Abbot Pisan Jariyaphiwat leads
more than 50 monks to accept alms from large groups of worshippers at
Chaimongkol Temple in South Pattaya.
Warunya Thongrod & Vittaya Yoondorn
Pattaya-area residents began 2013 with early morning merit-making exercises,
giving alms to monks in Pattaya and Naklua.
Banglamung District Chief Chawalit Saeng-Uthai and Pattaya City Council members
led New Year’s Day’s official alms offering, leading people in donating rice and
dried food to monks at Lan Po Park. In return, the monks prayed for prosperity
and happiness of attendees for the coming year.
Monks followed with blessing those attending, along with sprinkling holy water
before monks and novices from Jittapawan College marched to accept alms from
citizens. In addition, Pattaya council members distributed calendars.
The largest crowds showed up at Chaimongkol Temple in South
Pattaya, where Abbot Pisan Jariyaphiwat led more than 50 monks to accept alms
from large groups of worshippers.
The alms offering ceremony didn’t stop there, with guests walking to the sermon
hall to present basic necessities to monks and pay homage to the Lord Buddha
statue, asking for blessings and for the lord to blow away the dangers in 2013.
In addition, at the sermon pavilion, attendees presented food to monks while the
outer areas of the temples were filled with people who could not make merit in
temple offering alms to monks on foot, presenting meat and desserts.
This tradition has been passed on since ancient times with the belief that
offering alms on New Year’s Day, believers will receive merit to live a smooth
life with no obstacles. The merits from alms offering were dedicated to those
who have passed, persons with previous deeds on each other including parents and
benefactors.
While many were still sleeping off New Year’s Eve, the events did tie up traffic
a bit as police closed off some area roads to provide space for the alms givers.
