Gill Oriental: Giving Alms

The definition of Alms according to the dictionary is:

alms [ɑːmz]

pl n

charitable donations of money or goods to the poor or needy

[Old English ælmysse, from Late Latin eleēmosyna, from Greek eleēmosunē pity; seeeleemosynary]

According to the Thesaurus the definition for Alms is:

Noun

alms - money or goods contributed to the poor

donation, contribution - act of giving in common with others for a common purpose especially to a charity

plural, plural form - the form of a word that is used to denote more than one

Alms:

plural noun (Old-fashioned) donation, relief, gift, charity, bounty, benefaction Alms were distributed to those in need.

Giving Arms in Luang Prabang

Tak Bat or The Monk's Alm Procession is a meditative ceremony through which monks demonstrate their vows of poverty and humility while lay Buddhists gain spiritual merit by the act of respectful giving.

Each morning, hundreds of Buddhist monks line up in their deep orange robes and walk along the road to receive alms from the people of Luang Prabang, who wake up early to cook the rice and prepare their offerings. This ritual has been a part of the area’s religious heritage ever since Buddhism was introduced to Laos in the 14th century.

They carry bowls and people put their stuff into the bowls. It is very impolite to make eye contact with them.

One of the ladies giving rice. How it works is that the food they get on each day is their food rations for the day.

There is a certain etiquette you follow when giving alms:

1) Dress respectfully. Shorts and sleeveless shirts are not appropriate to wear while giving alms during the ceremony. Cover yourself in the same way that you see local people covering themselves, and this will draw less negative attention from local participants. Shoulders, chests, and legs should not be exposed.

2) Keep a respectful distance. Do not get too close to the procession or obstruct the path of the monks. If you can make physical contact with the monks, you are too close.

3) Observe the ceremony in silence, in keeping with local tradition

4) Be mindful about taking photos. Use zoom for close-ups rather than getting to close to the procession, and remember that flashes can be very distracting.

5) Contribute, but carefully. It is acceptable to make an offering as long as you can approach the monks respectfully and meaningfully. DO NOT buy a rice offering from street vendors. Buy it beforehand at a local market. Remember this is a local tradition and not a tourism activity – only participate if it is meaningful to do so.