"Can I give a purely vegetarian Sangha Dana?"

The vegetarian favorite Tofu Salad

One yogi recently sent us a question asking if it was appropriate to give a purely vegetarian Sangha Dana. Following is our answer. For more questions about Dhamma in Burma to be answered on this blog, shoot us an email at burmadhamma(at)gmail.

Today, whenever and wherever Bamar food is being served, it is customary for there to be at least a few purely vegetarian dishes. Interestingly, Burma provided a “vegetarian line” during the 1954-56 Buddhist Synod held at Kaba Aye Pagoda, and it was S.N Goenka (a life-long vegetarian due to his Hindu caste) who oversaw the vegetarian food distribution during the event. In Burma, single vegetarian dishes may not be a balanced meal on their own, but with advance warning from foreign meditators residing at monasteries, arrangements can be made to prepare more options and this is usually not difficult. For example U Agga, a Dutch monk who came to Yangon for a short period found that he was given whatever vegetarian fare happened to be available on his alms rounds, with promises offered by the well-wishers that on future days they would cook something more substantial ahead of time when they knew he was coming.

A common question that comes from vegetarian yogis wishing to sponsor Sangha Dana, is whether they can stipulate that their financial dana can only go towards serving vegetarian food. This will depend largely on the meditation center or monastery. Some may already be pure vegetarian, or vegetarian-friendly, and such a request will be understood. In other sites, however, the monks and yogis have come to expect meat and fish as part of their diet, and it may not be appropriate to demand which food can be served them, and which cannot. In these cases, practicing renunciation when giving the dana may be the best practice, and one can do this by inquiring of the monastery trustees or senior monks what is possible and what would not be in line with their particular tradition.

Finally, in Burmese vegetarian dishes, there will likely be fresh vegetables and herbs, and maybe beans, tofu, or other soy products. There are three kinds of commonly-used tofu: a Chinese kind that is firm and white, a jelly-like brand from Kachin state, and yellowish tofu from Shan state made from chick peas. Sometimes a generous dose of turmeric will be mixed in, giving the tofu a yellow color. Also note that while there are more vegetarian dishes in Shan cuisine, they are often prepared in the same pots as the meat dishes, in contrast to Bamar cuisine, which though having fewer vegetarian dishes, usually prepares them entirely separately.

Hta Min War Yellow T

Kyaukme

In this excerpt from the book, we pick up an entry from our "Shan State" chapter. Following is the introduction to our the section on Kyaukme:
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Kyaukme is silently nestled in a natural bowl formed between the hovering Shan Hills, and is filled with lush green forests, meadows, and small farms. Although Kyaukme is translated to mean “black stone” and refers to less-than-honest merchants, the town today has some opportunities available for Buddhist practitioners. Dhamma students will immediately appreciate the many surrounding hillsides covered in monastery and pagoda spires, many of which have steep covered stairways that yogis may ascend. It is also a very quiet place where one can spend some time in peaceful practice, and locals may be keen to support your practice and share their own traditions. Unfortunately, it does have a higher rate of malaria compared with other Shan towns, and it can get hot here as well.

Kyaukme is deservedly famous for its green tea, which is grown at the small villages and farms that surround the town. The raw goods are then exported to the lowland markets and then distributed across the country. Staying at Kyaukme monasteries will afford you the opportunity to taste authentic green tea, dried tea leaves, and pickled tea salad. The traditional warehouses (known as "Pwe-Yone" in Burmese) house machines and green tea packages, and one can see how the tea is produced from its raw state. The food found in Kyaukme is a blend of Bamar, Shan, Palaung, and Chinese cooking. Most homes are simple, and those in the countryside are one-room wooden buildings with a center hearth used for food preparation, heat, and hot water.

Historically the town has long been a trading center for various peoples living throughout the Shan Hills, especially the Palaung. Their women are easily identifiable by the large hoops worn around their waist, said to protect the from wild animals. Like most other Shan towns it wasn’t spared conflict during World War II, with the British and Chinese forces driving out the Japanese in 1945. Today its growing Chinese influence can be especially seen in its market, where the Chinese quarter takes up about half the space. If you go here, make sure to see the stalls selling bamboo paper and eat some authentic Chinese fare or try some of the famous Kyaukme spicy vegetable dishes, or alternatively check out Thiri Pyit Saya for Shan noodles.

These days the town is starting to develop a reputation as an alternative trekking site to those around Kalaw and Hsipaw, with many routes going through Palaung villages and featuring overnights at monasteries as well as monastic school visits (Ko Moe Set is one tour guide who has come recommended). Some treks may lead you past a spot known locally as “Lonely Tree,” a landmark of sorts in which the tree branches seem to hark over the rest of the landscape. It was here that local monk requested that his remains be enshrined following his death, making the spot a sacred place and a good place for some meditation. Trekking will also give you an opportunity to walk through the many tea plantations that villagers in Northern Shan State depend on for their livelihood.

Kyaukme may be reached by bus fairly easily, and you may also consider private motorcycles or taxis, and even train. Once you reach Kyaukme, it’s convenient to get around town by motorboke or Tuk-Tuk, and these can also be used for exploring nearby towns as well.

The Shan Hills