavarana in ancient Buddhist monasteries
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pavarana | A ceremony at the end of the rainy-season retreat (Vassa) |
| What monks did | Each monk confessed offences and invited others to point out faults seen, heard or suspected |
| Vassa | The rainy-season stay in one monastery, begun after the full moon of Ashadha |
| Upasampada | Initiation into the Sangha, a different ceremony |
Pavarana closes the Vassa. The monks invite each other to point out any offence they have committed during the retreat, so it is a confession of offences during the rainy-season stay. Option (d) describes the start of Vassa and option (c) describes initiation.
Answer: (b) confession by monks of their offences committed during their stay in the monasteries during the rainy season.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Electing officials is not Pavarana.
- (b) CORRECT. Pavarana is the confession of offences at the end of the rainy retreat.
- (c) Incorrect. Shaving the head and giving robes marks initiation.
- (d) Incorrect. Taking up a fixed abode is the start of Vassa, not Pavarana.
Key point
Buddhist monastic rites: Uposatha (fortnightly recital), Vassa (rain retreat), Pavarana (its closing), Kathina (robe offering).
Remember
Pavarana = closing ceremony of the rainy-season retreat.
Common mistakes
- Choosing (d) because it also mentions the rainy season.
- Confusing Pavarana with the fortnightly Uposatha.
- Thinking it is the initiation (upasampada) rite of a new monk.
Exam tip
Pavarana comes at the end of Vassa; the start of the retreat is a different event.
Sources
- NCERT Class XI — Themes in World History
- Vinaya Pitaka (Mahavagga)