Creative Almsgiving in Times of Conflict

We share the following essay submission from a local contributor:

Yesterday afternoon, I casually scrolled through social media while lying on a cane lounger. I saw some interesting Facebook posts by Shwe Thar Ma Nay School (a samanera school in Kyaukse where the young novices are taught both laity and monastic education) and other reputed Buddhist monasteries with large monastic populations, such as Masoeyein Monastery in Mandalay, which has over 2,500 residents.

The posts publicly shared photos of their sponsors’ almsgiving events. Among these, I found something intriguing and decided to delve deeper into their "Offer one good dish every day (ဟင်းကောင်းတစ်ခွက် နေ့စဥ်ကပ်)" program. In this initiative, donors offer one quality alms dish to the monks and novices. It allows those with limited resources to contribute, fulfilling their wish to support the entire monastic community without having to offer multiple dishes or alms rice. This program seems to have emerged in response to the financial hardship many people face in the country today, and my deeper study revealed even more.

Before explaining the details of this creative initiative, it’s essential to understand how monasteries functioned before the 2021 military coup in Myanmar. In many large monasteries across Myanmar, where a considerable number of monks and novices reside, one might wonder how they secure food daily. Depending on the abbot, who is the head monk, and often assisted by other lecturers, monks and novices traditionally go on alms rounds, either individually or in a well-organized line. Alternatively, the monastery receives regular donations, with the abbot ensuring everyone is fed. In monasteries with more than 100 monastics, it’s typical for the monks to go on daily alms rounds. However, in the aftermath of the coup, many monasteries have stopped their students from going out due to political instability and armed conflicts. At the same time, the worsening economy has made it difficult for lay supporters to provide donations, even though things were manageable in the early days following the coup.

I once spoke with the chief monk at Mahā Gandhārum Monastery in Amarapura, who explained that it costs around 10 million kyats to provide two meals (breakfast and lunch) for its nearly 1,100 residents. These days, it’s challenging for individuals to bear such expenses alone. In response, larger monasteries, such as Masoeyein, have introduced creative solutions, such as allowing donors to provide just one high-quality dish for all monks. This has proven to be an effective way for both donors and the monks.

The “Offer one good dish every day” program was pioneered by Shwe Thar Ma Nay School in Kyaukse. As of October 10, a lay trustee from the school shared that the cost to provide one quality dish for all 160 monastics is 50,000 kyats ($11). Masoeyein Monastery, while not assigning a specific name, also allows donors to provide a single dish as alms, referring to it simply as an “Alms Dish Donation.” Additionally, other innovative programs have emerged, like the “Buffet Aruna (Breakfast) Alms and Lucky Draw,” launched in September by lay supporters. Donors also contribute single-item offerings, such as onions or fried dried shrimp with fish paste, whether cooked or dried. While some monks argue that the “buffet” idea conflicts with Vinaya rules and the Buddha’s teachings, it appears that the monastery and its lay supporters respect monastic principles. The lay donors also ensure that the offerings comply with Vinaya regulations. Despite differing opinions, this program addresses the monks’ needs and supports their studies, which I plan to explore further in a future essay.

In any case, these creative initiatives have been a lifeline for both monks and lay supporters during these difficult times. We’ve also observed that many monasteries across the country are struggling with food shortages, particularly those with large monastic populations. Our local charity plans to promote these single-item dish donations to support monks and nuns in such monasteries and nunneries. We hope to encourage those who have not yet adopted this kind of donation to do so, in the hope that it will inspire more contributions. Currently, we are preparing to assist Shwe Thar Ma Nay School and Masoeyein Monastery with donations of nutritious curries. We also welcome international meditators who wish to express their gratitude to the Sanghas in Myanmar. Any well-wishers for the Sanghas are warmly invited to join us!