Vassa

Vassa (from Pāli vasso, Sanskrit varṣaḥ, both "rain" - Burmese: ဝါတွင်း, ; Khmer: វស្សា or ព្រះវស្សា; Lao: ພັນສາ, sometimes ວັດສາ ; Thai: พรรษา, phansaa), also called Rains Retreat, and sometimes called Buddhist Lent in English language publications. (This is anachronistic as the so-called Buddhist Lent was established by the Buddha around 500 years before the birth of Christianity.) Vassa is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada practitioners. Taking place during the rainy season, Vassa lasts for three lunar months, usually from July (the Burmese month of Waso, ဝါဆို) to October (the Burmese month of Thadingyut သီတင်းကျွတ်).