| Making merit is a way of life for most Thai people. | | | | and a better position in the next life. Here is what |
| An old Thai proverb says it best: "if you do good you | | | | Thai people believe certain alms will bring you. |
| will receive good; if you do evil you will receive evil ". | | | | If you offer rice or any stable food, you will be |
| Karma is what it's all about. | | | | happy and healthy all through your life. |
| There are a few ways of making merit. The first is | | | | If you offer clothing, in your next life, you won't |
| to give alms. Every morning you will see monks | | | | have a problem with clothing and will also have |
| walking up and down the streets of Thailand with | | | | beautiful skin. |
| empty bowls. They are giving the people a chance to | | | | If you offer candles, flashlight and incense sticks you |
| gain merit by filling that bowl with food as monks are | | | | will have beautiful and bright eyes. Also, in your next |
| not allowed to store or cook food. The person gains | | | | life you will not need glasses. |
| merit and the monk gets fed. Many small stores and | | | | If you offer a Buddha image, in your following life |
| temples have people selling alms baskets, small beach | | | | you will be as beautiful as that image. |
| buckets filled with rice, candles, incense, flashlight, and | | | | If you offer religious books or donate text books |
| other things the monks need. These baskets are | | | | and learning materials for school children, you will be |
| given to the monks at temple giving yet another | | | | intelligent in your next life. |
| chance to gain merit. Being generous to those less | | | | If you offer soap, skin lotion or cleansing facilities, |
| fortunate is also a staple in the merit making process. | | | | you will have nice and beautiful skin. |
| Another way of making merit is through prayer, | | | | If you donate money and materials for constructing |
| usually done at the local temple.Opening ones mind to | | | | buildings in the monastery, you will have a big and |
| the spiritual side will gain the individual merit. | | | | beautiful house in your next life. |
| As a tourist in Thailand you will be given the chance | | | | If you build bathrooms and toilets for the monastery |
| to make merit almost everywhere you go. Around | | | | and help to build public hospitals, you will have a |
| temples children carry many small cages of differing | | | | healthy and happy life. |
| colors with small birds inside. Releasing these birds at | | | | If you offer toothpicks, toothbrushes and |
| the temple and giving them their freedom will give | | | | toothpaste, you will have beautiful and strong teeth. |
| you merit... Well, as a tourist you kinda have to pay | | | | If you donate blood, kidney or other part of your |
| for your merit, the privilege of releasing the birds will | | | | body, you will have a fit body and vigorous health in |
| set you back 50 Baht ($1.50.) The birds are well | | | | your future lives. |
| trained too, they fly right back down the hill to the | | | | Making merit is a way of bettering oneself as a |
| cages and waiting food. You can also purchase an | | | | human being. As a tourist in Thailand, no matter what |
| alms bucket to give to the monks at kiosks near the | | | | religion you are, making merit will show your respect |
| temple. | | | | for the Thai culture and might just make you some |
| Making merit is a way to gain happiness in this life | | | | new friends. |