Vassa
Vassa,(m.& nt.) [cp.Vedic varṣa (nt.) rain.For etym.see vassati1] 1.rain,shower J.IV,284; VI,486 (khaṇika sudden rain); Miln.307; Mhvs 21,31; DhA.III,163 (pokkhara° portentous); SnA 224 (mahā° deluge of rain); PvA.55 (vāta° wind & rain).-- fig.shower,downpour,fall M.I,130=Vin.II,25 (kahāpaṇa°); DhA.II,83 (kusuma°).-- Esp.the rainy season,lasting roughly from June to October (Āsāḷha-Kattika),often called “Lent,” though the term does not strictly correspond.Usually in pl.vassā (A.IV,138),also termed vassā-ratta “time of rains” (J.IV,74; V,38).Cp.BSk.varṣā,e.g:Divy 401,509.-- Keeping Lent (i.e.spending the rainy season) is expressed by vassaṁ vasati Vin.III,10; Mhvs 16,8; or by vassa-vāsaṁ (vass’āvāsaṁ) vasati (see below),vassaṁ upeti S.V,152,vassaṁ upagacchati S.V,152; PvA.42.One who has kept Lent or finished the residence of the rains is a vuttha-vassa J.I,82; Mhvs 17,1; or vassaṁ vuttha Vin.III,11; S.I,199; V,405; PvA.43.Cp.BSk.varṣ’oṣita Divy 92,489.-- Vassa-residence is vassa-vāsa (see below).-- vassaṁ vasāpeti (Caus.) to induce someone to spend the rainy season PvA.20.-- anto-vassaṁ during Lent; cp.antovass’eka-divasaṁ one day during Lent Mhvs 18,2; antara-vassaṁ id.S.IV,63.-- 2.(nt.) a year A.IV,252 (mānusakāni paññāsa vassāni); Sn.289,446,1073.satta° (adj.) seven years old Mhvs 5,61; satta-aṭṭha° 7 or 8 years old PvA.67.-- See cpd.°sata.-- 3.semen virile,virility:see cpds.°kamma & °vara.
--agga shelter from the rain,a shed (agga=agāra) J.I,123; DhA.III,105=VvA.75.--āvāsa vassa-residence A.III,67.--āvāsika belonging to the spending of the rainy season,said of food (bhatta) given for that purpose J.VI,71; DhA.I,129 (as one of the 4 kinds:salāka°,pakkhika°,navacanda°,vass’--āvāsika°),298; IV,129 (°lābha a gift for the r.s.).--upagamana entering on the vassa-residence PvA.42.--upanāyikā (f.) the approach of the rainy season,commencement of Vassa residence [BSk.varṣopanāyikā Divy 18,489; AvŚ I.182,where Ep.of the full moon of Āsāḷha].Two such terms for taking up the residence:purimikā & pacchimikā A.I,51; i.e.the day after the full moon of Ā.or a month after that date.See upanāyika.-- vass’ûpanāyika-divasa the first day of Lent Vism.92; DhA.IV,118; °ûpanāyikaṁ khandhakaṁ the section of the Vinaya dealing with the entrance upon Lent (i.e.Vin.I,137 sq.) Mhvs 16,9.--odaka rain-water Vism.260=VbhA.243.--kamma causing virility D.I,12 (=vasso ti puriso,vosso ti paṇḍako iti; vossassa vassa-karaṇaṁ vassa-kammaṁ,vassassa vossa-karaṇaṁ vossa-kammaṁ DA.I,97).--kāla time for rain J.IV,55.--dasa (& °dasaka) a decade of years:see enumd at J.IV,397.--pūgāni innumerable years J.VI,532,cp.Sn.1073.--vara a eunuch J.VI,502.--valāhaka a rain cloud A.III,243 (°devā).--vassana shedding of rain,raining DhA.II,83.--vāsa Vassa residence S.V,326; PvA.20.--vuṭṭhi rainfall SnA 34,cp.224.--sata a century Sn.589,804; A.IV,138; Pv.II,115; PvA.3,60,69.--satika centenarian Miln.301.(Page 605)