The Disappearing Alms Rounds
The economic and political instability in Myanmar has drastically reduced the number of local charities offering alms to monastics, leaving many monks and novices without proper, nutritious meals. As monastics rely on these regular alms for sustenance, especially in rural areas, the need to restore and support these charities has become urgent. Our team has been working to launch a new initiative aimed at reviving alms-giving efforts, particularly in the rural Sagaing region, by providing healthy meals twice a month. We invite meditators from around the world to contribute to this noble cause. By earmarking donations specifically for these efforts, your support will help provide nourishing food to monks, nuns, novices in need. This act of generosity will not only sustain their physical health but will also enable them to continue their spiritual practice, even in these challenging times. Please consider joining us in this effort and sharing the merit with the Burmese monastic community! In the following essay, we share some reflections from our team leader who has been working diligently towards this initiative.
“In many communities across the country, as far as we have seen, our monks are mostly no longer getting a square meal. ”
Before, our 'Communal Alms-rounds Charities (ဘုံဆွမ်းလောင်းအသင်း)' supported monastics in need throughout the country, but now, because many people in the country have faced the financial hardship to offer the allocation of the donation costs, they have not been able to help so much. This is also because of the security situation.
The Voice of Myanmar, a local news media outlet, reported some news about the stoppage of these alms charities and charity works in Monywa, just to give one example of a sad turn of events that is now taking place across my country. In Monywa, around 400 monasteries are located, and there is a population of 30,000 monks, 10,000 novices, and 4500 nuns. All these monastics used to mainly rely on these local alms-round charities for food. In 2022 just one year after the coup, the Chindwin Alms Rice Donation Charity and Chindwin Communal Alms-round Donation Charity, the biggest and oldest charities in Monywa, was even stopped due to less donors of food items and volunteers! So things are really serious.
A volunteer of a local alms-round charity commented, “These big charities can no longer exist and sustain, let alone the smaller ones.” Also, a local monk emphasized, “Previously, there were dozens of communal alms-round charities found across our region: there was a charity in each of almost all the thirty-one urban quarters! Now, there has been no invitation from any of them for over a year. Obviously, there are less communal charities!”
In many other communities across the country, as far as we have seen, our monks are not getting a square meal at all. Oh how terrible it is so learn this sad information.
Hence, we sincerely hope to begin a campaign to help the alms rounds charities to resume their noble works to help the monastics, such as by contributing the main allocation of the costs for the monastics to attain a healthy menu two times a month so they have the nourishment.
To successfully provide a nutritious meal for the monastics, we need essential ingredients to prepare each alms offering. This includes rice (1 Pyi), meat options such as chicken, fish, or eggs (4 Viss), cooking oil (1 liter), and various ingredients and spices for curry paste, such as tomatoes, garlic, onions, and salt. Additionally, we provide a small honorarium for the two volunteer cooks who prepare the meals. These contributions ensure that monks and novices can receive the nourishing food they need during their alms rounds.
We warmly invite all who feel inspired by the Dhamma, especially meditators worldwide, to contribute to this important cause. Your donations, earmarked specifically for supporting alms-rounds, will directly help monks and novices receive the nutritious meals they urgently need. By restoring these alms-giving traditions, we ensure that monastics can continue their spiritual practice in the face of immense challenges.