Bangkok Monks and Why Make Offerings
Making Offerings to Monks in Bangkok!
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Thai09BangkokMonkOffering.mp4
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Our large group in Bangkok woke up around 4 am to get ready. We left the hotel at around 5 am to drive to Banglampoo area of Bangkok. Without traffic, it took us around 20 mins to get there (Remember Bangkok is a huge metropolitan city with 10 million residents). The other day it took us 2 hours to arrive with the traffic jam to the same place… hehehe. When we arrived it was still not dawn yet and the monks had not come out, so I gave a short talk on why we make offerings and support the sangha. The purpose behind supporting the sangha was shared with our group. After the talk the monks started coming on their alms round as the morning sun started to rise…
There are stalls set up on the roadside daily all over Thailand that cook for people who wish to make offerings to monks just before they go to work or go to school. You see many people who quickly park their cars nearby, purchase the ready made simple foods, and offer to the monks and off to work they go. You see many young school kids who stop by to make offerings on the way to school in their school uniforms. What a beautiful way to start the day with generosity, making offerings to sangha and spirituality. This is such a blessed way to start the day and a wonderful part of Thai culture that I like so much.
In the villages or areas where people are homemakers, they actually cook a portion of their food in ready to offer monks on their alms rounds daily. It is a chance for the lay people to participate in the spiritual practice of the monks. You support the monks to do their studies, practice, meditations and teachings. You gain the merit for sponsoring their activities, in this case through food to put it simply. They do what you cannot and you do what they do not do… it is a perfect balance. Every activity a monk does for the community, you contributed to it… the merit comes from supporting the sangha and continuance of the Dharma. The sangha renounces samsara to focus on study, practice, teaching and serving others. They don’t waste time on wordly activities and do Dharma part time, they do it full time so they can put their full energies into their practice and in this way keep the Dharma alive due to their full attention given to it. Hence you are supporting their 100% commitment towards the Dharma. They do you a great service because without them putting their full energy into the Dharma, who will learn, practice, teach and keep the Dharma alive?
For the last 2500 years, it is mainly the sangha who has kept the Dharma alive and intact throughout all the monasteries in the world up till the present day. It has been the sangha who teach other sangha and lay people and kept the Dharma alive and well through teachings. Buddha set it up this way. Supporting the sangha is supporting the continuance of the holy Dharma. If all sangha disappeared due to no support, then you will see the Dharma decline in its complete form. If you have to work a secular job 10 hours a day, take care of kids, pay bills then it would leave you with very little time to study, practice, meditate and advance in the Dharma. If you cannot advance in knowledge and practice, then how to disseminate to others. When the dissemination of the holy Dharma stops/lessens, then the Dharma declines. Worshipping Buddha statues, visiting temples, offerings on the shrine is only a small part of Buddhist practice. 100% study, meditation, practice, commitment, work and teaching the dharma is necessary for it’s pure continuance. Only a Sangha may do this in general due to their full concentration and commitment towards this by renouncing seccular activities. There are always exceptions of course… but we are talking about what Buddha established when He started the Sangha. So supporting the sangha is crucial in all countries. Especially in countries where Buddhism is new.
We should all sponsor the sangha and make it our priority. Without this priority, then how can we expect Dharma to remain? Do not think supporting the sangha is a burden or only when you have extra resources because if you ponder the value of the sangha, you will realize it is not a burden or extra but a necessity. It is not enough you encountered the Dharma, but you must make sure it is safeguarded for future generations… how? Through the sangha naturally. Some people cannot find the time at the moment to study, practice and focus on the Dharma due to self made barriers or otherwise, but if you support the sangha, then you collect the merits to do dharma practice in the near future. Why? You are supporting others to do Dharma, and by the power of cause and effect, you should receive the same because you created the causes by making offerings. Causes resemble results and results resemble causes. That’s karma. Not doing much practice yourself and not contributing to others’ practice will lead you where? No causes bear no results. It’s in your hands… contemplate please. I am not saying all this because I am a monk, but because it is the truth as set up by the infallible Lord Buddha. I didn’t create the tradition of sangha, Buddha did.
If we are lacking in resources to support the sangha we can donate our time, talents and skills to the sangha, centre or teacher. Same. The sincerity of your offering is the key. The consistency of your offerings is the key to uprooting negative habituations. Remember, you are not doing the centre or sangha or Buddha a favour. But these institutions have been set up to benefit others and yourself. Your participation is for your spiritual growth as you contribute to the growth of others.
Our group purchased over 200 packets of food this day. The stall we went to didn’t have enough, so we had to run to other stalls… it was wonderful. We were very busy and surprised the locals because they hadn’t seen foreigners do this… There was a table set up next to us with pre-booked packets (around 80 packets) and Wan said most likely it was someone’s birthday or a special day for that person, so they will come to make offerings to the sangha on their special day. Imagine making offerings to one’s guru, sangha, Temple on one’s Birthday to celebrate. Instead of expecting to get, one practices generosity on your significant day?? That is beautiful. Some school boys helped monks carry their offerings back to the Temple then proceeded to school… This is what a young child does at the beginning of the day!!! Wow!! I was contemplating what a powerful impression it must leave the school kids while they are young to grow up making offerings to monks and practicing generosity. It will help children to form a less self-centric attitude and as adults perhaps focus on others more? Maybe. Impressions are powerful when we are kids. I love to bring groups to Thailand to visit Temples especially to offer food dhana to monks. It is such powerful and blessed practice. It is my favorite activity in Thailand.
Every morning, the monks walk from their temple early in the morning to beg for alms. You offer them food, place it in their bowls and make a prayer. It is so powerful to see so many saffron robed sangha walking in the morning for their alms. It is such a POWERFUL experience for me each time and very moving. Please see the video of our offering so you can experience this from wherever you are if you have not had the chance yet… remember… you can make offerings to sangha anywhere in any country you are in…and you should please… you should support the Dharma all the way… I will encourage and bring many more to make offerings to the monks… I have been donating to the monks of Gaden for over 15 years now. I often make food offerings to the thousands of monks in Gaden also… if you are in Thailand or anywhere there are monks, please engage in this activity. It will help the Dharma to grow. I hope so very much all of you can come to Thailand to do this also… I very much wish this for everyone. Serving and offerings to the sangha was started by Lord Buddha Himself. So it is a perfect practice instituted by an Awakened Being.
Much care in the Dharma,
Tsem Rinpoche
Myself having having the honour to make merit by offering food dhana to the monks…
Our friends making offerings…
TRAVEL FACTS:
Address: Thanon Kraisi, Banglampoo, Bangkok (Behind Khaosan Road)
By Car: 20 mins from Bangkok Central
Admission: Outdoor
Hours: 6 am – 7.30 am (Offering time)
- There are food stalls along the street with pre-packed food and drinks to be offered to the monk.
- Just standby the road side and hold the offering respectfully and offer to the monk and place into the monk’s bowl.
- Ladies shall not touch the monks nor the bowl.
- Traditionally we should remove our shoes when make offerings, if possible bow lower or kneel on the floor to make offerings.
- Wear appropriate clothing.
- As monks are trained to be humble and not attached, therefore they might not look at you directly, instead walk up and offer the food and they will receive it.
- It is okay to make more than one offerings, the more the better!
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Dana in the Buddhist tradition means giving freely without expecting anything in return. The act of giving is purely out of compassion. Giving is an essential Buddhist practice. It is about generosity, openness, and our capacity to embrace others with compassion and love. At dawn, all over Thailand, the local monks will travel from their temples to the markets and past shops and houses, where local people offer food alms in exchange for blessings. The monks will be walking barefoot and with great grace, that’s where we could offer them foods in packets or so. It was truly wonderful, learning from this post and able to give while I was there in Chiangmai,Thailand few years back.
When we support the sangha , we support the Dharma. Buddhist monks depend on our support and help to continue their spiritual path to continue benefiting others and dharma to grow .Looking at those pictures tells more.
Thank you, Rinpoche for this sharing and with explanation for us to understand more of it.
It’s a great sharing on why we should make offering to the Sangha and how Sangha play an important role in our spiritual practice. It’s very beautiful to see the people making offering to the Sangha .
When we support the sangha , we support the Dharma to grow to benefit more and more people.Thank you for reminding us and sharing with us a good and wonderful article.
Thank you, Rinpoche for explaining to us in details of why we should make offerings such as foods to the monks. Generosity is a core practice of Buddhism, and one of the traditional expressions of this is through offering foods to the monks. Early in the morning at dawn, all over Thailand, the local Buddhist monks walk from their temples to the markets and past shops and houses, where local people offer foods in exchange for blessings. This is a beautiful way to start the day with generosity, making offerings to sangha . When we support the sangha , we support the Dharma to grow to benefit more and more people. Buddhist monks depend on the support of the well wishers to continue their spiritual path. Looking at those beautiful pictures of Rinpoche and the many Kecharian doing Dharma work offering packed foods is indeed a wonderful experience for them. Rejoice . Thanks again great teachings, with folded hands.
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for this post. I remember reading this post several years ago and was inspired. Because of this post, I joined Kathina celebration in my hometown, Jakarta where lay practitioners like my friends and I were being given a chance to make food offerings to the sangha. Then I went to Thailand with two of my friends, and we went to Khaosan road at dawn so that we had the opportunity to make food offerings to the monks and went to some temples near the area. I remember that I was very happy then. My friends and I did all that because of Rinpoche’s teachings about the benefit of making food offerings to the monks.
Thank you, Rinpoche for explaining to us that when we offer food to the monks, we are partaking in their spirituality and we create the cause to receive sustenance in our lives. We also create the merits because we practice giving to the sangha members who hold their vows.
The teachings also help me to understand why we should control our body and posture when making offerings to the sangha and what kind of result that we can expect from controlling our body in front of the sangha members. It is amazing that the tradition to commemorate the story of Prince Siddharta still exist in modern days in which the boys who are to receive novice ordination vows were being dressed like a prince. It just shows that Buddhist tradition is very strong in Thailand and the king really support Buddhism and had a lot of respect for the sangha members. Thailand is indeed a beautiful country and I was very fortunate to have the privilege to experience the Buddhist atmosphere there.
I find the Thai culture of Dana giving truly beautiful and it is a good reminder of how we should respect and appreciate our own Sangha. There are many important points in the video and below are some that stood out for me:-
1) Making offerings to Sangha, the merits is equivalent to the merits of offering to The 3 Jewels.
2) Supporting the sangha is supporting the continuance of the holy Dharma.
3) By bowing and having good body posture towards Sangha, we create causes to become humble and patient with everyone
4) Dana giving creates generosity. We will create the cause to acquire what we require for our own spiritual practice. (because we are sustaining another’s spiritual practice.)
Thank you for this wonderful post as this explains clearly why we should all respect and support the Sangha community.
We are also fortunate that making offering to Sangha is convenient and easy through this online method >> https://www.vajrasecrets.com/dana-offering-fund
In short, when we contribute towards building and sustaining the Sangha, we are actually nourishing and maintaining our spiritual practice. When done sincerely with the right motivation, it really benefits at so many levels, from the opportunity to cultivate positive qualities such as generosity, the practice of humility to respectfully serve to the Sangha, mindfulness as in how to really effectively serve and also benefit others to the cutting away of certain attachments or negative habituations; to it being another avenue for merits generation. In addition, the reference to the Buddha’s subscription to the life of a mendicant also serves as a personal reminder that poverty is not an end in itself but a life that is free from the societal rules/norm and yet blissfully complete. Thank you Rinpoche for such a beautiful and inspiration sharing.
This is a beautiful culture. Thank you, Rinpoche, for this spiritual sharing. Making food offerings to sangha, is a great way for lay people to practice generosity. This is a chance for lay people to focus out and provide to a community for preserve and share Buddha’s Dharma. By doing so, lay people has the chance to collect merits for their own spiritual growth.
佛陀涅槃后，当以正法律为导师，但如没僧侣，何来正法？所以僧侣是那么的重要，能够供养僧侣有如供养佛，而事实上，所做的这一切实际上都使我们受益匪浅，供养僧侣除了帮助我们累集功德，同时让我们学习和培养慷慨和无私及尊重三宝与上师的心。所以最伟大还是上师给予了机会协助我们在佛法上的修行。
Is wonderful experience giving dana to the sangha community at Bangkok street. Seeing people at Thailand are well respect the sangha community. Because sangha had provided some many help and education to Thailand people. There are truthly blessed by sangha jewel one of the refuge object.
Is important provide help and supporting dharma to growing. When dharma grown, many others had suffering will get benifit by sangha who follow lord buddha teaching as example. Diarect donation to build temple even better. Many people can learn buddha dharma from the sangha to gain knowledge , collecting merit and purify negative karma has cause us suffering so much in wordly life.
Giving Alm is such a beautiful and blessed culture for the Thailand. A simple act but big merits. Buddha set this practice 2500 years ago and became the people’s culture in the sounden part of Asia.
Supporting the sangha is a big deal as a Buddhist. We created the merits to turn the dharma wheel and for the dharma the grow. But in the degenerate time, Unfortunately do see people came to temple to pray but complain when asked to make offering to the Buddha. Well, u came to a temple which is nicely built, set up, maintained and clean, all done pleasantly for you to make wishes, yet u refused to even make an offering as little as RM10 for a candle. I suppose if you asked a friend for a favour you will treat your friend very especial on that day right?
Making offering is not only to support the Dharma but to practice humble, generosity, renunciation and compassion.
To be honest, I wouldn’t mind donating money directly to the Sanghas which I felt makes more sense. With money the Sangha can make more beneficial work for others rather than a bowl of food. It is wonderful to be making offerings to Sanghas and in these days of age, it is more practical to be making monetary offerings. Having said that, to be making food offerings is equally great.
Since young, I didn’t know much of about offerings but faith bought me close into Buddhism. Reading the article and watching the video, open up my mind and understand more deeply the importance of offerings to sanghas. This is a good practice of generosity, giving and giving more. Other than that, offering food dhana to sangha is to receive blessings and merits. What I think it is essential for us to cultivate the practice of generosity, to support a sangha.
To support the growth of sangha is equal to support the growth of Dharma. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this informative article. ??
The Sangha gave us the opportunity to purify our karma, control our body, speech and mind and collect merits. The existence of Sangha is very important as the Sangha represent the dharma and through the Sangha the dharma that thought by Buddha Shakyamuni proliferate.
It’s a great sharing from Rinpoche on why we should make offering to the Sangha and how Sangha play an important role in our spiritual practice. It’s very beautiful to see the people making offering to the Sangha and in Thailand old or young they make offering with great respect. It’s definitely a great and valuable teaching to the young one to learn and practice giving in a Buddhist culture where bring great benefit not only in this life time but also future. Through the Sangha the Buddha’s teaching being preserved and disseminate. It’s important the culture of making offering to the Sangha being practice and continue.
I feel ‘lucky’ that my parents taught us to make offerings or donations always to the Sangha members. Even till now they always give whenever they can especially to the temples. My mum would always offer flowers to the altar whenever she sees beautiful flowers. They inspire us to always give.
I totally agree in supporting the Sangha. At least we are supporting them to continue to turn the wheel of Dharma. I would rather know that ‘my money’ is going to benefit someone and collect the merits, rather than spending it on something that will generate more negative karma. This is a very good teaching to share with others especially those who are new. Thank you Rinpoche for this beneficial teaching.
First and foremost, thank you to Tsem Rinpoche and the blog team. Offering food to monks and nuns is a good deeds. I get to know a lot of informations and reason on why to we need to make offerings. Even Tsem Rinpoche is a monk himself gave offering to others. It is such a rarely scenario whereby monk and monk give offering to one another, in my view.
This could just be the cornerstone to the Thai’s world renowned culture. Giving alms the first thing in the morning sets the tone for the day. It gets us in touch with our humble, giving, compassionate and appreciating self. Certainly a good daily practice for anyone intent on connecting with our all compassionate enlightened nature. Thank you Rinpoche for showing us the light.
In Buddhism, the monks go out to beg food is an opportunity for them to put their pride down to beg for sustenance. According to the local people, there are nothing in monastery and therefore, if it is raining, the monks will still come out for food. Therefore, this is a good opportunity for us to offer the foods to the monks.
Besides, this is very inspiring to see many young school kids who stop by to make offerings on the way to school in their school uniforms. Practice generosity by making offerings to sangha and spirituality at their early young age is a meritorious action and a good cause for them always be blessed by the Three Jewels.
We should show respect and make offerings to the sangha as the sangha gives us opportunity to collect merits for our body, speech and mind and discipline our body, speech and mind. Therefore, set good motivation to make offering as much as we can and support those who have 100% commitment towards the Dharma.
The practice of generosity is one of the 6 paramitas which is the easiest to fulfill. With the right understanding and motivation, practice of generosity may help us to collect merits.
In Malaysia, we seldom see the practice of giving foods openly as in Thailand. However, it is grateful that with the supports/contributions from the community, a few Dharma Centres are growing and expanded such as Buddhist Tzu-Chi Merits Society Malaysia, Fo Guang Shan Malaysia, Dharma Drum Mountain Malaysia and etc for the benefit of others.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Thank you Rinpoche for your teaching. It is very important to understand why we do offering to Sangha. I really feel blessed and happy to see this food offering to Thai monks. Rinpoche give a very well explanation on the benefit of doing this virtuous action.
Thank you Rinpoche for your teaching. It is very important to understand why we do offering to Sangha. Many times, I would think that making offering is for the benefit of the Sangha member but instead it is for our benefit.
Sangha members have let go of samsara to practise Dharma full time so they can benefit others. Without them we will have no Dharma to learn from.
Hence, we should support Sangha in anyway we can be it financial, time, food, medicine and etc so they can fully concentrate in turning the dharma wheel and benefiting more people.
I really feel blessed and happy to see this food offering to Thai monks. Rinpoche give a very well explanation on the benefit of doing this virtuous action. I had been Bangkok so many times, but I know nothing about foods offering to monk along the street. This write up really open my eyes so I can do this in my future trip to Bangkok. From my understandings, support Sangha is indirectly turn the dharma wheel because we support daily needs to Sangha and they can fully concentrate on teachings dharma.
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing.
With folded hands,
Jason
The practice of giving is universally recognised as one of the most basic human virtues, a quality that testifies to the depth of one’s humanity and one’s capacity for self-transcendence. In Buddha’s teachings, among the Six Perfections (Six Paramitas)or virtues to be cultivated to strengthen practice and bring one to enlightenment is Dana Paramita or Perfection of Generosity. It is giving from sincere wish to benefit others, without expectation of reward or recognition.
Sangha as a refuge is an important part of one’s spiritual path as we rely on and interact with the Sangha in order to progress in our spiritual path.
They form or are part of the institutions that preserved and transmit the teachings and lineages. They are the ones who provide the knowledge and facilities for us to study, meditate, practice and retreat.
Buddhadharma has survived since the parinirvana of Lord Shakyamuni without financial resources of its own, without armies or weapons, merely through the power of wisdom and virtue of the Sangha. There is no guarantee that it will continue to survive or that it will continue to make vital and important contributions to human life. Hence, it is very important to not take for granted, and to do our best to support the Sangha as best as we can.
There are many ways we can make offerings to the Sangha. For example, we can offer robes, food, lodging/building, medicine, and so on. However, like what Rinpoche said, we can also donate our time, talents and skills to the Sangha, centre or teacher, not just material things.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for posting this. A few years back (around 4 or 5 years ago), my Grandma, Datuk may Phng, took us to Bangkok on a family vacation and took us to this exact place to offer food to the Shanga. She even told us to take off our shoes and walk on the road barefoot as a sign of respect to the monks. 🙂
Thank you, Rinpoche, for having taken her to offer food to the Shanga the first time, so she was able to take us to experience this as well. _/|\_
Your humble student,
Keng hwa.
The Sangha is very important.
“For the last 2500 years, it is mainly the sangha who has kept the Dharma alive and intact throughout all the monasteries in the world up till the present day. It has been the sangha who teach other sangha and lay people and kept the Dharma alive and well through teachings. Buddha set it up this way. Supporting the sangha is supporting the continuance of the holy Dharma. If all Sangha disappeared due to no support, then you will see the Dharma decline in its complete form”.
Rinpoche tells us why doing dana for the Sangha is a highly meritorious act. It is also a powerful act of purification.Rinpoche himself led a group to offer food to the Sangha. Rinpoche always shows and inspires, by his own fine example, how to be compassionate and giving(in this case) to the Sangha.
Dear Rinpoche,
this is so touching and beautiful dharma in action. thank you _/\_
I was with Rinpoche and the team when we did offerings to the monks in Bangkok. It was a very good experience and the very next time when I was in Bangkok with my family in 2012, we did the same thing and the young members of the family thorough enjoyed the experience of giving.
Besides creating generosity, it is imperative that we sponsor and support the sangha so that the Dharma can be preserved for many generations to come.
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching.
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching. The video reminds me the purpose of offering and supporting the sangka. We should be sincere and humble. We should not think of taking anything from the sangka. Offering and supporting the sangka ensures that the Dharma can continue to spread in many future generations to benefits others. By doing this, we also create the merits to be able to continue learning Dharma now and in our our future lives.
We safeguard the Dharma for future generations, when we support and make offerings to the Sangha. We also collect merits and create the cause to practice Dharma in the future. It is a good way for lay people to support the sangha’s contribution as the Sangha’s time, effort and activity is 100% for the community.
During our visit to Bangkok during CNY and Christmas last year 2013, we made offerings to the monks in Banglampoo. After learning the teachings from Rinpoche, we felt it was a good way to start CNY 2013 by making offerings on the first day of CNY. Andy & Jen Ni learned how to make the offerings, too. We explained to them later that Rinpoche has given a teaching on the benefits of offering food to monks. Its a beautiful practice for our spiritual growth as we are able to benefit others. We must consistently learn and practice to make offerings to our Teacher, Sangha and Dharma Centre to receive blessings for our spiritual practice.
With folded hands
Rena
感恩仁波切总是不断的给予我们很美的教诲，并身体力行的给予我们开示，让我们能够留下更深刻的印象，与强大的佛法种子
透过供养僧侣，我们除了能从中学习到，布施，让我变得更加的无私，与学习到培养一刻能帮助别人的心，与尊重三宝与上师的心以外
仁波切也让我们有了一个因供养僧侣与延续佛法的机会，让我们有了累积了大量的福德资粮的机会，让我们有更足够的善因来学习更多的佛法与修行
感恩仁波切,祈愿仁波切长驻在世，常转法轮
Dana is a volitional act and therefore we must have good motivation when making offerings. The local people are used to serving the monks and they are very respectful. Some of them would even kneel down on the road before making the offerings. For the monks it is an opportunity to allow the lay people to collect merits.
供养僧侣团，是一件非常殊胜的事，它不但能让我们累积功德，更能让僧侣们没有三餐的烦恼，能让他们把2600多年了的佛陀教育得以继续弘扬下去，那是多么有意义的一件事情。如果没有办法到泰国去做，也可以在本地那么做，我就有在本地请僧侣们吃过饭，心里面的那份满足是无法形容的，有机会的话，你们也可以试看看。。。。
What a beautiful country and i love the culture of offering to sangha in Thailand. Would love to visit one day to make offerings to the monks. I did have the opportunity to does some offering for the monks in Nepal.
This custom and tradition of giving Dhana to the sangha started in Lord Buddha Shakyamuni’s time and it is so beautiful to see this still happening today in our beautiful neighbouring country – Thailand.
This act of giving alms to the monks is such a sacred act because the whole action, motivation is totally Dharmic and meritorious. So fortunate we are that we still see this tradition being practised, and for us lay people to have the opportunity to actually engage in this act as if it was like 2500 years ago.
Rejoice we can still do this today and now for us, Thailand will not just be another tourist destination, shopping and parties but of one that is spiritual as well.
Thank you Rinpoche for reminding us and sharing with us, giving many of us this opportunity to experience this sacred act of giving!
Dear Tsem Rinpoche,
Thanks for sharing. I will do the offerings to the monks for my next trip to Bangkok.
Regards,
Venix
First time I listen to the video, I learned that doing Dana is good for us, it is us who need to do Dana rather monks need our Dana. It is also good to teach children about doing offering. It will teach them about generosity, and not to grow up to be so materialistic.
Reading this article for the 2nd time and following strike me.
“…. Do not think supporting the sangha is a burden or only when you have extra resources because if you ponder the value of the sangha, you will realize it is not a burden or extra but a necessity. It is not enough you encountered the Dharma, but you must make sure it is safeguarded for future generations… ”
Offerings to monks os a necessity. It is not a burden or when we have extra resources. Christian used to contribute partial of their salary for Church and Buddhist should have this good habits of offer partial of our salary for temple too.
Thank you for this inspiring video. I am really amazed by the spirituality and religion of the people in Thailand. For people who wish to make offerings to monks just before they go to work or go to school they can go to the stall set up on the roadside daily. Making offerings like food to the monks is a beautiful way for us to collect merits.
Dear Rinpoche
I had always thought offering to monks was just simply an act of kindness, but when Rinpoche said that “You support the monks to do their studies, practice, meditations and teachings. You gain the merit for sponsoring their activities, in this case through food to put it simply. They do what you cannot and you do what they do not do… it is a perfect balance.” That completely blew my mind and made me some what guilty of being so ignorant for not putting more thought into it. I am very happy to see kechara and Rinpoche sponsoring these monks with food.
Hope Rinpoche is well.
very touching . Rinpoche shows us how to make offerings to the Noble Sangha.Thank you Rinpoche for the teachings.
Don’t you think it’s a perfect practice instituted by an awakened being 2,500 years ago? The monks do what we cannot do – and we do what they do not do – so its a perfect balance. The Sangha renounces samsara to focus on study, practice, teaching and serving others with full energies towards Dharma, thus to keep Dharma alive through our supporting their activities fully. They dont have to waste time on wordly activities, so they can put their whole-hearted energy into Dharma, thus keeping the Dharma alive. At the same time, we can create merits through the law of cause and effect in our participation, as causes resemble results,and vice-versa, said by Rinpoche, as “that’s karma”. It is also better to support with more than one food offering to the monks, the more the merrier! So happy offerings, everyone.
Thank you Rinpoche for the teachings, I will always remember to give always and think of others more and more.
I was very fortunate to have the chance to go make offering to the monks with my mum, Thanks to Henry and Kechara, that Im able to go there to offer dana to the monks in Thailand.
We woke up morning 5am, get ready and walk there, it took us about 30 minutes walking and it feel so good walking in the morning.
If it is not because of Kechara, I would not have the chance to do so, because we won’t understand the meaning behind and we won’t do it. we also visit a few temples in Thailand during our stay.
By offering foods, robes and sponsoring the the sangha members whatever they need can collect tremendous amount of merits, so we must support the sanghas in order for them to spread the dharma. Rinpoche has told me and my friends to sponsor the monks in Gaden monastery for many years.Thank you Rinpoche for giving us this opportunity to do so.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing.It is great to know that in Thailand most of the people still have a chance to practice Buddhism in the public area.It is a great way to instill the practice of generosity to the younger generation at a early age through such practice every morning at Thanom Kraisi. Rinpoche was very kind to lead the way to show us how it should be done properly and to highlight to us the importance of the Shanga.
Thank you Rinpoche.
It is such a common sight in Thailand in the mornings to see people lining up the roads to make offerings to the Sangha. People from all ages and from all walks of life mingle in the early morning hours for the chance to offer dana to the monks.
[…] Bangkok Monks and why make offerings (tsemtulku.com) […]
Just looking at the pictures alone gives me a such a sense of reverence towards the monks and knowing that they have given up all to study, practice, teach and preserve the Dharma deepends the feeling. If it were not for the Sangha, the Buddha’s teachings might have been lost a long time ago. Before we came to know the Dharma, we may have admired successful people in their suits and nice offices but once we know even a bit of Dharma we begin to see the Sangha as truly people we should admire, honour and emulate. They are the keepers of something more precious than anything the world can afford.
Thailand has this beautiful culture that recognizes the importance of the Sangha and venerates them. And looking at the young monks I feel so much joy for them that from an early age, they already have the tremendous merits not to be trapped by futile worldly pursuits.
I am also very touched and inspired by Rinpoche’s clear humility to serve and bow to the monks, even the younger ones. It would have been a great experience to be there personally.
The video teaches us so much Dharma knowledge and Rinpoche always ensure that we understand the benefits of each practice. Likewise, the demerits if we have the mindset to perceive and react negatively. The majority of Thais have a deep culture of supporting the Sangha. Its great to see school children inculcating such virtues from a young age.
I am learn dharma in Kechara few years past, I find out as a dharma practitioner the most difficult or the big challenge for me is how to become a humble person in front of everyone. Second, how to beg!!!It is not easy to us to beg for others, especially beg for others to spread dharma or benefit many…do not agree???In Rinpoche teaching in this video is good lesson for us, Rinpoche reminded us begging for dharma is precious opportunity in our life which we create a good merit then we can beg for dharma or beg for others!!!
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching.
It’s wonderful to see in Buddhist countries that still keep the tradition. Keeping the tradition didn’t make Bangkok become backward, but a developing city with more humility.
I totally agree with what Rinpoche says, if our kids grow up in this situation, they will become happier and less anger. I think because in their mind, there’s some idea of serving others.
When I was transiting from Bangkok to Bodh Gaya, the plane was leaving Bangkok airport, I saw 3 airport crew came to the front of the plane, folded their hands and bow to the plane. I do not know what is the real meaning, but for me the action is wishing us a safe journey. I feel very warm even by this little action that I didn’t see it in any trip that I went.
May Dharma always be supported and flourish!
In my recent trips to Chiangmai and Bangkok, i did it. In Bangkok, i went to exactly the same place as shown in the pictures and the lady that prepared the food offering was the same! In Chiangmai, a lady took her toddler to do an offering. In Bangkok, a father took his primary school daughter to do offerings before school. V moving and practical Dharma lesson for the young. After the food offerings in Banglampu, we walked to the temple Wat Chan Songkram and did some prayers. In the prayer hall, a monk bowl and plate was placed in front of the altar and people could put the food offerings and flowers in the hall. i am being reminded in this post to continue to do this offering everytime i have the opportunity. Thank you Rinpoche. _/|\_
Thank you Rinpoche for the Dharma talk on making offering to the Sangha, and for Rinpoche leading by example of making offering to the Sangha.
Regards : Erickksiow
Thank yuu Rinpooche. Now I understood that by making offerings to the Sangha, it is to enable them to focus on doing more Dharma work and we gain great spiritual merit by being involved.
I have been once to do this offering in bangkok due to a travelogue shooting. That time im the director for this programme and i have not involve with any dharma yet. But somehow i insist to get this beautiful action to be shot with my host doing the offering to the monks (although it’s quite hard to persuade my crew to have to wake up so early to prepare for shooting this) . I really and truly fascinated with the locals when seeing on what they have did. This is a mind blower, to witness how deep is the local’s belief. Me and my host were excited and kinda worried that we did not perform this in a right way. We’ve got advised from our tour guide, and he advised that female shall not touch the bowl when offering the food, and we should remove our shoes when doing this. Now after reading this post, i have much more understanding about the reason and why ppl in Thailand always make offers to the monk! Thanks rinpoche~!
Thank you Rinpoche very much for introducing this place – Banglampo – to us.
It will certainly take some effort to make it to this place – need to wake up real early to avoid the 2-hour jam. But I believe, if I were there, or to be with a group of friends who understand the underlying reasons for making food dharna to the sangha, this will all be worth it.
I believe that it will be a very heart-warming experience.
Very warm hearted to see all these pictures. I wished I was there to make the offerings too. Making offerings like food to the monks is a beautiful way for us to collect merits. Monks has nothing but dharma. Hence their mind is pure. They do not allow to receive offerings for tomorrow but must be just enough of today. By offering monk robe will generate tremendous merits. But all these are incomparable to the merits that we collect by serving our own Lama.
It was an amazing experience to give food to the monks. Many Thais were there as well giving food to the monks before they start work. There were students who would assist some monks by carrying their bags. I think they do this before school.
What a great way to teach children about compassion and altruism. It’s unfortunate that we don’t have something like this in KL. It’d be a good exposure for the children and adults on practising humility, compassion and generosity.
Rinpoche being a High Lama he is really teaches the Dharma from the heart! Rinpoche shows us how to make offerings to the Noble Sangha.
Pindapata, a Pali term used to describe monks going out for alms started by the Sagely Buddha himself. Rinpoche is so kind to bring these Kecharians to experience how it was like 2500years ago and Rinpoche made offerings to the monks too!
I know by tradition some Thais would wake up in the wee hours of the day to prepare for this daily before attending to their daily needs.
Rejoice in this awesome deed!
I am glad to see everyone here has the chance to support the Sangha. 🙂 The trip showed us examples what you actually do when you support the Sangha. Taking times off helping the Sangha, reading, and applying it to life, is what we should do now while working for a livelihood.
“..if you support the sangha, then you collect the merits to do dharma practice in the near future. Why? You are supporting others to do Dharma, and by the power of cause and effect, you should receive the same because you created the causes by making offerings.”
那天早上起身的特别早，记得前一晚只睡了那么一小时，睡前换好衣服，起身洗脸就起程。
太阳未升起时，路旁的小贩已准备好所有的食物，让人们购买来供养僧人。除了早起去市场的人，可以看到在上学途中的学生也停下来做供养。一些学生也帮忙这些僧人提拿供品。这些孩子都是未来的社会群。在泰国，孩子从小就有这样的成长环境，从小就学习布施、供养三宝。我相信这些孩子也都被灌输慈悲善心的思想。
在泰国，每一个人都非常友善，不论你是谁。我们买食物给流浪汉吃，在泰国，路人会向前来微笑。
但在马来西亚，我们会接受到一种异样的眼光，觉得为什么我们照顾社会的“寄生虫”。其实他们不是寄生虫，有哪一个人愿意一生没有任何目标？一生靠乞食，让人看低？相信他们有他们的苦衷，只是我们没有去了解他们。
至于那些给与异样眼光的人，他们没有错，只是从小的教育和社会环境要我们自力更生，向上，可是我们却多少忽略了其他需要帮忙的人。
虽然很累，那是一个很满足的早上。我们供养的不单是僧人，我们同时也供养所有僧人所持的戒律，希望未来我们可以很容易的生起出离心，来世从小就能解除佛法，修行。
Dear Rinpoche,
I don’t understand why ladies shall not touch the monk’s offering bowl? If it’s not to touch the monk, to me it makes sense. But not to touch the bowl, it is something weird to me. Is there any specific reason?
Thank you.
Abby.
Dear Rinpoche,
This also happen in Hatyai. I was on a trip to Hatyai last week, I could see people over there also do the same. Basically they will kneel down infront of the monk while making offering and the monk will offer some prayers. Is great to see such a wonderful interaction between the monk and society over there.
Regards
Alex
Thank you, Rinpoche, for creating in us a greater awareness of the far-reaching benefit of making offerings to the Sangha.
Years ago, I was told to offer robes to the Sangha annually, which I did for a while. But all that i was told then was that this act would bring much merit to me and to the people to whom i dedicated this merit.
NOw, through this teaching, I understand that giving to the Sangha and supporting the Sangha is to protect the Dharma from disappearing and to ensure the Dharma grows.So it is vital to give to the Sangha, who are doing what we ourselves cannot do – that is to fully renounce the worldly life and to be 100 % in Dharma- so as to ‘keep the fire of Dharma burning’ for the benefit of all.(I am sure Rinpoche has given us this teaching before, but ,on this particular occasion, this teaching hits me with great impact because of it being on-the-spot where Rinpoche and our Dharma brothers and sisters are there making food offerings to the Sangha).
Yes, I am deeply touched by how the THais, of all ages and from all walks of life, show their deep respect for the Sangha and pay homage to them as part of their daily lives.
Thank you Rinpoche,this is very uplifting!!
Guru, so good to practise this act & frankly it has never cross my mind that i can & should plan part of our holiday trip event by making offering to the Sangha when visiting Thailand or Bangkok. I wish to do this offering when i visit Bangkok in the future. Thank you Guru.
Rejoice for all Dharma brothers and sisters who have a lucky day to give.
May the Dharma stay with all of us forever.
Metta
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for this blog on offerings. I love your teaching on the spirituality of making offerings to the Sangha. We make these offerings for the benefit of all sentient beings and for the growth of Dharma. We learn humility and generosity without agenda.
What a beautiful setting too to see true spirituality in practice in modern day life.
Yes, just like Jamie, I too had the fortune to make offerings to the monks in Thailand on two occasions when I took my wife and two children to Bangkok.
We got up early in the morning and walked to the marketplace nearby the hotel we were staying. We bought food from the vendors and approached monks who went on their rounds. The first time, a local taught us to remove our shoes before we offered the food, a gesture of practicing humility and respect.
My two children loved making the offerings and didn’t complain having to wake up early on their holidays.
it is so touching to see the school going children assisting the monk, i am really amazed at the spirituality and religion of the people in Thailand, be it young or old, they respect the Buddhism and the Sangha very much, something for me to learn.
Thank you Rinpoche for the Dharma talk on making offering to the Sangha, and for Rinpoche leading by example of making offering to the Sangha is something i will surely learn and practice from. With folded hands.
Thank you for this inspiring video!
I had the really, really great fortune to make these same offerings in the same place with Rinpoche a few years ago. It is such a beautiful and inspiring way to start the day – by making an offering to the Sangha and making prayers for something extraordinary and beyond ourselves.
It’s quite cute to be there and watch what goes on. The local thai people literally just double park their cars, jump out in their work clothes, run across the road to buy food, make offerings and prayers, and pay their respects to the monks, then jump back into the cars and rush off to work. What incredible devotion that they make it a part of their day to make offerings like this.
When I was there with Rinpoche the last time, what was most inspiring was seeing Rinpoche make the offerings himself. Dressed in lay clothes, none of the monks or locals would have known that he was a monk himself, and when he made the offerings, he would make sure he folded his hands and bowed down so his head was lower than each of the monks – being so much taller than the average Thai meant that Rinpoche would be bent double. If even someone who is such a high Lama and a monk for so many years, like Rinpoche, can pay this much respect to the Sangha, there’s really no excuses for us.
I think it’s important to realise that when we make an offering to Sangha, it is not us doing them a favour, but the Sangha doing us a favour, and giving us an opportunity to do something really good for ourselves.
i find it very touching – Rinpochela leading the group members in performing Dana to the Sangha members (be it in Ganden Monastery or on the streets of Bangkok)…. so touched, and inspired! Thank you, Rinpochela!