Alms Round...

Today is Sunday, the day that the monks and nuns at SantiFM go on alms round, the traditional way that we make our livelihood in a blameless way. It is very interesting going on alms round, all kinds of things can arise internally and exturnerly.

I have had many different reposes while collecting alms, i have been called names, people have knelt down on the ground, some people give funny looks and also yelled at.

This morning while out on alms round i was a little late leaving as was my teacher so the walk got my heart going. On the way up the road that leads to the main road into town we walk past a few houses that are on our street, as it is mostly farms there are not so many. When we walked past one house a lady yelled out while watering her garden "JESUS IS THE LORD!". I was prepared for this as i knew this lady had done things like this before such as asking her children to give Bhante Sujato a bible. I thought how i would talk and address her saying in my mind " But today is Sunday, shouldn't you be at Church?" Although i thought such thoughts i wouldn't say such a thing, but there was a moment when i thought of turning around and saying this, at that point, my heart started to pump faster, i guess that this may have caused more conflict and was better that i didn't say a word to her.

Just a little further down the road my teacher turns around and asks me
"Were you converted?"
I answer "no"
"Thats good, just to make sure" he says jokingly
I then said something like this" But Bhante Today is Sunday, shouldn't she be at Church?"

Walking further down the road i started to remember and reflect over one of the verses from the Dhammapada.

"As a bee gathers honey from the flower without injuring its colour or fragrance, even so the sage goes on his alms-round in the village"

I then came to recollect the way in which i should walks amongst the village, harming no one, acting in a mindful and restrained manner, accepting what ever may be offered to me.

I would now like to go into some of the funny times i have had while on alms round.

If you have seen monks and nuns go on alms round they go bear foot wearing no shoes, this can be quiet painful at times, walking on the rough tar road is the worst!
One would never think that one could ever delight in the gutter (curb), however to walk in the gutter brings ease to the mind, ohh that smooth concrete, such a relief from the rough road.

(Alms-round in Cabramatta)

(Theres a point in this video if you watch closely of what may look like money being put into a monks bowl, but however i think it is a packet with money in it that someone had want to offer being handed to someone else)

I have been called names before on alms round. iv'e been called freak, told to "disrobe" and "get a job!" however i remember the funniest one of all. We were standing outside the entrance to a mall waiting to recive alms from whoever may do so. Then this lady comes walking up and she yells out "OHH! NO! THE PARACITES ARE HERE!". What a funny thing to yell out, i don't recall to affecting me to much. To some 'anuttaram punnakkehttam lokassati' the unsurpassed field of merit for the world, to others we are bluggers and parasites.