Alms - Not A Simple Matter

A Woman Drops Sticky Rice Into Monk's Bowl

Many things in life are not as simple as they first appear and there are times when things are not exactly as we originally perceived them to be.

Our perceptions of reality are heavily influenced by our personal experiences and our cultural bias.  As long as we remain within our familiar boundaries and culture, there is usually not a big problem or an issue.  However when we are exposed to different cultures, misinterpretations and misconceptions can create problems or even conflict.  Seeing two men holding hands as they walked after perhaps kissing each other on the cheek in Groton, Connecticut would most be perceived as two homosexuals making a scene however in many other cultures such behavior would be merely interpreted as two friends walking and greeting each other like every one does without any sexual connotations.  It is simply a matter of personal experience and cultural bias heavily influencing one's processing of an observation.  The facts are the same but our sense of reality can vary greatly.

Hopefully as we gain more education, more experience, and are exposed to more cultures, we become more aware of how reality can not necessarily be what we first were tempted to believe. This will provide greater opportunities for understanding and reduce conflicts by allowing us to question and further investigate what we perceive.

Living here in Isaan, there are plenty of situations that easily lend themselves to misinterpretation.

One of the rituals that is often is misinterpreted by Westerners is the morning alms walk by Buddhist Monks and the giving of food to Monks.

People may believe that the Monks are begging for food.

People may think that the Monks are rude by not thanking people for the food.

People may thinking that the people have pity on the Monks.

Buddha said that there were four things necessary in life.  They were clothing, food, shelter, and medicine.

Buddha suggested that the Monks receive their food for their single meal of the day from the morning alms walk.  Depending upon daily alms reminds the Monks as well as the lay people of their dependence upon each other.  It also prevents the Monks from becoming too isolated  from the lay community.

During the alms walk or making themselves available for alms, as in the case of forest Monks, the Monks are not begging for food.  They are not seeking anything.  They are making themselves available to receive  whatever alms the lay people want to give.

Bhikkhus (ordained male Monks) have many rules that they must follow.  One set of the rules, 75 related to daily conduct are contained in the Sekhiya Training Guidelines.  Some of the Sekhiya rules regarding alms food are:

     "I will receive alms food appreciatively"  The alms bowl is to be held on the arm and in front with a  respectful and appreciative attitude.  Food can not be accepted with a look of disgust.

     "When receiving alms food, I will focus my attention on the bowl"  This is why the Monk does not look at the person offering the food when accepting the food.  He is concentrating on properly receiving the offering.

     "I will not receive more than one ration of curry for every three rations of rice" This rule helps to prevent bhikkhus from becoming too fond of fancy foods and reminds them of their simple life.

     "I will eat a ration of one part of curry to three parts of rice"  A Monk (bhikkhu) has to prepare  each mouthful by mixing curry and rice in the proper proportions.

    "I will accept food in proportion to the bowl, without exceeding its inner rim"  This rule prevents food from falling on the ground and being wasted.

     "Eat alms food attentively"  When eating the Monk is to keep his attention on the bowl or plate.  He  must not look around but keep his gaze attentively on the contents of his bowl or plate

     "Not eat by placing large morsels in the mouth"  A mouthful can not be larger than a peacock's egg.

     "Eat the food one after the other, without rejecting any."  A Monk must eat or serve himself just the way the food portions present themselves.  He can not start in the middle.  He starts from the side closest to him and continues taking food from that side without starting a new side.

There are a few other rules related to Monks eating which I have not included in this blog.  The rules that I have shared give a good indication that the matter of eating is no simple matter for Monks.

There are also rules for offering food to bhikkhus by lay people.

There are two main considerations when offering food to Monks.

The first major consideration is that a Monk can not eat anything that is not offered to them.  They are only allowed to take water and tooth cleaning sticks that are not given to them.

The rules for properly offering alms, food or medicine, to bhikkhus are:

     It must be given by means of the body (offered by the hand) or by something attached to the    body (examples - a spoon, a tray, a plate) or by throwing ( example - dropping a lump of sticky        rice into the Monk's bowl)

     It must be given so that the donor and the Monk are within arms reach (approximately 1.25 meters, 4 feet) of each other.

     It must be received by means of the body (received in the Monk's hand) or by something attached to the Monk's body (examples - Monk's alms bowl, Monk's receiving cloth).

     The offered food can not be so heavy that an average man can not lift it.  Here in Isaan it is acceptable to slid the food along the floor to the Monk's hands.

     The donor has to actually first move the food or food tray towards the Monk before the Monk can accept it.  It is very important that the fact that the food is being offered rather than asked for be clearly established.

Although it is not a rule, here in Isaan it is traditional that the donor make a gesture of respect when making the offering.

Another tradition here, is that the donor must be barefoot to properly make offerings to the Monks.  This is not a consideration when making the offerings inside of a building since you remove your shoes before entering.  However if you go outside along a road or sidewalk where Monks pass by on their morning alms walk, you need to remember to first remove your shoes or, more likely, your flip flops.

Man Makes Gesture of respect Before Offering Sticky Rice to Monk

The donors of the alms earn merit by offering without thinking of the benefits to themselves or by having pity on the Monks.  Merit is earned through the goodness of the act rather than the expected consequences or motivations of the act.

Woman Tosses Lump of Sticky Rice Into Monk's Bowl

The second major consideration for offering food to a Monk, actually a major consideration for anything involving a Monk, is that a Monk can not touch or be touched by a female.  Great care must be taken to eliminate the possibility of a monk touching a woman.  Often men will act as an intermediary in the transfer of objects between a woman and a Monk.  Another prevention is the use of a cloth.  The Monk will place a cloth on the floor.  The woman will place the object on the cloth and the Monk will pull the cloth to him to remove the object.  The process is reversed when the Monk gives something to a woman.  The last solution is to drop things into the hand or container held by the Monk or more likely into the hand of the woman.

Bhikkhus can only eat from dawn to noon. The conservative school of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand, Dhammayuttika Nikaya requires Bhikkhus to have only one meal a day between dawn and noon whereas the more liberal school, Maha Nikaya, allows its bhikkhus to have two meals between dawn and noon.

Monks are not allowed to store foods for another day.  This rule reinforces the concept of the dependence of the bhikkhus and lay people upon each other, supports the mendicant ideal of monastic living, and prevents Monks from becoming attached to their favorite tastes.

Not being able to store food creates a situation.  Monks can not deny people the opportunity to make merit so quite often, actually every time that I have been in attendance, there is a surplus of food, food that Monks can not keep for another day be it rainy or sunny.  There are two solutions to this situation.

Monks Giving Young Boy Surplus Rice

The first solution is for the Monks to give away extra food that they are offered on their morning alms walk.  In Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic, tourists participate in the Tak Bart ritual, each of them placing a hand full of cooked sticky rice in the bowl of each Monk as they walk along one of the main streets in the city.  Since the street is lined with tourists positioned shoulder to shoulder, the Monk's bowl is quickly filled.  To allow other tourists and residents, further along the route, to participate and make merit. periodically the Monks will remove some of the rice from their bowl and give it to poor children along the route or the poor children who follow along with them.

The second solution takes place in the Wats of villages and cities where people bring food offerings to the Monks. Plates of fruits, fish, curries, and other items along with the ubiquitous cooked sticky rice are offered to the Monks.  The Monks take portions and either place them in their bowl or on their plates.  What is not taken by the Monks is removed from the raised area, where they are seated on the floor, and placed on the floor where the lay people are sitting on the floor.

Lay People, Women, Having Community Morning Meal

Once the Monks have started to eat, the lay people have a community meal of the surplus food.  It is a very friendly event where everyone is invited and encouraged to participate whether they are Buddhists or not.  Typically the men and women sit in separate groups if not areas to eat - just as they do during merit making rituals.  If I am not walking or crawling around taking photos, I sit with Duang along with the other women.  Either because I am a foreigner or the Lao Loum people are so tolerant no one has ever made and issue of it.  I do it because Duang is able to explain things to me as well as to translate for me.  I have always been made to feel welcomed and comfortable at these gatherings.

Lay People, Men, Having Community Morning Meal

The lay people do more than eat at these morning gatherings.  They are also gossiping about all kinds of subjects and people.  There is a great deal of noise and considerable laughing as well as joking.  It is obvious that the community and family bonds are being strengthened during these Buddhist pot luck meals.  here in Isaan, family and community bonds are quite often one and the same.  The villages are often very small and comprised of a single extended family.  I estimate that 80% of Tahsang Village is comprised of Duang's relatives.

Besides the strengthening of community and family bonds, the sharing of surplus food with the Monks provides a vital service - it feeds the poor.  You do not have to offer food or make any offerings to the Monks to participate in the community meal.  When she was a young mother, Duangchan was very poor. She and her two young children depended upon these communal meals for nourishment.

After the lay people have completed eating, any food that is left over is placed in plastic bags for people to take home with them.

What I have written about in this blog is true.  It is the way that things are supposed to be.  It may not necessarily be the way that things always are.  There is a popular acronym here in Thailand "TIT" - This Is Thailand.  It is used to explain what often is not easily explained or what may be difficult to accept.  It is our version of "It is what it is".  Well there probably should be a similar acronym "TIB" - This Is Buddhism.

Due to the tolerance of Buddhism and the melding of Buddhism into previous existing religions in a particular area or culture, there are often variations and diversity in specific practices of what is referred to as "Buddhism".  I am certain that some readers will have different specific experiences with alms giving as well as alms food.  That is not to say that they are wrong or that I am wrong.  It is just a different experience in a very diverse world.

What I have written is what I have experienced, researched and found to agree with what I have observed, and have confirmed with my ethnic Lao wife. This is one perspective on a culture with many perspectives - which, to me, makes it all that more interesting, fascinating, and stimulating.

Special Merit Making

Last week we drove out into the countryside to visit and make merit with the forest Monk.

Duang had learned of the forest Monk from a friend of a friend. That is often the way that news and reputations travel here in Isaan.  Many Monks have the reputation for being able to cure people, predict the future, determine lottery winning numbers, cure alcohol and/or drug abuse, exorcise evil spirits, and many other skills.  This really has nothing at all to do with Buddhism.  It is not the way that Buddhism is supposed to be.  However just as in any other place  in the world or in any other religion, there is the way that things are supposed to be and then there are the ways that things actually are.

Animist Spirit House Plays Central Role At Buddhist Wat

Originally the peoples of Thailand were Animists, believing in spirits and the power of spirits to affect their life.  Hinduism then arrived in Siam and rather than getting rid of the old beliefs and practices, the peoples just incorporated the new religion into their cultures.  Later Buddhism arrived and just as was the case with Hinduism, the new religion was incorporated into the previous religions.  Today the influences and elements of all three religions play a very meaningful daily role in the Lao Loum culture.

One of the traits that I was first impressed about Duang when I first met her was her spirituality.  Now after seven years of being with her and witnessing her faith as well as seeing her live her faith every day, I am even more impressed and convinced.

Duang had heard from her friend's friend about the ability of the forest Monk to help people.  We ended up taking both of the women with us to visit the forest Monk.  Duang's stomach has been acting up again so she wanted to consult and make merit to alleviate her condition.  She is also consulting with doctors at the nearby military hospital too - much to my relief and insistence.

Duang's friends also believed that for her upcoming birthday, she should participate in special merit making to bring her good fortune and good luck.

We arrived at Wat Ban Mat in time to participate in the typical morning merit making ritual of offering food to the Monk.  Since he lives in a very rural location, the forest Monk does not go on a daily alms walk.  The people bring food to him at his primitive Wat.

Duang Lights Candles Before Making Offerings

After the people had made their food offerings to the Monk, there was a ritual that involved chanting by both the Monk and lay people.  Part of the ritual involved pouring water into a container while the Monk chanted.  This is a common ritual that to my understanding transfers the merit making to the spirits of departed family members through the flowing of the water.  After the ritual is completed the lay people respectfully pour the water from their individual containers on the base of the trees and plants of the Wat's grounds.  As the people pour the water on the ground they say prayers for the nourishment of the spirits that dwell within the trees and plants.

After the conclusion of the ritual involved with offering the Monk food and after he had eaten his one meal of the day, Duang's offerings of 52 fresh flowers, rice, 52 large candles, some coins, a small square of gold foil, small yellow birthday cake candles, 52 joss (incense) sticks, Jasmine buds, and a white envelope with a cash offering, all topped by a passport sized photograph of Duangchan was relocated from the shrine inside the primitive sala, where the food offerings were made, to an outside shrine adjacent to the sala.  The offerings were placed on sahts that had been laid upon the concrete slab in front of the shrine.

Duang's Special Offerings Placed Before Shrine

The forest Monk walked over to the outside shrine and after bowing his head to the ground twice, commenced the special merit making ritual by setting seven of the 52 larger pale orange candles into a brass vessel in the shape of the Royal Barge, Subanahongsa (Golden Swan) the mythological swan like steed of the Hindu god Brahma.  The first candle was lit using a cigarette lighter.  Subsequent candles were lit using a previously lit candle first lighting the wick and then melting some of the bottom before placing it the brass holder. He then ignited 52 joss sticks (incense), one for each of Duang's fifty years (she is actually 49 in US terms but in Thailand your birthday marks the end of your year so the day after your birthday you are considered already a year older i.e. day after your first birthday you are in your second year of life)  plus one for Buddha and one for the teachings of Buddha (Dhamma) using lighted candles. This was the reasoning behind the 52 flowers and larger candles. There is also more to the symbolism of the offerings than just the number of them.  Duang was born on 17 October 1963 which was a Thursday.  Here in Thailand there is a color associated with each day of the week.  The color for Thursday is "Orange".  The color of the HRH King Rama XI is"Yellow" because he was born on a Saturday.  Often in Thailand you will see people wearing a shirt or a blouse of the appropriate color for the day of the week.

Duang's offering of flowers was also supposed to coincide with the color of her birth date.  However orange flowers are difficult to find, the forest Monk had told Duang in a previous consultation that "pale pink" flowers would be acceptable for her special merit making related to her upcoming birthday.

Monk Igniting 52 Joss Sticks

Tamping Out The Joss Stick Flames

Once the flames of the Joss sticks had torch like intensity, the forest Monk tamped out the fire on some cinder blocks conveniently located arm's distance from his location in front of  "Seated Buddha".  He then gave Duang the smoldering sticks that wafted light pungent grey smoke into the still late morning air by placing them on a ceramic plate in front of her.  He, as a Monk, has a vow to not touch women, so transfers of items between women and Monks is achieved using a plate, tray, cloth, by tossing/dropping or male intermediary.

As Duang was making her offering of the incense, the Monk was busy placing her offering of fresh carnations on each side of the shrine, along with the other offerings.  Once Duang had finished offering the incense, she stuck them into a sand filled ceramic bowl to the right of the Monk.

Sii Sein (cotton string) Connects Monk and Lay People in a Great Circle

The forest Monk then unraveled some cotton string from a bobbin, much like butcher's string, and strung it out in a great circle passing from the bobbin in an offering plate placed on an offering tray, through the hands of Duang's friends.  The sii sein is used in connection with special merit making rituals.  Although the cotton string is used in many events, it is only considered to be sii sein when used by a Monk at funerals, special Buddhist holidays, and special merit making rituals.

After the conclusion of Duang's special merit making ritual, the forest Monk returned to the concrete raised

platform where he had  eaten his meal of the day.  From this position he socialized with the lay people.  The people asked him for his opinion and advice regarding all types of family issues such as jobs, health, children problems, and good numbers for the upcoming lottery that afternoon.  The forest Monk would tell them of his dreams and contemplate what would be best for each person.

Duang went and played the lottery using the numbers that he had given.  Things got very exciting at our home around 4:15 P.M. when a relative called with the winning numbers - Duang had won 10,000 Baht ($330 USD)!  I was very happy for her and relished seeing her excitement.

Like so often it happens here in Isaan, I am left wondering.  I don't necessarily believe all that I write about.  I may also not always understand what I have observed and documented.  However, I always find it interesting and often, fascinating.

I seem to be learning and experiencing something new just about every day.  That is what makes life so interesting and keeps the passion going ... even after many years.

Forest Monk

Forest Monk Performing Merit Making Ritual

Yesterday, we picked up two of Duang's friends from Udonthani and drove out into the countryside to pay a visit to a special Monk.

We drove out deep into the countryside much of it along a heavily potholed dirt road bordered on both sides by flooded rice paddies, wood lots, and rubber plantations.  Widely scattered about the countryside were solitary humble houses.

Our journey was to visit a special Monk.  Here in Isaan there are Monks renowned for their ability to heal people, to for tell the future, to determine auspicious days for life events such as getting marred or moving into a new home, and to exorcise evil spirits.  Some of the Monks are often consulted regarding selecting numbers for the various lotteries.

The Monk  that we were going to see had helped the woman that we were taking with us.  She is an old Mor Lam entertainer,  She used to perform in shows with Duang's father and care for Duang when Duang was a child. At one point she had mental problems and did not have a home.  She visited the Monk and made merit.  She is now cured and has a home.

The Monk lives out in very rural location in the Thai Forest Tradition.  The Thai Forest Tradition is part of Thai Theravada Buddhism where practitioners live in remote areas that serve as spiritual practice and training grounds.  Apart from the distractions of modern society, the Monks are better situated to meditate.

Theravada Buddhism in Thailand is comprised of two main orders:  Maha Nikaya and Dhammayuttika Nikaya.  Maha Nikaya is the largest as well as the oldest monastic order.

Dhammayuttika Nikaya was founded in 1833 by HRH Prince Mongkut, who later became Rama IV one of Thailand's most revered Kings.  The Dhammayuttika Nikaya is more strict in adherence to the Vinya, rules orally passed down from Buddha to his disciples.

Adherents of Dhammayuttika practice Buddhism and work to have a lifestyle like Buddha and his early disciples.  The Monks are referred to as "Forest Monks" because they live in forests just as the historical Buddha who often lived in the forests both during his spiritual quest and later.

I have written about the "Inside" and "Outside" Wats in Tahsang Village.  The difference between the two temples is that the "Inside" Wat is Maha Nikaya whereas the "Outside" Wat is Dhammayuttika Nikaya.  Duang prefers the Dhammayuttika Nikaya practice so we attend most of the events at the "outside" Wat but she is not adverse to attending rituals at the "Inside" Wat - another example of tolerance in Thailand and a demonstration of her adherence to the tenets of Buddhism.

Shrine to Elders of the Forest Monk Tradition

A very important aspect of the Forest Tradition is veneration for older Monks.  In the primitive sala of this Wat, the left shrine consisted of several photographs of elder Monks rather the typical large statue of Buddha in Maha Nikaya Wats.

Woman Offering Sticky Rice to Monk For His Single Daily Meal

Man Preparing to Offer More Sticky Rice to Monk

We arrived at the primitive Wat at 10:00 A.M., in time for the daily merit making ritual of offering food to the Monk for his single meal of the day which had to be consumed by Noon.

Monk Selecting the Food that He Will Eat

The sala where a majority of the merit making rituals are performed was very simple.  It was comprised of a concrete slab floor on which sahts (woven reed mats) were rolled out on for participants.  An elevated simple concrete platform was at one end of the sala. 

Monk Performing Ritual Associated With Accepting Food Offerings

The Monk sat on the raised platform to ensure that, in recognition of his higher status in this life, he was situated above the laypeople.  Three sides of the elevated platform were wrapped with stiff plastic nursery cloth - not the soft fabric that would be used in a baby's bedroom but the coarse woven plastic fabric used to shield plants from bright sunlight or to protect plants and their fruits from birds.  The partial enclosure offered some protection from winds.  Off to one side on the platform was a shrine.

At the other end of the sala, there was a simple table where rolled up sahts were stored. A breadbox sized heavy metal bell was suspended from the rafter at that same far end.

The paved area of the sala was covered with a bamboo pole and thatched paneled roof supported by six inch diameter (16 cm) wood columns cut from the surrounding forest.  To ensure more protection from the monsoonal rains, part of the roof was covered with a heavy vinyl  billboard poster - I believe from a previous election campaign.

Outside of the sala there were three spirit houses adorned with floral and food offerings.  There was also a large sheltered Seated Buddha statue.  There was also a very basic hut where the Monk slept.

Monk Showing Respect At Outdoor Shrine

In addition to participating in the merit making ritual of offering food to the forest Monk, Duang participated in a special merit making ritual along with the two other women ... but that will the subject of another blog; another day.

Getting By With Less and the Value of Fit For Purpose

A Monk Donates Excess Sticky Rice to Young Boy
Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic

As we approach the last few days and the crescendo of this year's Christmas shopping season, I have been reflecting upon recent events and past experiences that, for me, puts the whole commercialization of this season into a different perspective.

One year ago, my wife and I made a return visit to Laos, more specifically the former royal capital of Luang Prabang.  We had gone there to document the celebration of Hmong New Years in early December.  I have previously written about the journey but there were some scenes which I photographed which made a strong impression upon me.  The photograph above is one of them.

Each morning, the Monks go out early from their Wats and walk along prescribed routes.  They are carrying their their alms bowl in which people will place donations of food for the Monks.  The morning walks are called "Bin Tha Bat" and the the act of making offerings of food to the Monks is called "Tak Bat".

Luang Prabang is a tourist destination and the street where our hotel, actually more like a B&B, was located is used by many of the high priced resorts that are located outside of the central district.  Early in the morning you can hear and see vehicles of all types discharging tourists on the south side of the street where they set up on woven reed mats, sahts, awaiting the arrival of the Monks.  Even though there can be as many as 30 to 40 Monks passing by, the Monks are far surpassed in numbers by the tourists as well as local people wishing to make merit by making offerings of food to the Monks.

The alms bowls are rather large and the Monks are allowed to eat only one or two meals a day by noon.  The number of meals is set forth by the order to which the Monk belongs.  No matter the case, a filled alms bowl is too much food for two meals let alone one meal and I am referrring to a Westerner's capacity to eat.  Monks are not allowed to store food or to cook so there is an excess food problem.

A Monk does not cover his bowl when he deems that he has just enough food for his meal(s) for to do so would be to deny some people the opportunity to earn merit by offering food.  When the bowl is filled, the Monk covers the bowl.  In Thailand, the excess food is made available to the people after the Monks have eaten.  Typically in the smaller villages, the people who brought  food to the Wat for the Monks, will sit down and eat the surplus food as the Monks eat.  It has a festive air and a nice social gathering for all involved.  In the larger towns and cities, poor people will go to the Wats to be fed after the Monks have taken their food to eat.  Any food remaining is fed to the Wat dogs and cats.

In Luang Prabang, as the photo shows, the Monks periodically as they walk along their route, will stop and give some of their excess food to young children who are either waiting along the route or tagging along with the Monks.  This act is good for all parties involved; the Monks have the food that they need, the people are able to make merit, and poor people obtain food for their families.

The photo above is not a new photo and has been posted on this blogsite before.  But as people often say in Thailand:  "It is same same but different".  "Same same" in that it is the photograph that I had used before.  Different?  It is different in the way that I post processed the original file.  The original photograph had a dark and very distinct shadow around the boy as well as around the clump of sticky rice that is on its way into the boy's plastic basket.  When I first posted the photograph, I had used Photoshop Elements 7.0 to eliminate the harsh shadows that I believe were a distraction from the tone of the photograph that I wanted to convey.  For this revision of the photograph I used different techniques that I learned over the Internet to eliminate the distractions in the photograph to, in my opinion, better convey the spirit of that moment.

Since that time, I have received notification of a new version of Photoshop Elements - Photoshop Elements 10.0.  Oh my gosh three versions more advanced than what I have and I am using!  I was also considering getting a full version of Photoshop.  A full version of Photoshop would cost me around $700 - OUCH!!  However IF I were a student or even a teacher, I could buy the program for around $179.   ????  Don't ask me why but that is how Adobe has decided to market their software - great if you are a student or a teacher; terrible if you are not.  In my research as to how I might obtain a copy of the latest version of Photoshop for a great deal less than $700, I came under the impression that if  I knew what I was doing in Photoshop Elements 7.0, I could do the things that I NEEDED to do and could do with the full current version of the $700 program - just not as easily or quickly.  The big thing was the ability to use a mask on the photograph.  A mask greatly facilitates the manipulation of a great variety of effects and adjustments to an original photograph.

Three weeks ago, I found a free plugin on the Internet that provided for the easy as well as effective creation and use of a mask in PSE7.  Someone with the knowledge and skill had created a program that made the creation of a mask quite easy.  More importantly that person had the generosity to share with others their work.  I now have an essential tool for free to edit some of my photographs.  For more traditional portrait type work and glamour photography masks are essential tools for producing a finished product.  My documentary style of photography will remain unchanged but for my development of traditional portrait and glamour styles, I will be utilizing the mask.

I no longer am considering the need to purchase either the full Adobe Photoshop product or the latest version of Photoshop Elements.  My old program and the training to use it that I have found on the Internet is all that I really NEED.  It is sort of like a car ... a faster, sleeker, and more technically advanced vehicle would be nice.  There is no denying that.  It would make an impression on family and neighbors but it would not serve my needs of grocery shopping, taking my parents on their errands, or picking up my wife at the airport any better and definitely not any cheaper than the 7 year old car that I have now.

Lately, I have been able to see my wife and my Thai grandson on the webcam over the Internet.  Part of the ritual involves my grandson, Peelawat, showing me either his toys or his clothes.  He is just as pleased with all of them.  Peelawat is an ethnic Lao Loum child.  He does not have all that many toys.  In fact at one time he was playing with peanut shells as a substitution for toy cars.  He is now going to school with the assistance of Duang and I.  We pay for his school and there is no limit to the joy we have in seeing or hearing of his enthusiasm each morning as he heads off to school.  My wife had to leave school after four years to work in the rice fields for the family.  Her children were fed each morning at the Wat in the city.  We can make a difference in Peelawat's life; not in the number or type of toys or clothes that he has but in ensuring that he has food as well as the opportunity to obtain a good education.  We hope that he has the opportunity to be all that he can be or that he chooses to be.

Today, through Facebook, I received a kind note from a former teacher of mine.  She has read some of my blogs and remarked that I have seen more of the world than most of my teachers.  She shared the link to my blog and I was impressed that she is still teaching others after all these years.  Since I have returned to America, I have spoken with three of my former teachers.  I am pleased that I can "pay forward" the tools and passion that they instilled in me years ago by writing and photographing some of the places and people that I encounter.  In sharing my experiences and observations with other, I see myself as commencing to pay back some of my debt to them as well as all the other past and present teachers in my life.  Although some of us do not have the certificates or collect a paycheck for teaching, we are all teachers in some way.  We through our words and deeds instruct those about us and around us.  We decide the subject matter as well as the perspective that our teachings will have. It is a power that is often misunderstood and sometimes abused.

Ok.  This blog has now dealt with Christmas shopping, Monks, Photoshop Elements, grandchildren, and teachers.  What is it all about?  What does it all mean?  No, I have not started drinking Christmas cheer too much or even already.  These things have a common thread of "getting by (not buy) with less and the value of fit for purpose"

Many people will work themselves into a frenzy or go more into debt looking for the "perfect" gift this week.  Perfect most likely being defined as expensive and impressive either in quality or quantity.  Materialism and commercialism dictate so much of our behavior here in Western world and it is never so more apparent than during the Christmas Season.

The truth of the matter is that these gifts are more likely than not will be excessive and not fit for purpose.  What is the purpose of a gift?  Is it to impress,  iintimidate, or humble the recipitant?  Or is a gift merely an expression of love, appreciation, or respect.  Is a whispered "I love you" any less valuable, sincere or meaningful than "I love you" flashed across a stadium scoreboard?

Today's expensive gift will soon become blasse and perhaps forgotten while the gift that we all want remains cherished and valuable for all of time.

The gift that we all want and cherish is to have others share of themselves with us.  Be it sharing resources, caring for the physical or emotional needs, or teaching through instruction or by example the gift is always fit for purpose.  The purpose is to let others know that they matter, we care for them, we respect them, and that they can make a difference in this world.  It truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

I have learned this from all my teachers past and present.

Merry Christmas.

Luang Prabang Tak Bat



Lao Monks Receive Offerings from Tourists

 Life has a way of presenting pleasant surprises if you are willing to take advantage of the opportunities as they present themselves.  A willingness to take advantage of opportunities often requires an unabashed curiosity and the realization that even though you may believe that you have seen it all before, you most likely have not.

During our recently concluded journey to Luang Prabang in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, I was presented with an opportunity which ended up in a couple of surprises.  Our hotel was located next door to a Vat (Wat in Thai) in the Temple Historical District close to the Nam Khan River.  At 4:00 A.M. I was awoken by the banging of a bell at the Vat.  I had heard a similar sound before from Wats in Thailand as well as Vats in Laos.  I refer to the sound as the Monk's alarm clock.  The heavy walled metal tube is struck several times to notify the Monks that it is time for them (perhaps everyone else next to the temple) to awake and start the day.  For the Monks the day commences with meditation, followed by personal hygiene, and then around 6:00 A.M. their morning alms walk.

Although I have witnessed and documented the morning alms walk, Tak Bat, many times in Thailand as well as Laos, I decided to get up and watch the morning's Tak Bat.  It was a wise decision in that I was able to photograph events that I had not seen before; events that I can now share.

When I went downstairs of the hotel, my hiking boots were still lying next to my wife's shoes beneath the Christmas tree.  Both the boots and the shoes were empty.  Prior to going up to our room the night before, I had joked with the staff and Duang about perhaps Santa Claus would come early and leave something in my boots.  I guess it was too early for Santa or I have been not necessarily a bad boy but more likely a naughty boy this year for the boots never were filled.

I walked out into the very early morning darkness to observe what was going on.  Some of the local people were up and about starting small wood or charcoal fires in refractory lined cans for cooking on the sidewalks.  They were also busy setting up their sidewalk restaurants.  Several Lao women were silently walking along the street in their flip flops carrying large baskets suspended from a bamboo poles balanced over their shoulder.  Their baskets were filled with food, mainly packets of sticky rice, to be offered to the Monks as part of a merit morning ritual.

Tourists Lined Up Along Th Sakkarin In the Early Morning Awaitng the Monks

On the sidewalk that passed in front of our hotel and eventually intersected with the road that runs parallel to the Mekong River, there was a series of long sahts, woven reed mats neatly placed.  Each saht had several woven bamboo covered small containers, gon kao, that store cooked sticky rice.  This arrangement had been set up for the tourists who would arrive shortly by a wide variety of transportation.  Tourists arrived by three wheeled motorcycles called "somlaws".  Some tourists arrived by small trucks called "Tuk-Tuks".  Many of the tourists arrived in specialized Toyota passenger vans.  Some of the wealthier tourists arrived from their resort accommodations in long electric golf cart type vehicles.  It was quite a sight and also a little noisy.  The people were excited about the upcoming ritual and busy posing their family as well as friends for photographs.


Tourists Come in All Sorts of Shapes, Sizes, Nationalities, as Well As Vocations

There was on group that I was fascinated by.  I had not seen a group of Monks before making offerings to other Monks.  Several Monks had arrived and set themselves along with their plastic bags of offerings and gon kao of rice on sahts placed on the sidewalk just like the other tourists.  One of the younger Monks took great delight and interest in filming his companions.  Next to me there was a Lao tourist guide, I found out from him that the Monks that were preparing to make offerings were visitors from Thailand.  I had never seen Monks making offerings to Monks before so this opportunity in itself was worth the early morning wake up.

After a short while the local Monks appeared silently and purposefully walking along the long sidewalk of Th Sikkarin. 


Thai Monks Making Offerings to Lao Monks

I have walked with the Monks in Luang Prabang as well as in Luang Namtha on previous trips, but this morning's Tak Bat was unique.  First of all the Monks did not chant after receiving offerings from the people.  In Thailand I have witnessed and participated several times in the ritual where Monks appear to give a personal blessing to the individuals who had made offerings of food.  In Luang Namtha, the Monks did not appear to give personal blessings to the donors but instead walked a very short ways from the donors and instead appeared to give a blessing to the donor's property. Since most of the land behind the donors was actually Vat property, that might explain the absence of "blessings".

Tourists Make Offerings to the Monks



Young Boys Follow Monks In Expectation of Food Offerings From the Monks

 Another difference in this morning's Tak Bat, was the young children who accompanied the Monks or who waited along the sidewalk for the Monks.  In Tahsang Village and some of the other villages where my wife and I have participated in the Tak Bat ritual, the Monks sat on a slightly raised platform in the Wat complex.  People came to the Wat and brought their food offerings with them.  The family's offerings were then placed upon a metal serving tray and offered to the Monks; typically by a male member of the family.  The Monks would pass the tray along amongst themselves after taking what they wanted off of the tray.   If any food remained on the tray after the Monks had completed their meal it was available for the worshippers to eat.  In Tahsang Village, which is my wife's home village, the worshippers are all friends, family and neighbors so eating the remaining food becomes a festive community social event - sort of a picnic.

A Young Lao Boy Awaits A Food Offering from a Novice Monk

Monks are supposed to eat only one meal a day and it must be consumed by Noon.  They are forbidden to store food and do not have refrigerators.  The assembly line of food offerings along Th Sikkarin in Luang Prabang presents some logistical challenges.  Everyone wants to earn merit by offering food to the Monks.  The more Monks that you offer food to, the more merit that you gain.  This boils down to every worshipper wanting to offer some food to each and every Monk.  It is not proper for a Monk to decline an offering, so in a very short period of time as well as in a short space, a Monk's alms bowl is filled with way more sticky rice as well as other foods than he could possibly eat in one seating.



A Monk Tosses Some Sticky Rice Into Young Boy's Basket

 For every problem there is a solution and often there are more than one solution.  In Luang Prabang, young children follow along with the Monks.  The young children, typically boys, carry plastic bags or baskets into which the Monks place the food that they will not be able to consume during their one meal of the day.  The children are collecting food for their families.  Some of the children set up on the sidewalk and patiently wait for the Monks to pass and hopefully add some food to their basket.  There was one boy who caught my attention.  He seemed to eloquently express his condition without words but with an admirable dignity.  I spent a great deal of time observing him and photographing him - more reason to be pleased that I had gotten up at such an early hour to witness an event that I had seen so many times before.

I have titled my blog "Allen's World" but unlike Disney World or Disneyland this world is not a fantasy world.  It is often fascinating but the occupants of this world, which is as much yours as it is mine, are real people.  They are real people, many of them with many hardships and struggles to survive.  They are not actors employed for amusement or entertainment.  There is a dilemma in photographing and writing about the people and their hardships.  It could be misconstrued that my work glorifies their struggles and hardships which to me would be offensive.  There is nothing glorious or noble about hardships or struggles.  Unfortunately for many people, hardships and struggles define their conditions.  However I believe that there is a need to communicate to other people the condition of others in our world. So my intention in writing and photographing the people in our world is to express my respect as well as admiration for the various peoples and  how they deal with their individual circumstances.  I guess my desire is to speak for those who can not speak for themselves, and to share with an audience that they are unable to address.  My goal is to increase the awareness of  others to the other people who inhabit their world.

Headed Home

A young boy and his sister also captured my interest during the Tak Bat.  They were working together to gather food for their family.  After the Monks and tourists left, they were left behind to consolidate their bounty for the walk back to their home. 

Brother and Sister Consolidating Their Morning's Bounty

Preparing for the Walk Home

The little boy and girl had amassed about 12 to 15 kilograms of sticky rice along with other food items.  The boy, who was older than his sister, supervised the consolidation of the sticky rice into a single thin plastic bag.  This did not look to be a good idea to me.  I was certain that the thin bag would eventually split open spilling its contents on the road.  I got down on the sidewalk next to the children and tried to communicate my grand scheme of placing all the rice into a single bag and then to place the filled bag inside of the just emptied second plastic bag.  The children's suspicions that I was scheming to steal some of their food apparently prevented them from understanding what I was trying to communicate.  A woman who was walking by understood what I was trying to do and explained it to the children.  Even though she spoke Lao, the children remained reluctant - perhaps they thought that we were working together.  The woman got down to the sidewalk level and between the two of us with the children eventually joining in got the sticky rice double bagged.

Off to the House!

With their food successfully bagged I told them to head off to home.  They each grabbed a side of the heavy bag and walked down the street dragging the bag as they went along.  This appeared to me to be another disaster in the making.  I caught up with them and was able to communicate that I would carry the bag of rice for them.  I had developed some level of trust with them by now so they let me carry the bag.  We walked down a side street towards the Nam Khan River and then along the road running parallel to the river towards the Mekong River.  After a while we came upon another narrow street leading up from the river.  We climbed part way up and I saw where their home was.  It appeared that their grandmother was waiting so I returned the bag to the children and continued my pre-breakfast foray about the town.

Almost Home

That night Duang and I had a nice pizza and a couple of Beer Laos for dinner at a restaurant that we had eaten at two years ago.  Some hip-hop music was playing.  The irony of listening to the trials and tribulations of a young American making millions of dollars "singing" his tale of woe and defiance was not lost on me after what I had experienced and observed earlier in the morning - in the real world.

Laos - Monks In The Mist

On Monday, 1 February, I got up at 5:30 A.M. It was our last day in Laos and I wanted to accompany the local Monks at Ban Khone on their Tak Bart (alms walk). I had accompanied the Monks in Luang Prabang last year but I did not take many photographs. The camera that I was using at that time needed a flash to be able without unacceptable levels of noise in the photograph. Although I had a flash with me at the time, I did not want to use it out of respect for the solemnity of the ritual. I have a new camera now that is much more versatile in low light conditions. As was typical for this trip, there were low light conditions in the morning not completely attributable to the early hour. Once again there was a heavy fog bordering upon being a light mist blanketing the Luang Namtha valley. Just as in life this was not an ideal condition that presented itself. Just as in life this non-ideal condition when accepted and embraced, the fog offered opportunities for success. The fog provided a soft diffused light, although diminished in intensity, which eliminated harsh shadows that natural light often causes. This morning there was no problem of the sun always being in the wrong place which I had experienced so often in the afternoon on this trip.

In Thailand the Monks set out on their Tak Bart when there is just enough light for them to see the lines on the palms of their hands. Typically they have completed their alms walk between 7:30 and 8:00 A.M. In Luang Prabang, the Monks had set forth on their Tak Bart starting about 6:00 A.M. I retraced my walk from my previous morning excursion to the Vat and arrived at 5:45 A.M. During my walk along the dirt side street and paved main road, I experienced once again the sights, sounds, and smells of village life. People walking, squatting around small fires, riding bicycles or motorbikes, and passing by on small farm trucks smiled and said good morning as I walked along. I could sense the spirit of community that binds the people in their daily activities.

Since it was a Monday, schools were open which increased the traffic on the main road. High school and college students joined the typical traffic headed for the new town. Students rode bicycles and motorbikes as well as walked amongst the women and men headed to markets or work. Many carried an umbrella to ward off the early morning fog and mist. Just as in Thailand the students wear uniforms. Unlike Thailand the female students wear a modest mid calf to ankle length "phaa nung" (sarong- literally "one cloth" in Lao) rather than the more provocative skirts worn in Thailand. The phaa nung for students is typically made of cotton. Adult women wear phaa nung made from either cotton or silk depending upon their status or event. Phaa nung for the students that I saw were solid dark blue with a band of lighter colored embroidary at the bottom. The girls wore the same light blue freshly pressed simple light blue cotton shirts. To ward off the early morning chill on their journey to school they wore sweaters - a concession to individuality and personal style.

Back at the Vat not much was happening. The roosters were stirring and greeting the morning. Hens were flying from their roosts in the trees on to the ground where they were sometimes vigorously pursued by a rooster intent on starting off his day right. Occasionally I could here sounds emanating form some of the small huts where the Monks sleep. I began to suspect that I was too late for the start of their alms walk for the morning. I did not see any Monks out and about. I sat on the wide rail of the Vat to take the heavy load of my backpack of camera gear. Once in awhile I walked around the grounds to find nothing going on. I also popped my head out of the entrance to the Vat and looked both ways down the main road. Traffic was building with more and more bicycles, motorbikes, farm wagons and pedestrians but not a Monk to be seen. At 7:00 A.M., the loudspeaker mounted in a large tree inside the Vat compound alongside the main road came to life. The broadcast started with a instrumental rendition of a typical mahlam lao tune. Then an announcer gave a short introduction - "Good Morning Laos!"? Afterwards it seemed like the announcer read the morning news. I didn't pay much attention because in addition to not understanding Lao, the Vat was coming to life! Monks were coming out of their houses and headed for the bathrooms. Having brushed their teeth and taken care of whatever else they needed to do, the young Monks started milling around prior to heading out on their Tak Bart. I approached a small group of the Monks and through my limited Thai and pantomime jokingly let them know that I had been waiting since 5:45 A. M. and I was wondering where they were. We enjoyed a hearty laugh and at 7:07 headed out the gate on the Tak Bart. There were about 32 young Monks so they split up into smaller groups to go off into the villages. I went with a group of 5 Monks that turned right as they exited the Vat onto the main road headed away from the new town.

The Monks walked silently and barefooted in a single file along the paved road travelling in the same direction as the road traffic. Up ahead in the fog, we could see people kneeling barefooted alongside of the road patiently waiting for the Monks to approach. As the Monks approached the people, the people lifted up their offerings to a prayer like posture and position. The Monks, barely slowing their aggressive walking pace, opened their bowls for the people to place their offerings in each bowl. When necessary for the people to properly place the offerings into the bowl, the Monks would slow down or even stop for only the time necessary to complete the offering. The offerings were made and accepted in silence. The Monks did not acknowledge or thank the people for their generosity. It is not that the Monks are rude. It is the belief and attitude that the Monks are only the vehicle and instrument through which the people can make merit. They are not purveyors of the merit or blessing but are necessary participants in the ritual. In Thailand as part of the merit making ritual, the Monks recite a mantra or chant some blessing or prayer to the people as part of the merit making ritual. Here in Luang Namtha, the Monks after receiving the food offerings, walked past the donors a short ways, stopped, faced the donor's home or business, and chanted in unison what I believed to be a blessing. It was very tranquil as well as calming watching and listening as this ritual repeated itself during the day's tak bart. There was a connection with the ancient past, the chanting was in Pali, the original language of Theravada Buddhism, the Buddhism of Sri lanka, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. The daily merit making ritual precedes Christianity by centuries.





By 7:45 A. M., the Monks had completed their Tak Bart and returned to their Vat to have their single meal of the day. I bid farewell to the Monks. Having worked up and appetite as well as a sweat, despite the crisp morning, keeping up with the rather brisk pace set by the Monks, I gladly trudged back to the hotel to shower and have breakfast.


It had been a very interesting and fulfilling morning for me but the day had not even begun for some people yet. Duang, exhausted from the long day before at the Lanten village, was still asleep.

There were still events to experience on this our last day of this trip in Laos - subjects and topics for the next blog.