Buddhist monks eat only once a day, and they may not cook for themselves. In Cambodia, monks walk through the village each morning with their alms bowls (pictured) into which villagers will place food. Receiving their food in this way is part of the monk’s discipline in humility, while villagers earn merit for their action of giving. This activity is difficult to perform in the U.S., so many temples have made alms giving and receiving a symbolic offering part of other ceremonies. The monks will stand in a row, while the practitioners file by placing a spoonful of rice in each monks’ alms bowl.
