Monastic Restitution Ritual

The monastic restitution ritual takes places usually every fortnight during the full moon and new moon days. The monks sharing the same monastic compound gather to make honest and full confession of any transgressions in order to make amends for their downfalls or violation of precepts. The novice do the confessions before the fully ordained monks and the fully ordained monks confess to each other in two groups using standard liturgies of confession. The locus classicus of Buddhist monastic discipline, the Pratimokṣasūtra is read out during the restitutions ritual. Exceptional cases of this ritual are conducted to dispel natural calamities such as draught and famine.