Making merit ........means ......doing good things as mentioned in religious doctrine. Thais’ ways of life, since their birth until their death is so familiar with making merit. They strongly believe they ought to regularly make and gain merit which would bring them happiness, peaceful life and other good things. Gaining merit will strengthen them to overcome any obstacles or misfortune they are suffering. They intend to gain more merit because they also believe their accumulated merit would help them to be in heaven or a peaceful place after their death. Even more merit they gained would help them to reach nirvana (divine peace beyond this world). Thais’ belief is based on the Buddhist doctrine. The concept is as stated in a Thai proverb “if you do good you will receive good; if you do evil you will receive evil ”. It means the result of Karma which represents the evaluation of all life events, that is, you will receive the outcome of what you have already initiated A common rule in making merit is to prepare one’s mind and thoughts.The mind has to be purified and ready. Gaining merit, however, must not bring any trouble or worry to oneself or others. There are three ways of making and gaining merit. They are       1) to give alms       2) to maintain religious commandment, and       3) to pray If all of these are perfectly met, it represents a great merit making. But most of people see that making merit is to give alms.That is partly true because it is the first step of a fully-gained merit. On this occasion only alms giving will be expressed as it is a very common Thais’ way of life.  This tradition means putting food into the monks’ bowl. Monks receive alms from people who believe they are gaining merit by giving. Every morning around 6.00 am - 7.00 am, monks silently pacing the streets to receive offerings. It is understood that this is an opportunity for people to gain merit.Foods offered to monks are well prepared. Newly cooked rice, various kinds of savory, sweet and fruits. Some people may prepare flowers, joss sticks and candles. When the monk arrive, people will ask them to stop then they will place foods into the bowl monks are carrying. Flowers, joss sticks and candles are put on the metal lid of the bowl or into monks’ bag. Then they will get blessed. While monks are blessing, one should pour water which shows that they wish to devote the merits they gained with their relatives who have already passed away. This step concludes the rite of making merit by giving alms  Making merit by giving alms has been part of Thais’ lifestyle for thousands of years. It is mentioned in two parts of Buddha history. First, when Buddha just became enlightened, he went to stay at a milky tree. Merchants named Tabussah and Palikah passed by and deeply admired the prestige of Buddha. They gave their provision to Buddha. Buddha used his bowl to receive food offered. Second, when Buddha went to the forest of mango trees, Anupiya district, province of Makadha. He went about with a bowl to receive food. When he passed King Pimpisana’s city of Rajgrah. The people in the city saw him doing this for the first time, So they brought food and put it into Buddha’s bowl. It became tradition until present. So we can see monks and novices carrying bowl pace the streets every morning. We can also see all kinds of people are willing to make merit which is to give alms, giving food to monks and novices.  P.S from thai tradition... long time i not write journal so today i have time just wanna share about thai tradition ka to tf ka have a good day ^^                                                                                                                   Jan^^

I heard if you Wat Dee all the Buddha temples in Ayutthaya, you get good luck, chai mai?

Cosmo: we believe if we do that (go to wai all temples in Ayuthaya) we will go to heaven ...

** just only 7 temples is enough JA

very nice JN Jan .......I love the way you present our tradition

very nice Jan

thanks for telling

thanks for the insight

very interesting

great journal Jan

That was awesome! Thank you so much for sharing. I really appreciate it and all of it's meaning. Please share more when you have time. Thank you!!

If you want to make it to heaven on a guaranteed basis, wai everything and anything older than u...

I wanted to do it like the routien but i cant really get up that early

ar nu mo ta na

Very nice read

Thanks for sharing ja hope to see more of your journals na ja

Nice article, thank you. I think the ways you describe of making merit are very positive.

The one I don't like, is paying money to release birds from tiny cages.

I wouldn't claim to be a Buddist, but I really enjoyed making merit when I did so for my brother. That is one of my most positive memories from my 3 month stay in BKK in 2006. If memory serves me right, Anna and I were out on KSR for my birthday and had a very drunken night, yet we managed to get up at 6am the following morning to go out into the street to meet the monks doing their alms rounds. Anna had explained the whole thing and was there to help me, so we were stocked up with food and drinks (and money in an envelope) for the monks as they came past. Standing in the rain in my bare feet, while a fairly senior monk came over and blessed me, then had a chat about his various travels, was a great experience. The locals seemed bemused and impressed that a farang of my age was taking an interest in these things and the wais from the reception girls in my serviced apartment seemed a little more genuine and warm afterwards too.

I always plan to make merit in the same way when I return to Bangkok, but I invariably end up in Sukhumvit, where I've yet to see a monk, plus getting up at 6am on holiday isn't that easy!

CobraKai: I've seen Monks in Sukhumvit Soi 8 at 6.30 am on alms round. (yes... *real* Thai monks)

Thank you for your wonderful explaination

Please continue (more often ) with your insights...

nice journal jan!!!

Cosmo....^^ YEs darling remember we wai old buddha 7 temple in Ayuttaya and made us good luck very nice

faycyber......P Fay u welcome ka u also present about thai in good way i love ur journal too ka^^

guttes2.......Thanks u for kind word ka

BKK_Me......Thank u so much for appreciate it i feel like a superstar now heeh^^

Andy_bkk.....ohh really i don't think so wai everything older than u not make u good luck for sure ka hhhh

DanGerouZ....ar nu mo ta na too ja

Bushi,Soda.....Khop khun ka

Neutron........Thanks for kind word ka and i happy u like it ka ^^

CobraKai........isn't that easy ka wow very nice story hehe sound interesting ^^ thanks for share na ka

Neo,DANNO, Dave40......you welcome ka i will shere more if have time na ka ^^

copy and paste ?

Aomazon....ask me??? if u read about it i wroteeeeeeeeeeee it is From Thai tradition... (did not see or too small or something?) u should back to read again if not understand PM me i will answer to u.... OK?