Alms Bowls

Alms bowls lined up in the Homalin monastery (see Roadwork). A key piece of equipment in many Theravadan countries, the bowls are used to collect food during the morning alms rounds. It is important to note that this is not "begging". There is, ideally, a reciprocal sharing of merit that occurs when a householder drops food into a monk's bowl. And there is "no gift", "no giver", and "no receiver".  Giving purely in this way, without attachment or expectations, is called dana paramita in Sanskrit.