This is such a dumb question. Please be gentle.
As a westerner, is it appropriate to participate in making merit/setting birds free, etc.? What about making offerings in the temple? Should one be a Buddhist?
As I learn more about these practices, it seems to appeal to me and I feel drawn to participate but I don't know if it's appropriate or if it causes offense to Buddhists.
As a westerner, is it appropriate to participate in making merit/setting birds free, etc.? What about making offerings in the temple? Should one be a Buddhist?
As I learn more about these practices, it seems to appeal to me and I feel drawn to participate but I don't know if it's appropriate or if it causes offense to Buddhists.
No problem at all, this is one thing that attracts people to Buddhism, it is non-judgemental and you need not worry at all.
Firstly, the setting free of birds I will not fo and neither will my wife or her Thai family as we all feel it encourages the capture of birds for this purpose.
Firstly almost everywhere you can provide food to the monks at dawn, in most busy area towards temples people have food stalls set up for this purpose, otherwise ask someone at your hotel reception to arrange food for you to give to the monks and they will certainly take care of it for you. You wait by the roadside with your several packs of rice and other food, before the monks approacvh remove your shoes/sandles and rest your feet on them and 'squat down' with head lowered, with the food items in your hand, hands held together, when the Monk stop in front of you with their alms bowl keeping your head lowered you place the food in the bowl, keep your head lowered and place your hand together as you would in prayer but close to your face, keeping your head lowered (look at Thais nearby and do not hesitate one moment to show them the food you have and gesture towards the monks, they will understand and no doubt usher you to sit by them, they are 'great' like that!. The Monk will then say a prayer and move on, and so it contirnues until you have given out the food items.
Now when you go to a temple ( I am not talking huge BKK Temples packed with tourists ) but temples you see 'everywhere'. You will see in shops close to temples Orange colored plastic pails that are full of food and other items, covered in plastic, these are the alms gifts for the temples, buy one each and proceed to the temple ( you must by the way do this well before 11 a.m, usually 9-10 am is a good time ) do watch what Thais are doing and follow their example. Remove your shoes before stepping on the mats that are laid out usually in a roof but otherwise open building inside the temple grounds, then sit down legs tucked under, bow, place your hands together (just watch everyone else) it is an accepted 'queue' and in order you will move in fron of the monks and with both hands offer the gift/alms pail, prayers will then be said, you also I just remembered should light the incense prioer to this but you really should follow what everyone esle says, it is 'not' a situation where you have to 'panic' about doing a wrong thing, but a wide open smile when you enter the grounds will make you open to others around and simple gestures such as you holding the alms pail will make others aware of you, someone will almost always approach to guide you and if in doubt look out for someone approachable.Naturally, this is all easier if you have a Thai person with you, let the reception know you want to visit the temple and you could be lucky and have someone come with you. If it's your birthday, anniversary or such have reception write this for you in Thai including your names in Thai and humbly pass this to the monk (note, this should be done by a man, so if you are female just show it to any Thai and they will normally smile, nod, gesture you to sit and have it past to the Monks. As a couple they will pass colored cotton around your wrists and then cut it, you can keep this on as long as you want, it is a jouning together. You will be treated just as anyone else.You may also place an envelope of the alms gift with B 500 inside ($12) as a generous gift, the items go to the monks and the people they help and take care of and it is worthwhile. If you can get someone to go with you all the better. In Buddhism it is your deeds that outweigh prayer and all else, it is much more a way of living your life than abiding by rigid doctrines. Good and kind deeds outweigh all else. It is in no way judgemental, Monks will bless 'everyone' regardless of color/creed/religion/sexual orientation etc etc, it is totally unbiassed and open.
Hope that helps!
Firstly, the setting free of birds I will not fo and neither will my wife or her Thai family as we all feel it encourages the capture of birds for this purpose.
Firstly almost everywhere you can provide food to the monks at dawn, in most busy area towards temples people have food stalls set up for this purpose, otherwise ask someone at your hotel reception to arrange food for you to give to the monks and they will certainly take care of it for you. You wait by the roadside with your several packs of rice and other food, before the monks approacvh remove your shoes/sandles and rest your feet on them and 'squat down' with head lowered, with the food items in your hand, hands held together, when the Monk stop in front of you with their alms bowl keeping your head lowered you place the food in the bowl, keep your head lowered and place your hand together as you would in prayer but close to your face, keeping your head lowered (look at Thais nearby and do not hesitate one moment to show them the food you have and gesture towards the monks, they will understand and no doubt usher you to sit by them, they are 'great' like that!. The Monk will then say a prayer and move on, and so it contirnues until you have given out the food items.
Now when you go to a temple ( I am not talking huge BKK Temples packed with tourists ) but temples you see 'everywhere'. You will see in shops close to temples Orange colored plastic pails that are full of food and other items, covered in plastic, these are the alms gifts for the temples, buy one each and proceed to the temple ( you must by the way do this well before 11 a.m, usually 9-10 am is a good time ) do watch what Thais are doing and follow their example. Remove your shoes before stepping on the mats that are laid out usually in a roof but otherwise open building inside the temple grounds, then sit down legs tucked under, bow, place your hands together (just watch everyone else) it is an accepted 'queue' and in order you will move in fron of the monks and with both hands offer the gift/alms pail, prayers will then be said, you also I just remembered should light the incense prioer to this but you really should follow what everyone esle says, it is 'not' a situation where you have to 'panic' about doing a wrong thing, but a wide open smile when you enter the grounds will make you open to others around and simple gestures such as you holding the alms pail will make others aware of you, someone will almost always approach to guide you and if in doubt look out for someone approachable.Naturally, this is all easier if you have a Thai person with you, let the reception know you want to visit the temple and you could be lucky and have someone come with you. If it's your birthday, anniversary or such have reception write this for you in Thai including your names in Thai and humbly pass this to the monk (note, this should be done by a man, so if you are female just show it to any Thai and they will normally smile, nod, gesture you to sit and have it past to the Monks. As a couple they will pass colored cotton around your wrists and then cut it, you can keep this on as long as you want, it is a jouning together. You will be treated just as anyone else.You may also place an envelope of the alms gift with B 500 inside ($12) as a generous gift, the items go to the monks and the people they help and take care of and it is worthwhile. If you can get someone to go with you all the better. In Buddhism it is your deeds that outweigh prayer and all else, it is much more a way of living your life than abiding by rigid doctrines. Good and kind deeds outweigh all else. It is in no way judgemental, Monks will bless 'everyone' regardless of color/creed/religion/sexual orientation etc etc, it is totally unbiassed and open.
Hope that helps!
Sorry just to correct one item, if you are a woman you may gesture the note towards the Monks who will then offer either a cloth or bowl for you to place the piece of paper on, this is just to avoid physical contact which is deeply connected to purity etc etc(complex).
Thank You JamesA
This is extremely helpful. Thanks for taking the time to write all this for me and others who may be wondering.
As a female, I was wondering how to approach alms giving and interacting with the monks.
I am very much looking forward to our visit there.
This is extremely helpful. Thanks for taking the time to write all this for me and others who may be wondering.
As a female, I was wondering how to approach alms giving and interacting with the monks.
I am very much looking forward to our visit there.
I have experienced both the giving of food to the monks as well as offerrings in the temple and I found there was no embarrassment. Also it is my experience that the Thais themselves are impressed that you would wish to do so and are more than willing to help you or let you watch what they do.offwego..it was not a dumb question but it showed you were concerned to be respectful which will be appreciated there.Best wishes!
offwego:
Oh goodness yes! The more relevant question would be how could one NOT go to a Buddhist temple in Asia and make offerings/merit to the Buddha? In every temple I've been in, (but particularly in Thailand) one can: buy bundles of incense, lotus blossoms, bits of gold leaf paper to stick on the Buddha, buy birds, and set them free, even, (I'm thinking now of the Erewan Shrine in Bangkok) buy wooden elephants and set them at Buddha's feet! Just follow along, and do what the locals do, they will always be willing to help you, and appreciate your participation.
You can also tell have your fortune told at temples with chopsticks. You pay a small amount, and then you are given a container with many chopsticks-you will see Asians shaking these, many times before the image of the Buddha, to increase the chances of good fortune, and then draw a chopstick out-it will have a number. You then look up to a wooden structure with several drawers on it that have numbers on each little drawer-your chopstick will have a corresponding number to one of the drawers. You then take the piece of paper out, and see whether you have good, bad, or "regular" fortune. Most of the time, (not always), the fortune papers will be written both in Thai and English, (or another Asian language such as Japanese and English). Judging from the last time I did this a few months ago in Japan, the reading was pretty accurate!
Oh goodness yes! The more relevant question would be how could one NOT go to a Buddhist temple in Asia and make offerings/merit to the Buddha? In every temple I've been in, (but particularly in Thailand) one can: buy bundles of incense, lotus blossoms, bits of gold leaf paper to stick on the Buddha, buy birds, and set them free, even, (I'm thinking now of the Erewan Shrine in Bangkok) buy wooden elephants and set them at Buddha's feet! Just follow along, and do what the locals do, they will always be willing to help you, and appreciate your participation.
You can also tell have your fortune told at temples with chopsticks. You pay a small amount, and then you are given a container with many chopsticks-you will see Asians shaking these, many times before the image of the Buddha, to increase the chances of good fortune, and then draw a chopstick out-it will have a number. You then look up to a wooden structure with several drawers on it that have numbers on each little drawer-your chopstick will have a corresponding number to one of the drawers. You then take the piece of paper out, and see whether you have good, bad, or "regular" fortune. Most of the time, (not always), the fortune papers will be written both in Thai and English, (or another Asian language such as Japanese and English). Judging from the last time I did this a few months ago in Japan, the reading was pretty accurate!
