Buddhist monk has first ‘alms round’ in Sixmilebridge

 

IN a scene more reminiscent of the streets of Thailand than Sixmilebridge, the ancient Buddhist tradition of ‘alms round’ was carried out this week for the first time ever in the Clare village.

On Tuesday, Buddhist monk Ven Ahimsako, who has been staying at the Sunyata Buddhist Centre, went to the village centre in his robes to make himself available for offerings of food from locals.

Under the traditions of Theravada Buddhism monks and nuns cannot handle money and they cannot grow, buy or cook food. They can only eat or drink what is offered to them freely.

He explained, “This is part of the Buddhist monastic tradition, we live on the offerings of the lay community. We are not allowed to beg but we can receive things. Everything I have comes from offerings, my clothing, my glasses, everything. But we are not allowed to ask. This is an ancient tradition that even goes back to before the time of the Buddha, you just stand peacefully with your bowl and if people want to give, they can. I live only on what is freely offered, and if I don’t get food I don’t eat.”

This is his third time visiting Ireland and his first time doing the alms round here. “I have had so many lovely conversations, lovely exchanges with people. The Buddha wanted the nuns and monks to have daily contacts with people. I look a bit different and people have been very happy to approach me and smile and say ‘hello’. In some other countries people can be a bit shy, but there is a great energy here and people seem quite open and friendly.”

Originally from California, he is now based at the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in the UK. He became a Buddhist monk 11 years ago, first becoming interested in Buddhism while visiting Sri Lanka. “I fell in love with a Sri Lankan woman and that’s where it started. Even though the relationship ended, my interest in Buddhism didn’t disappear and years later I ended up being a monk. I actually met her and her family again and they were delighted for me, to be a monk is seen as a great blessing.”

As a Buddhist monk, Ven Ahimsako is celibate, although he explains that unlike other faiths his vows are not necessarily for life. “Not having a relationship or family is certainly a very different way of living to what most people would be used to. It’s not like other faiths though, there is no life time vow. You can do this for a short time, or a long time. That means that everybody is doing this because they want to. There is no shame in leaving the order. It’s a very meditative life, focusing on silent meditation and developing a peaceful mind and self-understanding. I love what I do and it works for me so far. I have no plans to leave but you never know about the future,” he said.

The Sunyata Buddhist Centre’s ultimate goal is to become the first Irish branch monastery in the Thai Forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism. And this aim is something that Ven Ahimsako is very supportive of. “I think it is a brilliant idea, it would be perfectly suitable. There is a lot of interest out there in the lay community on learning more about Buddhism and meditation. But it is not up to us where we go; we don’t set out and say where we will be. We go where we are needed,” he said.

Chairman and manager of the Sunyata Buddhist Centre in Sixmilebridge, Michael O’Brien, said they are delighted to have hosted Ven Ahimsako during his stay in Clare. And he said that he hopes that this visit will be the first stage in plans for an Irish monastery as the education of people is crucial to its development.

“This is the first time we have had an alms round in Sixmilebridge so really this is perhaps the beginning of educating people about Sunyata and what Buddhism is all about. Creating the monastery is an organic process, even if we had the money to open tomorrow it wouldn’t work because the local lay community have to understand and realise what is contained in looking after monastics.

“The lay community would have to be involved and become educated in what Buddhist practices are all about. It could take anywhere between now and ten years and in that time ‘hopefully’ the local knowledge will become such that they would be able to support monastics living at the centre.

“They are not allowed to handle money, toil the ground or cook for themselves so their sustenance totally comes from the lay community.”