'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

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kenteramin
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'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by kenteramin »

At some point I want to start supporting the Sangha. Although I don't know if online donations is the best way. Is a recurring donation still a good dana? Seems a bit too detached.

Ajahn Sona is great. Happy that I've discovered him. I'm considering donating to the Birken Monastery. One thing that makes me hesitant and I'm not approving of my hesitancy is the 'Donate now...' button right on the top of the page. Very in your face kind of a thing. Isn't it against of what the Buddha taught about asking for dana?

My second question is should I weigh things like that when I choose a monastery to direct my support to?
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retrofuturist
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Re: 'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

If you're confident it's a good vihara, you should be thankful they've made it so easy to donate.

:anjali:

Metta,
Paul. :)
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Sam Vara
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Re: 'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by Sam Vara »

kenteramin wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 10:43 am At some point I want to start supporting the Sangha. Although I don't know if online donations is the best way. Is a recurring donation still a good dana? Seems a bit too detached.

Ajahn Sona is great. Happy that I've discovered him. I'm considering donating to the Birken Monastery. One thing that makes me hesitant and I'm not approving of my hesitancy is the 'Donate now...' button right on the top of the page. Very in your face kind of a thing. Isn't it against of what the Buddha taught about asking for dana?

My second question is should I weigh things like that when I choose a monastery to direct my support to?
It's worth noting that the website is probably designed and maintained by lay supporters of the vihara, so the monks are not directly "asking for dāna".
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: 'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

kenteramin wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 10:43 am At some point I want to start supporting the Sangha. Although I don't know if online donations is the best way. Is a recurring donation still a good dana? Seems a bit too detached.
  1. It is allowable for lay people to ask for donations to support the Saṅgha, but not allowable for monks or nuns to ask for donations unless they are invited to ask.
  2. Donations made to virtuous laypeople who are providing the requisites for monks and nuns are very meritorious
  3. Repeated, regular donations, meet the criteria for "stable donation," which is superior to "occasional donation."
  4. It is better to offer donations with one's own hand, but this is not always possible. One can only offer almsfood between dawn and midday. One-day, seven-day, and life-time medicines, and other requisites like books, robes, etc., can be donated at any time. However, most monasteries have more than enough of such requisites in store, so it is best to ask first what is needed before offering requisites in person.
  5. Funds donated to the lay people supporting the Saṅgha allow the monks or nuns to request whatever is allowable, whenever they need it.
See A Manual of Donation for a summary of the various kinds of donation.
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kenteramin
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Re: 'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by kenteramin »

Paul, Sam Vara thank you :anjali:

Bhante thank you for a great response :anjali:


No further questions :D
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Re: 'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by S. Johann »

There is nothing more for the groth of corruption as to receive donations for teachings, and nothing more destructive to be able to receive the Dhamma.

Maybe the thought "let us ask first, then put the teaching under it" was the thought to try to work around...

And when there are those who place a donation bowl in their dwelling even press with existential pity or require to do so, what's the need of dwelling there? To maintain a living in trade or by debts?
Screenshot_20220127_213721.jpg
Why is such 'required' at first place, as begging is something of poor (ie. with desires but not able to work them proper out).

Yet, a gift is nevertheless a gift, will bear it's fruits according the factors. There are 5 proper occasion for generosity: when one arrives, leaves, sick, hunger and at all time, toward those with virtue (of which bears the most fruits)
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kenteramin
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Re: 'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by kenteramin »

S. Johann wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 2:44 pm There are 5 proper occasion for generosity: when one arrives, leaves, sick, hunger and at all time, toward those with virtue (of which bears the most fruits)
That's something interesting. Could you please share a sutta on the proper occasions? :anjali:
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: 'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

kenteramin wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 12:17 pm That's something interesting. Could you please share a sutta on the proper occasions? :anjali:
Kāladānasuttaṃ

36. “Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, kāladānāni. Katamāni pañca? āgantukassa dānaṃ deti; gamikassa dānaṃ deti; gilānassa dānaṃ deti; dubbhikkhe dānaṃ deti; yāni tāni navasassāni navaphalāni tāni paṭhamaṃ sīlavantesu patiṭṭhāpeti. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca kāladānānī”ti. (A.iii.41)

Bhikkhus, there are these five timely gifts. What five?
  1. One gives a gift to a visitor.
  2. One gives a gift to one setting out on a journey.
  3. One gives a gift to a patient.
  4. One gives a gift during a famine.
  5. One first presents the newly harvested crops to the virtuous ones.
These are the five timely gifts.

At the proper time, those wise, charitable, and generous folk give a timely gift to the noble ones, who are stable and upright; given with a clear mind, one's offering is vast.

Those who rejoice in such deeds or who provide [other] service do not miss out on the offering; they too partake of the merit.

Therefore, with a non-regressing mind, one should give a gift where it yields great fruit. Merits are the support of living beings [when they arise] in the other world. (tr. Bhikkhu Bodhi)
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kenteramin
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Re: 'Donate now...' button on the Birken Forest Monastery page

Post by kenteramin »

Thank you Bhante
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