Almsgiving Day 2025

 

Almsgiving Day, 2025

Almsgiving 2025 went well, 

Pictured above, is the reliquary containing a relic, supposedly a tiny bone fragment of the Buddha on the taller stand between the book case and the sofa. The reliquary is brought from the temple, by the monks, and it's presence transforms the house into a temporary temple and a sacred or holy place.

The shorter table in front of the reliquary contains a tray with food offerings to the Buddha, a vase of flowers from the garden, a candle, and incense.

On the coffee table in front of the monks are two plates with salad and glasses of water.  The items covered with paper napkins are plates and bowls of the almsgiving food that is offered to the entire Community of Monks, not just the two monks who are physically present at the almsgiving.  Often, this food is sent back to the temple with the monks to be given to any needy person or for the monks to have on the following day if there is no almsgiving scheduled.  

I was up at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and started on my almsgiving preparations, picking the flowers and tangerines from the garden, peeling and cutting the pineapple, taking out the cooked food from the fridge, etc.  Friend $ came over at 8:00 a.m. and started preparing the salads and plates of fruit.  Daughter joined us a short time later, checking her almsgiving menu and making sure that the warmed up food is served into the containers being prepared for offering to the Buddha and to the Community of Monks.  

We completed everything by 10:30 a.m. and while we waited or the monks to arrive, I went over my list showing the order of serving to friend R.  Once the monks arrived, we began the ceremony offering the prepared food to the Buddha and the Community of Monks and reciting the stanzas where we undertake to observe the five precepts that guide lay Buddhists in their daily life.

After that, the monks were served their meal.  On this visit, they did not bring their begging bowls and used the plates we had set out for them.   I took the above picture with their permission.  They know that I have a blog and that I post about my almsgivings.

After lunch, they gave a short sermon, chanted blessings, we transferred some of the merits acquired to family and loved ones who have departed, including Dancer (the monks remembered him especially), and tied blessed thread around our wrists, using the colored thread we had donated, earlier.  Then, we handed out the donations we had set aside to give to the monks and the ceremony ended.

After the monks left, we had our own meal and we gave friend R the Christmas gifts we had got for her.  She had mentioned wanting to buy two specific kitchen appliances and daughter and I bought them for her.  She was very pleased with her gifts.  Afterwards, we took her home.

Daughter took a nap after we got home and I put away the leftover food, washed the dishes, did two loads of laundry, and gave neighbor S a plate of almsgiving food.  In return she gave me some blinchick (stuffed crepes) that they had made.  Daughter and I shared that for our dinner.

After daughter woke up from her nap, I took a nap.  I was very tired and my spine was hurting from being on my feet for so long.  I put away the laundry after I woke up from my nap.

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- All the help from friend R and daughter
- The almsgiving went well without a hitch
- We had a pleasant, sunny day for the almsgiving

-  R was pleased with her Christmas gifts

- Exchanging plates of food with neighbor S

Saturday's joyful activity was holding the almsgiving.

On Sunday, daughter is hosting a pancakes breakfast for her friends.  One friend has already called and made her excuses as she is not feeling well.  I am not required to help with cooking the breakfast so I can sleep in or just relax.

How is your weekend coming along?