'Pindabart' or alms receiving

[peacock]

Monks and Nuns daily routine starts off everyday with morning session TumWat chanting at 4.00am. The early morning recitation of Dhamma chanting and meditation would finish at 5.30am and all the monks gets ready to go to the streets for 'Pindabart' or alms receiving at 6.00am.

All the temple monks with the exception of Bhikunis nuns will go in separate ways bare footed for Pindabart with their alms bowl.

All monks will walk in a single file lead by the most senior monk at the front to receive dana (generosity) alms food from lay Buddhist devotees. Alms giving is an important practice of generosity for every people with Buddhist faith in supporting the Sangha. The generosity gesture and support given by lay Buddhist devotees is to give sustenance and nourishment to the body of a practicing monk in his quest to achieve the profound Dhamma as taught by Sakyamuni Gotama Buddha.

The 3 important aspects in Buddhism is the realization of Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta (Impermanence, the cause of Suffering, and Non-Self) only to be realized by the devoted practitioner. This profound realization will ultimately eradicate greed, hatred and delusion of the defiled mind into a polished state of mind which is free from defilements.

Thais will usually take-off their shoes as a sign of respect when giving away food to monks. The alms round routine will usually take about 1 to 2 hours before returning to the temple. The Buddhist community in Thailand is full of faith in welcoming and supporting temple monks each morning. Hence, food is never a problem and the Dhamma should flourish well in return as a service to the community.

Back at the temple, eating mindfully is the correct way for monks consuming food from the alms bowl. Taste of food, liking and disliking are all mental factors that must be comprehended during every meal consumption. All over the world it is a Vinaya rule (monk's rule) to consume solid food once a day between 6 o'clock in the morning until noon for Theravada Buddhist monks in mind development training as taught by Lord Buddha. Fluid drinks e.g. water, coffee, molases are allowed throughout the day. In the situation when a monk is ill, he is allowed to eat at odd hours during that period of time.

For the lay persons living in the temple monastery the monks will be lenient and will allow you to have solid food at irregular time. But if you are living in and practicing Buddhism and meditation in a monastery, it is good to train the mind to make adjustment with regards to this Vinaya rule.