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About Thai monks and alms
Some foreigners imagine the monks' morning rounds as begging for food. Do ordinary people have a different idea about this?
Without a doubt. Monks do not ask, and there are rules that prohibit them from asking for anything. The monks simply walk down the street with begging bowls, and if people want to offer food, the monks accept it. If people do not offer food, the monks must remain hungry.
Have you ever felt embarrassed on your morning rounds? Have you felt like a fraud, or that people didn't take you seriously?
Not at all. Why should I be embarrassed? I did what the Buddha did every day, and the monks did for 2500 years. The Thais never showed that they didn't take me seriously, although my appearance made some foreigners laugh.
I have seen some monks making the rounds in the passenger seat of motorcycle taxis or standing outside 7-Eleven stores. I have also seen some defending their "prey" from rival temples. Are there many Thai monks who are just looking for an easy life or money?
Some monks who stand at 7-Eleven or wherever asking for money or food are not monks at all. They are “false monks.” The police, together with investigators, search for and arrest them, without unnecessary cruelty.
It is true that there are men who undergo the rite of passage for the sake of an easy life, free food and accommodation, a little money for blessings, but there are also lazy people who can be found in any walk of life.
Why do Thais choose to give money and food to monks rather than donate to charities or help the poor?
Simply because they believe it gives more good karma. One day I was returning from a round with enough food for six people. The woman was waiting for me at my kuti, wanting to offer me more food. I explained that I already had more than enough and suggested that she take the food to a nearby orphanage. She looked at me like I was crazy and said: “There are no monks there.”
I know that monks are not supposed to touch money, but there are some expenses. What about your electricity bills?
Monks have no real expenses. The bills are paid by the monastery from donations from ordinary people; the monks do not pay for accommodation. But even they sometimes need a little money. Thais are very generous with food on their rounds, but they may not think to offer things like toothpaste, soap and other supplies. I often had to buy them myself when I was a monk.
I often see monks on buses or in taxis. Is the ride free?
The back seats of public buses are reserved for monks and travel is free. Taxis and other personal transport are not free.
These days, many foreigners seem to want to become monks for a short period of time. Do you have any advice for them?
For several years I taught a course for foreigners who wanted to undergo initiation. Many people liked him, but that was because there was no language or cultural barrier between us. I also taught a purer form of Buddhism than that practiced by Thai monks.
To get the most out of this experience, a foreigner wishing to become a monk must undergo ordination in a monastery with a senior monk who speaks English. Those who can not only explain the rules, but also why it is worth being a monk. Otherwise, it's just a waste of time. Probably the best place for a foreigner is in the international forest monastery - Wat Pa Nanachat - in the northeast of the country.
