ABHIDHAMMA IN DAILY LIFE - Abhidhamma.com

Once upon a time, the Sangha assigns an immoral monk who was disliked by most devotees and
donors. However, a donor was not despaired, having his mind directed upon the Order of
Sangha, he respectfully offered food and other requisites to this bad monk. He treated this
immoral monk as if he was Buddha himself, washing the feet of the monk as he arrived, seating
him on a well scented seat under a canopy. Since he directed his mind onto the whole
community, his charity qualifies as charity to the order of Monks, although the recipient is bad
Bhikkhu.
The same evening the bad Bhikkhu wanted to do some repairs to his monastery so he came to his
donor to borrow a hoe. This time, the donor treated him with disrespect. He nudged the hoe with
his foot and said rudely, "There!"
His neighbor asked him about the two different treatments he accorded to the monk. He replied
that in the morning his reverence was directed to the Order of the Sangha and not to any monk in
particular. For his rude behavior in the evening, he said, "The bad monk, as an individual,
deserved no homage or respect." This story illustrates that when offering alms or requisites to
Monks, you must direct the charity to the order of Monks to receive the best benefit.
6.1.1 j Offerings to the Buddha
During the time of Gotama Buddha, devotees were given the privilege to offer alms to the
Buddha in person. However, today the Buddha is no more with us in person. Therefore, we have
to learn from the texts how to offer alms in devotion to the Buddha.
First, you must prepare alms-food enough for one Bhikkhu and place in front of an image of
Buddha. If there happens to be no statue nearby, you can create a mental image of the Buddha
and offer alms and reverence to that image. Then you must dedicate your volition to the Buddha
in person.
After such offering, the alms food may be given to a devotee who does voluntary service in
keeping the pagoda precinct clean and tidy, whether he is layperson or Bhikkhu. A voluntary
worker who keeps uposatha Síla (Eight Precepts) can eat the alms-food before doing any service
if the noon is drawing near.
In offering robes in devotion to the Buddha the same attitude should be maintained. Monks who
give voluntary services to pagodas are entitles to attire themselves in such robes. Care should be
taken that offering flowers, incense or joss sticks, bouquets and water at the pagoda should not
become a mess in front of statues and images. Your Charity must be given with tidiness, you will
get good results in this life and hereafter. Your future existences will also be clean and flawless.
6.1.1 k How to Pay Homage from a Distance
Usually, most devotees pay homage and offer alms to the Buddha images in their own household
because they cannot afford the time to visit pagodas and monasteries everyday. There have been
arguments on whether this is a deed of merit or not. Since we have already learnt that the
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