Almsgiving

Jay's mother died exactly one year ago. Some arose from bed at 5:00 am but most food had to be made right before being consumed; for example, the fruit salad, and fried fish.

By 11:00 am everything was ready and the monks arrived exactly on time at 11:30 am. The big Monk and his understudy spoke a bit, but mostly they'd come to be served lunch. There seemed to be fairly elaborate etiquette. The order and progression of the food was served by the family members:

• soup
• boiled vegetables
• rice and curries
• choice of dessert
• king coconut water
• coffee
• araka nuts & beetle leaves

A relic from the temple was a representative for the Buddha and was given an offering of food. After the occasion, this uneaten food can be given away to beggars or provided to animals. Additionally, packets had been bought and wrapped for the monks. They contained sheets, towels, soap, toothpaste, toothbushes, sugar, milk powder, and tea. The head Monk received a purchased packet which cost around $US 25 and included the complete set of orange-coloured robes.



There was a time for all of us to eat when the monks had departed. They had come and gone in a van which Jay's dad had arranged for. We cleaned up a bit and the same van came back at 3:00 pm to take us to the mother's gravesite. The family has just had some tile work done for the headstone. They burned incense and lite oil lamps. We stayed only for a brief time. At the cemetery, there was a funeral going on for a 26-year-old railroad worker who'd been hit and killed by a train.

The house is getting all back to word as I am writing this . . .