What is the purpose of almsround?
Monks from the forest tradition during Almsround in the community of Bung Wai
Buddhists consider that the work of monastics (the study, practice and teaching of Dhamma) is so important that they should be free to pursue it without concern for basic material necessities of life. Householders believe much merit is acquired by offering material support to the Sangha.
The Buddha designed the monastic discipline in such a way as to prevent monks from completely cutting themselves off from the world. The training rules dealing with food play a major part in fulfilling this aim. One rule, for example, stipulates that monks may only eat food that has been formally offered to them by lay Buddhists on the morning that it is to be eaten. This ensures daily contact between the monastics and the laity, and means that even the more remote forest monasteries are established within walking distance of a village. Almsround is a daily expression of the symbiotic relationship between the Sangha and the lay Buddhist community. Walking through the local village, the monks receive their daily sustenance, and the laity, in the act of giving to them, are reminded of moral and spiritual values.
Almsround is of spiritual benefit to both the monastic and the laity. For sincere monks, it is a humbling and often moving reminder of the generosity that allows them to lead their monastic life. It inspires them to express their appreciation of the faith placed in them by being diligent in performance os their duties. Almsround gives lay Buddhists the opportunity to begin their day with an act of generosity. They feel the joy of giving and the contentment of having contributed to the well-being of the monks they look up to. It is also an opportunity for them to dedicate the merit that arises from their goodness to departed loved ones. Many parents teach their children to put food in the monk’s bowls from an early age, introducing the children to monastics in an activity that they find special, and which creates a sense of familiarity and connection.
A father sharing with his children the act of generosity, while giving rice to Ajahn Amaro
More questions and answers HERE
Source:
- Without and Within – Ajahn Jayasaro
Ryokan Says
I had the chance to assist the monks on the almsround, and that was one of the most moving experiences of my life; see how humble people gives food to the monks with so much joy and generosity. Some of them gave something has simple has a little rice, but that it becomes a lot when you get together all this collective generosity, the monks get enough to even share with others, lay people and even animals, nothing get waste; there is no doubt that this is a practice of togetherness and development of virtue.
