Delight in Donation
We have received a collection of funds from meditators around the world who specified that they wished their donation to go towards feeding monastics, as it has become well documented that there is no longer sufficient food for monks and nuns across many regions of Myanmar. Our local supporter on the ground has finished delivering this dana to a full 30 monasteries and nunneries, and he shares his report here. The following letter details his donation to the first 10 sites where our local team visited.
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Dear Well-wishers of Better Burma and Donors,
It was very delightful to reach your alms-rice donation to the monasteries these days. According to the sayings of the residing monks (abbots) of the beneficiary monasteries which we donated yesterday and today, here is for your delights and information how your donation has helped and impacted them.
1. Mahā Ledi Monastery
In the honor of the Great Mahā Ledi Sayadaw, the greatest monk of 19th-20th Century in Myanmar who played the drum of global meditation movement for all lay-people and monks around the world, we, first of all, went to the monastery which he founded in the 19th Century. Since it was around 7.00 AM in the morning, the abbot could not organize all the residing monks to gather for the group photo. We could take the photos of the Chief Monk (abbot) of the monastery which he received the donation. On behalf of all the monasteries, he made a short Dhamma Speech of rejoicing in this Dāna (donation) and emphasized how it helps the Sanghās at this hard time. This is Kāla Dāna which is done at the right time, and hence it is more effective than the Dānas in normal days. There are 86 monastics in this monastery.
2. Zotikā Rāma Monastery
This is the largest monastery where Pariyatti (Buddhist monastic studies) are taught, in Monywa. This monastery had around 1,400 student monks before the pandemic. However, due to the pandemic and the current situations, it only has around 330 monks. Since this Dāna is really helpful to the monastery and resident monks, the aged abbot in his 90s made to come to the gathering point and donation point. His assistant monk, Ven. Vijjodhaya, organized 20-25 monks to gather though it was the time when the other monks were studying for the exam. (Last week and this week, the monks are taking Pariyatti exams.) The 90-year old abbot said that the lay-attendants in the monastery have to cook and offer the alms-food for the resident Sanghās and hence, this donation can be sufficient for 2 months (for over 300 monks). Since there are many monks and they cannot go alms-round, the monastery has to cook and offer both the breakfast (Aruna) alms-meal and lunch. He said that Aruna alms-food is very important for the monks who do not have dinner, and thus, this Dāna gives the strength of the monks at the start of a day. He even quoted an author's saying, in the sense of humor, "Eat breakfast as a King," for a smile of ours.
3. Okkan Taw Ya Monastery
This is also one of the largest Pariyatti monasteries in Monywa. It has 108 monks. Due to the study time of the monks, the Chief Monk could organize a few monks for the group photo for your delighted information.
4. Yan Kin Monastery
This is another Pariyatti monastery where the Dvi Pitaka Dhara (meaning, the scholar who completes the Two Baskets of Buddhist Cannon) is residing. Here, there are around 60 resident monks.
5. Tilokā-rum Monatery
There are 60 monks and novices in this monastery. According to the list of the resident population during the Vassa (rain retreat) period, we planned to donate only 1 sack of rice but we learned that there are 60 monastics and then we donated 3 sacks.
6. Tha-byay-bin Taw Ya Monastery
This is a forestry monastery in the north-east of Monywa far from the downtown and urban areas. This is also a small Pariyatti monastery and currently this monastery has only 10 monastics. However, they keep teaching Pariyatti studies to the young novices. In this monastery, a big Bodhi tree was seen and learned that the very first abbot of this monastery visited Sri Lanka and brought a small tree beneath the historical Bodhi tree in Sri Lanka.
7. San Mya Yaung Chyi Monastery
This monastery is also a prestigious Pariyatti monastery and there is no decline in the number of resident population of the monastics.
8. Myoma Shwe Ku Monastery
This monastery has 126 resident monks. A group of resident monks and 82-year old Chief Monk himself gathered for the group photo and to receive the donation. The 82-year old abbot made a remarkable speech briefly and we were delighted to hear it. The contact monk, Ven. Pandita, who organized the monks, is also 72-years old and he is the administrative monk of the monastery. He said that the other smaller Pariyatti monasteries sadly have to stop their teachings due to the shortage of alms-food and since the studying monks go back to their villages. Even for them, they have to cook and offer breakfast to all the resident monastics though some monks can go alms-round in the neighboring suburb quarters for lunch. They have to go alms-round alternately for their sympathy on the lay-sponsors. For example, 20 monks have to go to a suburb quarter while other 20 monks go to other quarters, etc. They cannot go in groups and they sometimes have to go to the far villages neighboring Monywa. The 82-year abbot recalled his memory of young novice-hood when he and his fellow novices had to go to different houses and shared the collected alms-food with other monastics during the civil war in Myanmar more than 60 years ago.
9. Mani Yadanābon Monastery
We could only meet an assistant teacher monk of this monastery. This is also a Pariyatti Monastery.
10. Nighrodhā-rum Monastery
We could donate to the abbot of this Pariyatti monastery and take only the photo of him that he received the donated alms-rice.