Every morning as I get my morning exercise on my bicycle, I see Buddhist monks from the local temple making their rounds. They leave the temple at about 0545, barefoot and carrying a bowl to receive alms from the people.
Buddhist Monks
Shopkeepers and local residents will patiently wait outside, usually with a small table or chair set up, and have their donation ready to give.
Most of the donations are food though sometimes people give toiletries or other daily items that anyone can use.
Once they give their donation to the monks, the monks will say a short prayer for the donor.
Buddhist Monks Praying
Some people prepare the food themselves to donate and others buy from the local vendors and then wait patiently for the monks to come by.
Waiting to Make Merit
I did some searching online and found out what the various donations mean:
Merits from Alms Giving
* If you offer rice or any staple food, you will be happy and healthy all through your life
* If you offer clothing, in your next life, you won’t have a problem with clothing and will also have beautiful skin
* If you offer candles, flashlight and incense sticks you will have beautiful and bright eyes. Also, in your next life you will not need glasses
* If you offer a Buddha image, in your following life you will be as beautiful as that image
* If you offer religious books or donate text books and learning materials for school children, you will be intelligent in your next life
* If you offer soap, skin lotion or cleansing facilities, you will have nice and beautiful skin
* If you donate money and materials for constructing buildings in the monastery, you will have a big and beautiful house in your next life
* If you build bathrooms and toilets for the monastery and help to build public hospitals, you will have a healthy and happy life
* If you offer toothpicks, toothbrushes and toothpaste, you will have beautiful and strong teeth
* If you donate blood, kidney or other part of your body, you will have a fit body and vigorous health in your future lives.
Source: How to get Good Results from Making Merit
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