' or ' is a

Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...

term used to refer to the

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

monastic Monasticism (; ), also called monachism or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual activities. Monastic life plays an important role in many Christian churches, especially ...

practice of almsround to the laity to receive almsfood and other necessities. In

Japanese Buddhism Buddhism was first established in Japan in the 6th century CE. Most of the Japanese Buddhists belong to new schools of Buddhism which were established in the Kamakura period (1185－1333). During the Edo period (1603–1868), Buddhism was cont ...

, this practice is also known as .

Theravāda

Theravāda Buddhism ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' (anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or ''Dharma (Buddhi ...

, the practice is referred to by the

Pāli Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a classical Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of '' Therav� ...

term ''piṇḍacāra'' ().

Monks A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...

nuns A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of Evangelical counsels, poverty, chastity, and obedience in the Enclosed religious orders, enclosure of a monastery or convent.' ...

on ''piṇḍacāra'' go around town on foot with their almsbowl under their outer

robe A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. Unlike garments described as capes or cloaks, robes usually have sleeves. The English word ''robe'' derives from Middle English ''robe'' ("garment"), borrowed from Old French ''robe'' ("booty, spoil ...

and make themselves available to the

laity In religious organizations, the laity () — individually a layperson, layman or laywoman — consists of all Church membership, members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-Ordination, ordained members of religious orders, e ...

to receive almsfood (, ''piṇḍapāta''). Owing, however, to the

precarity Precarity (also precariousness) is a precarious existence, lacking in predictability, job security, material or psychological welfare. The social class defined by this condition has been termed the '' precariat''. Catholic Origins Léonce Crenie ...

inherent in almost all aspects of Theravāda monastic life, there is no

guarantee A guarantee is a form of transaction in which one person, to obtain some trust, confidence or credit for another, agrees to be answerable for them. It may also designate a treaty through which claims, rights or possessions are secured. It is to ...

of collecting enough food for the day, if any at all. This precarity is particularly observable outside the

Indosphere Indosphere is a term used for areas of Indian subcontinent, Indian linguistic influence in the neighboring Southern Asian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian regions. It is commonly used in areal linguistics in contrast with the Sinophone languages ...

, or even within it in times of

societal A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Soc ...

or systemic crisis. File:Pindapatta.jpg, Pindapata around Bodhigiri Vihāra, Balerejo, Wlingi, Blitar, East Java, Indonesia File:Ajaan_Geoff_Almsround.jpg, Ṭhānissaro, an American monk, practicing ''piṇḍacāra'' by receiving ''piṇḍapāta'' in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

, United States File:Empty_Cloud_Alms.jpg, Monks and nuns of Empty Cloud Monastery on ''piṇḍapāta'' in

West Orange, New Jersey West Orange is a suburban Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 48,843, an increase of 2,636 (+5.7%) from t ...

, United States File:Dhammagiri_Forest_Hermitage_www.dhammagiri.org.au_315.jpg, ''Piṇḍapāta'' at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage,

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

, Australia File:Dhammagiri_Forest_Hermitage_www.dhammagiri.org.au_310.jpg, ''Piṇḍapāta'' at Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage,

, Australia File:Pindapata_in_Myanmar.jpg, ''Piṇḍapāta'' in

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

File:Luang_Prabang_Takuhatsu_ルアンパバーン_托鉢_DSCF7017.JPG, ''Piṇḍapāta'' in

Luang Prabang Luang Prabang (Lao language, Lao: wikt:ຫຼວງພະບາງ, ຫຼວງພະບາງ, pronounced ), historically known as Xieng Thong (ຊຽງທອງ) and alternatively spelled Luang Phabang or Louangphabang, is the capital of Lu ...

, Laos File:Buddhist_alms_in_Si_Phan_Don.jpg, ''Piṇḍapāta'' in

Si Phan Don The Si Phan Don (; meaning '4,000 islands') is a riverine archipelago in the Mekong River, Champasak Province in southern Laos. Si Phan Don is part of Khong District, including the islands and part of the mainland in the east. Si Phan Don is d ...

, Laos File:Pindacara.jpg, Two monks performing ''piṇḍapāta'' on Street 172,

Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...

, Cambodia File:Ladakh_(14686912823).jpg, ''Piṇḍapāta'' in

Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a Kashmir#Kashmir dispute, dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India an ...

, India File:Alms_giving_to_several_thousand_monks,_next_to_Central_World_in_Bangkok_on_the_morning_of_Sunday_18th_March_2012.png, ''Piṇḍapāta'' next to

CentralWorld CentralWorld (, styled as centralwOrld), is a shopping plaza and complex in the Siam area of Bangkok, in Thailand. It is the ninth-largest shopping center in the world. The complex, which includes a hotel and office tower, is owned by Central ...

, Bangkok, Thailand File:Monks_and_sunset_-_Flickr_-_Nagyman.jpg, ''Piṇḍapāta'' on a small island in

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

Mahāyāna

In the practice of ''takuhatsu'', monks travel to various businesses and residences to chant

sutra ''Sutra'' ()Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aphorism or a collection of aphorisms in the form of a manual or, more broadly, a ...

s in Sino-Japanese (thus generating merit) in exchange for donations of food and money. Monks generally wear traditional ''takuhatsu'' clothes reminiscent of medieval Japanese garb and wear the names of their monasteries on their satchels to confirm their identities. This system is used by

Zen Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...

monks in training to beg for their food, and is generally done in groups of ten to fifteen. The group walks through a street in single-file, chanting , and the faithful gather to fill their alms bowls. This is the monks' offering of the Dharma and their lives of guardians of the Dharma to the people. According to Zen tradition, the givers should be grateful.Reps & Senzaki, p. 48 File:Pindapata_Takuhatsu_-_near_Ueno_Station_-_2013_11_8.webm, A Japanese monk practicing ''takuhatsu'' on a

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

street, 2013 File:Ueno_monk.jpg, ''Takuhatsu'' practice in Tsutsujigaoka, Chofu, Tokyo File:Zuiouzi09.jpg, The practice of ''takuhatsu'' at Zuioji Temple File:Kiyomizu-dera_National_Treasure_World_heritage_Kyoto_国宝・世界遺産_清水寺_京都249.JPG, ''Takuhatsu'' practice in

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

, Japan File:50番繁多寺前で托鉢する遍路P1010122.jpg, ''Takuhatsu'' practice at Hantaji Temple,

Matsuyama 270px, Matsuyama City Hall 270px, Ehime Prefectural Capital Building is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, in Japan and is also Shikoku's largest city. , the city had an estimated population of 505,948 in 243,541 h ...

File:Monks_doing_Pindapatta_before_Vessak_Day_2010_in_Magelang.jpg, A

Mahāyāna Mahāyāna ( ; , , ; ) is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices developed in ancient India ( onwards). It is considered one of the three main ex ...

monk performs alms-gathering before the 2010

Vesak Vesak (; Sanskrit: '), also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, Visak Bochea and Buddha Day, is a holiday traditionally observed by Buddhism, Buddhists in South Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as in Tibet and Mongolia. It is among the ...

holiday in

Magelang Magelang () is one of six cities in Central Java, the Central Java Province of Indonesia that are administratively independent of the regencies in which they lie geographically. Each of these cities is governed by a mayor rather than a Subdivi ...

City, Central Java, Indonesia File:Monks_doing_Pindapatta_before_Vessak_Day_2010_in_Magelang,_Central_Java,_Indonesia.jpg, Mahāyāna monks performing alms round before the 2010

holiday in

City, Central Java, Indonesia File:Sunnataram_Forest_Monastery_5.jpg, Mahāyāna nuns on alms round at

Sunnataram Forest Monastery Sunnataram Forest Monastery is a Theravada Buddhist ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' (anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved th ...

Bundanoon, New South Wales Bundanoon is a town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire, on Gandangarra and Dharawal Country (where these two countries meet). It is an Aboriginal name meaning "place of deep gullies" and was formerl ...

, Australia

Theravāda

Mahāyāna

References

See also