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HOW TO GET GOOD RESULTS FROM DOING MERIT

Dear Buddhists, I would like to discuss basic good deeds or virtues that we all are seeking. The topic to be talked about here is Dhana or alms giving which is a basic process of doing merit in Buddhism.
If we want to gain a good result of merit from alms giving, we, first of all, should know how to do it correctly. Therefore, we have to inform ourselves to make sure that we understand what ought and ought not to be done in due course.
In order to get a great deal of merit from alms giving, we first have to prepare things for alms which we must get from the right means of livelihood, so that the alms is morally clean and pure.
There are many kinds of objects suitable for alms giving described in the Buddhist Canon: Sutta-pitaka, the Discourse of the Buddha; Vinaya-pitaka, the Book of Disciplines; and Abhidhamma-pitaka, the higher subtleties of the Dhamma.

ALMS-GIVING IN THE SUTTA

Dhana or alms giving in the Sutta or the Discourse of the Buddha is divided into ten types. They are alms food, clothing, vehicle and transportation facilities, flowers, accessories and aromatic things, mat and paving material, medicine and light.
All the ten categories of alms can be offered to human beings as well as animals in general. But for animals, they can obtain only some kinds of these alms. For example, we have rice but can never offer it to cattle since they do not consume rice.
On the other hand, we can simply offer all the above ten things to human beings, such as the disabled—the blind, the deaf, the crippled, the insane, etc. - the poor, the orphaned, those who lost their homes and all their belongings in the fire, flood, storm, drought, wars and other disasters.
All the ten things we can offer to those who are in suffering as charity in general in order to relief them from suffering and have as much happiness as possible.

ALMS-GIVING IN THE VINAYA

Alms-giving in the Vinaya, the Book of Disciplines has four kinds of alms giving for the monk and novice. They are called Nisaya or the four necessities on which the monastic life depends. These four necessities of life are: Jivara - robes, clothing; Pintapata - alms food and drinking stuff; Senasana - lodging facilities; and Bhesajja - medicine and medical equipment. Apart from these 4 kinds of alms are extra acquisitions or extra allowances to he monk or novice.
We the Buddhists, should understand what ought and ought not to be done in offering alms to the monk and novice, and should know about the monastic tradition as well. It is also important to know what should and should not be offered to the monk and novice. Many people do not understand this and still do it incorrectly in offering alms.
I therefore, would like to give some advice to all of you who have a meritorious mind, to make sure that you will get good results in doing merit. You, therefore, should understand in offering each kind of alms.
There are several points the Buddhists should know as a correct way in giving alms to the monk and the novice in Buddhism.

1. Offering robes or clothes to monks.
The first kind of alms-giving under the monastic discipline is to offer robes and clothing to the monk and novice. These objects are the yellow robe, the outer robe, the inner garment and other accessories - a bathing cloth or rain cloth, sleeping sheet, towels and handkerchief.
Normally the monk dresses with three pieces of clothes - robe, under garment and outer robe. We can offer all or any of the three garments and other accessories as we want, but have to aware of the colour, type, form length and width that are suitable to the monk.

2. Offering food and drinking stuff to monks.
In offering alms food and drinking stuff, we have to know what kind of food and drinking stuff is suitable and the proper time for a monk’s consumption. If we understand what to offer, what is the proper time and how to do it, this will be convenient to both the donor and the monk.
Problems found in giving alms food. In presenting food as well as many other things to the monk, we have to present it to the monk’s hand or in the monk’s bowl. Otherwise, the monk cannot take it because it is still the donor’s property and the monk is still not allowed to take it. This is one of the monk’s disciplines.
If the donor is a man, the monk can receive things directly with his hand. But it is not allowed for the monk to do so with a woman donor. This is not a sex discriminating idea at all. Since the monk and the novice are not supposed to touch a woman or any female animals, this might cause them some sexual feeling which is dangerous for priesthood and novicehood. For not allowing monks to receive things directly from a woman’s hand is to prevent such a problem.
In receiving alms from a woman donor, the monk will place a small piece of cloth in front of him and a woman will place the alms on the cloth. Then the monk will take it after that.
The problem found is that most people like to hand whatever they bring to the monk directly. Otherwise, they think, they will not gain merit. This is a misunderstanding.
Sometimes there is far too much food that the monk can consume within a day. Some of the food can be kept for another day of consumption. The monk may kindly ask the donor to leave some of the food in the kitchen of the temple or leave it with a lay-person who look after the monk and the Wat, so that the food can be offered to the monk on the following days. This seems to offend some Buddhists. They might complain that the monk is difficult to deal with.
It should be understood that the food presented in the morning can only be consumed by the monk and novice up to noon on that day. Some monks and novices take only one meal a day in the morning. And some of them in some Wats take two meals, in early morning and before noon. They are neither allowed to take the left over food nor to store food for the next day’s consumption. It is an ecclesiastical offence to do so. In practice, the monk will usually give away a11 the rest of the food to the people or animals around, but cannot give to other monks.
For the donor’s part, they may think that if they do not present all the food they bring to the monk at the same time they may get little merit. This is why they prefer to present all the food they bring to the monk’s hand directly.
Some people may even think to change their mind and go to other temples where they can present all the food to the monk as they wish. This is because they do not quite understand the nature of being a monk or the monk’s discipline written in the Vinaya.
The monastic tradition and regulations cannot be understood by those who do not study thoroughly. They do not know what can be handed to the monk and at what specific time—morning or afternoon. And so what kind of food the monk can consume anytime if it is necessary.
Time and kinds of food to be presented to monks. Five categories of food that can only presented to the monk and the novice in the morning but not in the afternoon or at night are staples, desserts, preserved and dried food, fish and meat.
The following 5 nutriments can be presented to the monk at anytime, the monk can take them in the morning, afternoon and also at night, and he can keep them for seven days. These five nutriments are honey, sugar and syrup, fat, ghee and butter, and cheese. These nutriments are treated equivalent to medicine, but they can be kept by the monk for future consumption for seven days only.
In the case of medicine, it can be presented to the monk at all times and it can be consumed by the monk at any time when it is necessary.
For fruit juice, called Nam-pa-na, can be presented to the monk to be consumed in the afternoon, evening and also at night. However, we should know how to prepare it. We will discuss how to prepare this nam-pa-na for the monk later.
Problems with vegetarianism. At present, it has been controversial among the Buddhist groups that some monks in some certain Wats are vegetarians and refrain from eating meat, while some monks take meat. And it is also believed that the vegetarian monks are more observant than the monks who take meat. This makes a conflict between these two different ideas.
In this case, we as the Buddhists who have meritorious mind and respect in the Dhamma of Lord Buddha should study Dharnma thoroughly as well as the monk and novice, so that we all will understand what is forbidden and what is allowed to be consumed by the monk and the novice, and also what to perform correctly according to time and place.
Ten kinds of meat not allowed to be consumed by monks and novices. They are human flesh, elephant, yellow tiger, tiger, leopard, bear, lion, snake, dog and horse. These ten kinds of meat Lord Buddha did not allow the monk and novice to consume whether they are raw or cooked.
Animal meat other than those 10 mentioned above are allowed for monks and novices to consume if well cooked. It is important (for monks and novices) to understand correctly here why Lord Buddha forbade monks and novices to take these 10 kinds of animal meat. There are stories and reasons behind this, but I do not want to discuss them here.
Some monks and novices in some monasteries are vegetarians. They do not consume meat assuming that Lord Buddha did not allow them to do. It is good for them to do so, but should not boast that they are more observant and purer than others. This is not mentioned in the Vinaya or disciplines of Buddhist monks and novices. Instead, they are taught to be easy going.

Mungsa-u-tis:
Food or meat promised in advance. Monks and novices are not allowed to take food and meat that is prepared for them purposefully which fall into any of these 3 cases:-
l. The monk heard the name or kind of food to be presented to him in advance by the donor. This means that the alms-giver promised the monk by mentioning the name or kind of the food he or she wants to present in advance at the time he comes to invite the monk.
(For example, the donor should not promise the monk like this. “Please come to my place, I will prepare a special roast beef for you.” “Tomorrow morning I will bring you noodles, pork, fish and lots of fruit. Please don’t go away.”)
Names and kinds of food in this case include 5 categories: staples, desserts, dried or preserved food, fish and animal meat.
2. The monk saw the donor coming to present him the food being promised in advance.
3. The monk cared that the food was purposefully prepared for him, especially that the animal was killed for him. This looks as if the monk himself causes the animal to be killed in order to get meat for his consumption.
Such an event happened in Lord Buddha’s time. Then, some observant Buddhists wanted to do merit by inviting the Buddha with his monks to have a meal at their place on a certain day. They ignorantly promised Lord Buddha by telling the names and kinds of food they were going to prepare for him and his monks. Their purpose was just to please Lord Buddha and his monks so that they would not refuse the invitation because he cared about taking delicious food that was promised. This is not the way that good Buddhists should do. And this is why Lord Buddha did not allow himself as well as his disciples to take the food that had been promised or mentioned in advance.
If we want to invite the monk for alms food, we should not promise by telling the name or kind of food we want to offer in advance. The monk will be pleased to take any kind of food if he is not allergic to it and will not make him ill. He will take it after considering that the food is safe enough for his consumption.
However, there is an exception to take the promised food as the above discussion under the following 7 occasions: -
1. When the monk is ill, or has broken heels and cannot go for alms collecting.
2. When it is time to offer the yellow robe which starts from the last day of the Rains Retreat up to 4 months after the Kathina ceremony (the annual robe presentation ceremony in the month following the end of the Rains Retreat). This is about a five-month period of time.
3. When it is time for monks to make their robes.
4. During a long distance of travelling up to approximately 10 miles.
5. During a boat trip, both on and off board the ship, as well as during the trip.
6. When there is a fourth monk joining in a meal from alms gathering that is just enough for 2 or 3.
7. When the monk is invited from any group of priests to have a meal.
On any of these seven occasions, the monk is allowed to consume the food that was promised or told the name in advance. However, it should be taken under his good consideration.
Moreover, in any case if the monk is insane, it is not forbidden to take the food under the above discussion.

3. Offering lodging facilities to monks.
Giving alms concerning lodging facilities for the monk are, for example, living quarters of monks, preaching hall, study hall, refectory, monastery library, Scripture library, bell tower, chanting and meeting hall, the Uposatha hall or consecrated assembly hall, Buddha image hall, shrine hall, cloister, wayside shelter, temple bathrooms and toilets, and many facilities in the Wat. Both monks and lay-people can use these facilities which make them convenient for joining religious activities. They feel comfortable to use these facilities because they are open to the public all the time. This is considered another way of doing merit.
Some people might ask whether they can gain merit by building public facilities outside the Wat. Yes, they can. Of course, you can gain merit in doing so according to Buddhism.
In offering facilities outside the Wat, we can do many things for the public. For example, building roadside shelters, public toilets, schools, hospital facilities, welfare institutes, government offices Public wells, ponds, irrigating systems, dams Public walkways, bridges, public gardens and many other facilities.
In short, we can gain merit in offering alms lodging and facilities both within and outside the Wat.

4. Offering alms concerning medicine.
This kind of alms concerns medicine and medical equipment and facilities for curing the sick and in order to relieve the suffering of monks as well as of lay-people.
Whoever studies to be the doctor or a nurse to help sick people, they are doing merit. On the other hand, whoever supports or contributes in building hospital facilities and medical instruments, they are doing merit too.
Whichever way we try to get rid of suffering of sick people, or make monks and other people healthy, we will gain merit.

ALMS IN THE ABHIDHAMMA

In the Abhidhamma or higher Subtleties of the Dhamma, alms giving is classified into 6 categories according to our six sense-bases: -
1. Alms from eye perception or visible objects. When one sees beautiful things and would like to have them for alms giving.
2. Alms for ear perception. When hearing people talking about going for alms giving, practising meditation at a Wat or religious places and would like to do so.
3. Alms from nose perception or odorous objects. When smelling something nice, for example, flowers and some other fragrant things, then one feels like getting them to worship the Buddha image, to get them for alms-giving.
4. Alms from testing some nice and delicious food and one would like to present it to monks and novices, and also offer it to other fellow men, in order to do merit to oneself and to give help to others.
5. Alms from physical touching or tangible objects, for example, clothing, sitting or sleeping mat, accommodations and other facilities, and would like to do merit by presenting them for monks, novices or sharing them to others.
6. Alms from mind or heart touching - ideational or mental objects. This means emotional touching to the above 5 categories. Then we feel happy and would like to do merit with those things by offering them to monks and novices and other fellow men.
The result from so doing in the above 6 categories would make one gain a great deal of merit since it is the mind and intention to do merit which will make one feel happy.
These are 6 kinds of alms giving in the Abhidhamma as a way to do merit by one’s mind.
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