{"id":935,"date":"2016-12-02T08:16:42","date_gmt":"2016-12-02T07:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/?p=935"},"modified":"2016-12-11T16:42:10","modified_gmt":"2016-12-11T15:42:10","slug":"feed-a-nun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/2016\/12\/02\/feed-a-nun\/","title":{"rendered":"Feed a Nun!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ajahn Brahm once remarked that “keeping” a monk or nun is far cheaper than keeping a dog. It is maybe a little doubtful if this is really true, but monastics indeed try to live with little.<\/p>\n

Monastics\u00a0live on the basic requisites of almsfood, robes, dwelling-place and medication, given by kind donors.
\nOf these, only almsfood is something that is needed on a daily basis and they\u00a0are not allowed to store it overnight for the next day.
\nThe giving of d\u0101na<\/em>, almsfood, is like giving life and health to a monk or nun. As such, the merit that one makes by giving d\u0101na<\/em> is also the gift of long life and health. It helps to cultivate a mind of generosity and gladness.<\/p>\n

In traditional Buddhist countries, you see monks (and sometimes also nuns) go on Pi\u1e47\u1e0dap\u0101ta<\/em> (almsround) every morning. It is a joy to see even small children wanting to put a small spoon of rice in the bowl of a passing monk. They do this with so much happiness, that it is easy to see how this small act of daily kindness\u00a0cultivates the mind.
\nIn western countries however, it is not always possible to go on almsround because we have not grown up with a culture of giving alms. So unless it is\u00a0in a city where there are Asian restaurants, it is often not possible to go on Pi\u1e47\u1e0dap\u0101ta<\/em>, unless somebody drives the monk or nun\u00a0to the nearest market-town.
\nLay supporters sometimes come to bring d\u0101na<\/em> to the monastery. But of course most people have to work, and often they have to come from far away, so they can only come in the weekends.<\/p>\n

Nuns on almsround in Sydney<\/p><\/div>\n

In Santi Forest Monastery in Australia, people would sometimes call the local Pizzeria or Chinese restaurant in the nearby village if they were unable to come or wanted to give d\u0101na<\/em> on a special day, like the death anniversary of a beloved relative. The restaurant would then come and bring the order in time for lunch. Maybe this is also something we can organise here in Belgium when our new monastery is operational.<\/p>\n

In the mean time, if you want to help support Ayya Vimal\u0101\u00a0by donating a meal for a day, you can do so for only 5 euro. The lay supporters\u00a0here\u00a0will then be happy to use these funds to go shopping and cook a meal.
\nYou can use the paypal button below or the bank account details in the right column.<\/p>\n

[paypal-donation]<\/p>\n

If you have donated a meal and would like the merit of the d\u0101na<\/em> to be dedicated to somebody special, you can contact us<\/a> and leave a message with your name and the person you wish to have the dedication for. Ayya Vimal\u0101 will then dedicate the merit of the\u00a0d\u0101na<\/em> by chanting when the meal is offered.<\/p>\n

If beings only knew\u2014<\/em>
\n So said the Great Sage\u2014<\/em>
\n How the result of sharing<\/em>
\n Is of such great fruit,<\/em>
\n With a gladdened mind,<\/em>
\n Rid of the stain of meanness,<\/em>
\n They would duly give to noble ones<\/em>
\n Who make what is given fruitful.<\/em><\/p>\n

Having given much food as offerings<\/em>
\n To those most worthy of offerings,<\/em>
\n The donors go to heaven<\/em>
\n On departing the human state.<\/em>
\n Having gone to heaven they rejoice,<\/em>
\n And enjoying pleasures there,<\/em>
\n The unselfish experience the result<\/em>
\n Of generously sharing with others.<\/em><\/p>\n

Itivuttaka 26<\/a><\/p>\n

\"img_1275\"<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ajahn Brahm once remarked that “keeping” a monk or nun is far cheaper than keeping a dog. It is maybe a little doubtful if this is really true, but monastics indeed try to live with little. Monastics\u00a0live on the basic…
Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=935"}],"version-history":[{"count":98,"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/935\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1318,"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/935\/revisions\/1318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samita.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}