Five Benefits by Monks' Visit

[chakran]

Five Benefits by Monks' Visit

Buddhists are in the habit of inviting monks to their homes very often to offer alms-food and to listen to the recitations of the partitas by the monks. They are most happy when monks who have morality (sila) come to their houses. They believe that, because monks who observe moral codes come to their houses, there will be prosperity and happiness in the family and impending dangers can be averted.

In accordance with this belief, when monks who observe sila, visit their house, the devotees perform five functions. Lord Buddha has preached that five benefits would accrue from the performance of these five functions.

The Lord Buddha had instructed that when monks endowed with sila visited one's home, these five functions must be done. The five functions are:

i. Revering the monks;

ii. Greeting, paying obeisance, giving the best seats;

iii. Freeing oneself from stinginess;

iv. Giving offertories; and

v. Asking reverently to give a sermon

Getting the five benefits

1. When monks endowed with sila come to your house, you visualize that these monks have descended from the noble order (ariya sangha) from the time of Lord Buddha. They wear the robes in the manner of the ariya sangha. Their physical and verbal behaviour resemble those of the ariya sangha. Reverence is shown to them, having awareness that their behaviour is of the ariya sangha.

All the members of the family revere the monks. Their merits are thus increased enabling them to reach the realm of devas. In their future existences, they will not go down to the woeful states (apaya) but gain the benefit of appearing in the celestial realm that is fully endowed with various happiness.

2. When monks who observe sila come to your house, all the family members welcome them with deep respect as though the monks have risen from absorption (jhana), and give them the best places to sit on.

As the family members greet the monks, pay obeisance and give them the best places they increase their merits and will be reborn as noble descendants. In every existence they will never be born into the families of low social class but will be the descendants of royalty, rich and prosperous parents.

3. When monks who have high morality come to your house, members of the family are devoid of meanness regarding:

a. Avasa macchariya - the dwelling places or seats offered to the monks.

b. Kula macchariya - unwillingness for families to have contact with the monks.

c. Laba macchariya - properties that one has at the house such as food

d. Vanna macchariya - decorated splendour of the house.

e. Dhamma macchariya - the dhamma that one had realized.

Being devoid of stinginess, the family members increase their merits and are secure of being reborn as superior beings 'whether in the realms of the devas or in the human world they will always be superior.

4. When monks with high morality come to your house all the family members offer the four requisites: robes, alms-food,, monastery, and medicine; also footwears, umbrellas, fans, handkerchiefs, face towels that are necessary for the monks. Because they have offered the necessities they get the benefit of having things in abundance. They will be rich with lots of property, jewellery and so on in every existence.

5. When monks who observe sila come to your house, the family members ask respectfully to deliver a sermon. However, even if they do not ask, the monks give sermons to revere Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, to observe noble sila and to practise meditation (bhavana) so as to develop concentration of insight (samadhi nana) rapidly.

By virtue of listening to the sermon, the family members increase their merit, and become intellectuals or become very intelligent in every existence.

People who give offertories to ariya monks who have just risen from nirodha samapatti or metta jhana obtain immediate special rewards for their merits.

In olden days, during the life-time of the Buddha, monks wishing to honour the male and female donors, would enter into absorption of cessation (nirodha samapatti) or loving kindness absorption (metta jhana) before going into a town or village.

The Elder Ashin Sariputta has the habit of entering into nirodha samapatti before going into a town or village for alms-food so as to honour the donors.

The Elder Ashin Subuti entered into metta jhana to honour his devotees before going into a town or village and accepting alms-food and other offertories. These noble practices of the elder mahatheras should be copied.

Nowadays Sayadaws and monks endowed with sila, confess their offence (apatti), extend loving kindness(metta) and with mindfulness go into the town or village so as to honour the devotees.

When virtuous monks come to the house of the Buddhist devotees all the family members including young children reverently welcome them with delight and giving them the best places, pay respect to the monks. The whole family will be devoid of meanness to the offertories. They also listen to the sermons.

In this way when virtuous monks visit your house you act in accordance with Buddha's preachings and thus:

1. In the rounds of rebirths you will not be reborn in the apaya regions, but be reborn in the realms of celestials.

2. In every existence you will be reborn in noble families.

3. In every birth you will be endowed with high authority.

4. In every existence, you will have property in abundance.

5. In every existence, you will have high intellect.

By: Sayadaw U Kundalabhivamsa......