托鉢
Readings
Pinyin: tuōbō
Wade-Giles: t'o-po
Hangul: 탁발
Korean MC: takbal
Korean MR: t'akpal
Katakana: タクハツ
Hepburn: takuhatsu
thác bát
to beg with a bowl
In contemporary Japan, Zen monks engaged in alms gathering don the bamboo hat, white leggings, and straw sandals of a wandering monk (angya sō 行脚僧). They either carry a bowl or wear a bag around the neck that serves the same purpose, and the offerings they accept usually take the form of uncooked rice or cash. Monks engage in alms gathering either singly or in groups. They often form a line and walk through market places and residential neighborhoods, shouting "rain of dharma" (hō u 法雨) to announce their presence. When someone approaches with an offering they stop, receive it in the bowl or bag, then bow with gasshō in thanks before resuming walking. In rural areas, alms gathering may involve a pre-arranged visit to local farmers at harvest time to receive their donations of rice, vegetables, or radishes for pickling. Alms-gathering is understood as a practice that has deep spiritual meaning, for it promotes humility and gratitude in monks and gives the laity an opportunity to make merit. The economic significance of alms-gathering is slight, however, so it is best understood as a ritual reenactment of the ancient Indian Buddhist practice.
[resp. Griffith Foulk, cmuller; source(s): Nakamura,Soothill, Hirakawa, JEBD,Yokoi,Iwanami]Dictionary References:
Bukkyō jiten (Ui), 714
Bulgyo sajeon, 880a
Ding Fubao
Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki), (v.1-6)3466b, (v.9-10)616c,1141b
Bukkyō daijiten (Oda), 1110-3
Zengaku daijiten (Komazawa U.), 822a
Iwanami bukkyō jiten, 550
A Glossary of Zen Terms (Inagaki), 90, 143, 392
Japanese-English Buddhist Dictionary (Daitō shuppansha), 313a/348
Zenrin shōkisen (Mujaku Dōchū), 500/487
Japanese-English Zen Buddhist Dictionary (Yokoi), 754
Zengo jiten (Iriya and Koga), 18-P61
Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura), 935c
Fo Guang Dictionary
Copyright © 2010 -- Charles Muller
generated: 2013-05-19