What Exactly Is Making Merit

[wasabi]

I have been to this temple before and the crowds at their Sunday brunches do get really big so I can see the neighbors POV. But it is a legitimate place with a place of worship, monks and Thai language classes. I just wonder if they really can claim having a Sunday brunch is making merit? I thought giving monks food was the limit to making merit as far as food and merit are concerned? Does having a Sunday Brunch fall under the umbrella of making merit in Thai Buddhism?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1234220264...eTabs%3Darticle

It's true this article isn't about Thailand but it is definitely Thai related.

Edited February 10, 2009 by wasabi

[Heng]

It's convincing yourself that whatever your station or accomplishments in life aren't really or at least aren't wholly your responsibility... because whatever you have done in previous lives has an impact, as well as "making merit" (giving to temples, monks, paying for strangers' funeral and creamations, and sometimes even feeding fish at a temple... it's kind of an open ended thing) which "logicially" will benefit you in some way at some later date (or next life). It's an alternative path for those in society who choose not to subscribe to a more disciplined work + study/self improvement ethic. Many folks choose a balance of both paths, taking to the 'make believe' or 'faith based' one whenever they need guidance or strength. Basically the same as any other religion in the world.

[johna]

Every religion has a gate keeper between you and heaven, for a fee he will help you get in.

This is "making merit"

[sriracha john]

It sounds like the temple's neighbors need to go replace this other protest group mentioned in the article...

Berkeley, a city where a group of protesters recently lived in trees for nearly two years

As for making merit, the people going and their corresponding financial contributions for the food which, in turn, keeps the temple running easily falls into that category, IMHO. The same occurs in Thailand for the same reason.

An interesting side-note to the story is that it also is really a testament to the popularity of, presumably authentic in this situation, Thai food. There's a "hunger" for that in Burger King's America that has escalated the attendance tremendously.

Edited February 11, 2009 by sriracha john

[tigerboy]

"In Thailand, they earn merit by giving money to monks in the street."

I don't think that the above quote from the WSJ article is exactly accurate, at least in my experience, unless you want to include those fakes on Sukumvit in BKK as monks.

[dave9988]

Its a strange things in regards to monks. I look at them and think "Ah, that's nice", but I would never in my life consider trading places with them. Its "nice" and horrifying at the same time. Sort of like how people want a free Nepal, but they also don't want them buying Nikes and eating at McDonalds, even though thats what they themselves do.

[stickyrice]

I have been to this temple before and the crowds at their Sunday brunches do get really big so I can see the neighbors POV. But it is a legitimate place with a place of worship, monks and Thai language classes. I just wonder if they really can claim having a Sunday brunch is making merit? I thought giving monks food was the limit to making merit as far as food and merit are concerned? Does having a Sunday Brunch fall under the umbrella of making merit in Thai Buddhism?

I agree with you that the eaters are not really making much merit. I also have been to this breakfast on many a Sunday. For sure the very kind Thai people who wake up early, donate food, cook food and serve food each Sunday make merit. The dinners are non-Buddists who just want a good meal at a good price. I always buy 20 tokens and afterward not exchange back the tokens for money (it seems not quite right to "un-donate" to get money back).

The Sunday breakfast is almost a necessity as there are so few Buddist in Berkeley (The monks could walk all morning and not get a single grain of rice as people would have no idea what they are doing)

[JetsetBkk]

From the WSJ article:

Diners don't pay for the food directly: They buy special tin coins for $1 apiece, then exchange the "donation coupons" for food served from steam trays.

Similar to food courts where you buy a card worth 100 baht and use it to exchange for food.

the temple's zoning permit, dated 1993, which stipulates that it is only allowed to serve food to the public three times a year.

Every Sunday for nearly two decades, Berkeley's Thai Buddhist temple, Wat Mongkolratanaram, has dished up one of the most popular brunches in town. Starting at 10 a.m., hundreds line up outside the suburban temple, carrying away plates of curry and mango with sticky rice to eat at picnic tables or on the nearby lawn of the city's "tool-lending library."

Slight discrepancy here.