giving beggars question
giving beggars question
Namaste i want to ask a question: here in my surroundings are a lot of beggars, i live in a suburb of houses, some of them steal from houses, others use drugs, others are just migrants, etc. You can not notice. Is it good to give to beggars in general even though is possible that i would be supporting bad behaviour? is it considered good to give even to those hungry beggars? thanks
Re: giving beggars question
Kamma is intention. What they do with it is their own kamma. That said, if you really feel it would do more harm than good then perhaps give to a local homeless charity. Even still you could just give them food directly. Be careful though.mario92 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 12:14 am Namaste i want to ask a question: here in my surroundings are a lot of beggars, i live in a suburb of houses, some of them steal from houses, others use drugs, others are just migrants, etc. You can not notice. Is it good to give to beggars in general even though is possible that i would be supporting bad behaviour? is it considered good to give even to those hungry beggars? thanks
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Re: giving beggars question
Thanks Ceisiwr, i have more clarity now.
Re: giving beggars question
You're most welcome.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Re: giving beggars question
There are four ways the gift can be wholesome.
In your case, you are the giver of virtues and giving to unvirtues. (perhaps but we do not know)
In any case, this is a good gift if you are virtuous.
To be a perfect gift both the giver and the receiver have to be virtuous.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=25889&hilit=
In your case, you are the giver of virtues and giving to unvirtues. (perhaps but we do not know)
In any case, this is a good gift if you are virtuous.
To be a perfect gift both the giver and the receiver have to be virtuous.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=25889&hilit=
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Re: giving beggars question
Thanks SarathWSarathW wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 2:43 am There are four ways the gift can be wholesome.
In your case, you are the giver of virtues and giving to unvirtues. (perhaps but we do not know)
In any case, this is a good gift if you are virtuous.
To be a perfect gift both the giver and the receiver have to be virtuous.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=25889&hilit=
Re: giving beggars question
As beggars often use money to buy drugs, so I say :mario92 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 12:14 am Namaste i want to ask a question: here in my surroundings are a lot of beggars, i live in a suburb of houses, some of them steal from houses, others use drugs, others are just migrants, etc. You can not notice. Is it good to give to beggars in general even though is possible that i would be supporting bad behaviour? is it considered good to give even to those hungry beggars? thanks
- I dont give money, but I can buy you something to eat.
We don't live Samsara, Samsara is living us...
"Form, feelings, perceptions, formations, consciousness - don't care about us, we don't exist for them"
"Form, feelings, perceptions, formations, consciousness - don't care about us, we don't exist for them"
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Re: giving beggars question
If I have more almsfood than I need, I sometimes give it to beggars. I think that is better than giving cash, but if they want drugs, no doubt they will swap the food with other beggars for drugs.
Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅga Sutta wrote:“Herein, Ānanda, having given a gift to an animal, one may expect the gift to return a hundredfold. Having given a gift to an ordinary immoral person, one may expect the gift to return a thousandfold. Having given a gift to an ordinary moral person, one may expect the gift to return a hundred thousandfold. Having given a gift to one outside the Buddhist dispensation who is free from sensual desire, one may expect the gift to return times ten billion. By giving a gift to one practising for the realisation of Stream-winning, one may expect an incalculable and immeasurable result...
Blog • Pāli Fonts • In This Very Life • Buddhist Chronicles • Software (Upasampadā: 24th June, 1979)
Re: giving beggars question
Thanks BhanteBhikkhu Pesala wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 8:23 am If I have more almsfood than I need, I sometimes give it to beggars. I think that is better than giving cash, but if they want drugs, no doubt they will swap the food with other beggars for drugs.Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅga Sutta wrote:“Herein, Ānanda, having given a gift to an animal, one may expect the gift to return a hundredfold. Having given a gift to an ordinary immoral person, one may expect the gift to return a thousandfold. Having given a gift to an ordinary moral person, one may expect the gift to return a hundred thousandfold. Having given a gift to one outside the Buddhist dispensation who is free from sensual desire, one may expect the gift to return times ten billion. By giving a gift to one practising for the realisation of Stream-winning, one may expect an incalculable and immeasurable result...
Are there aspects in the teachings that priorities giving to relatives and closer circle in case they are needy before giving to strangers?
Thanks.
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"
This was the last word of the Tathagata.
This was the last word of the Tathagata.
Re: giving beggars question
If you want to keep your money, don't worry about it. It is your money. You don't have to work so hard to justify it by saying the money will not be used well and the recipients are not of good quality.
Re: giving beggars question
In Germany and other countries of Europe gracious, merciful people often give the beggars food.
In terms of Buddhism I think it's a very meritorious activity.
In terms of Buddhism I think it's a very meritorious activity.
How good and wonderful are your days,
How true are your ways?
How true are your ways?
Re: giving beggars question
Hi BhanteBhikkhu Pesala wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 8:23 am If I have more almsfood than I need, I sometimes give it to beggars. I think that is better than giving cash, but if they want drugs, no doubt they will swap the food with other beggars for drugs.Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅga Sutta wrote:“Herein, Ānanda, having given a gift to an animal, one may expect the gift to return a hundredfold. Having given a gift to an ordinary immoral person, one may expect the gift to return a thousandfold. Having given a gift to an ordinary moral person, one may expect the gift to return a hundred thousandfold. Having given a gift to one outside the Buddhist dispensation who is free from sensual desire, one may expect the gift to return times ten billion. By giving a gift to one practising for the realisation of Stream-winning, one may expect an incalculable and immeasurable result...
I was under the impression that monks are not allowed to share their alamfood with others or beggars.
Say I give you some food and I notice that you go and give it to a beggar. Perhaps I may be disappointed.
Perhaps I got my wires crossed somewhere.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Re: giving beggars question
I think the most important thing to do is to watch your mind at that precise situation you are facing and check if you are about to act out of greed. If you are, let go and give whatever is that you should be giving in that situation. But you don't have to if the situation is not about you being greedy but about the beggar pressuring you to give them only because you must, nor if giving that thing is in detriment of you or others.mario92 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 12:14 am Namaste i want to ask a question: here in my surroundings are a lot of beggars, i live in a suburb of houses, some of them steal from houses, others use drugs, others are just migrants, etc. You can not notice. Is it good to give to beggars in general even though is possible that i would be supporting bad behaviour? is it considered good to give even to those hungry beggars? thanks
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa
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Re: giving beggars question
There are certain items of sangha property that it's a Vinaya offence to give away, but almsfood isn't one of them.
The Canon lists five classes of Community belongings that cannot be given out to any individual or divided up among the bhikkhus, even by a Community transaction or through the agency of a Community official. Any bhikkhu who does give out or divide up these belongings incurs a thullaccaya — and even then the belongings do not count as given out or divided up. They are still the property of the Community. The five classes are:
1) A monastery, the site of/for a monastery.
2) A dwelling, the site of/for of a dwelling.
3) A bed, bench, mattress, pillow.
4) A metal pot, a metal basin, a metal jar/bottle, a metal vessel/frying pan, a knife/machete, an axe, an adze, a hoe/spade (the Thai sometimes calls this a hoe, sometimes a spade), a drill/chisel.
5) Vines, bamboo, coarse grass, reeds, tina-grass, clay (all of these can be used as building materials), wooden goods, clay goods.
http://kusala.online-dhamma.net/%E6%96% ... /ch07.html
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
- Bhikkhu Pesala
- Posts: 4646
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:17 pm
Re: giving beggars question
By donating to the Saṅgha or to monks who are striving for nibbāna, lay supporters maximise their merit.
If the monks have more than they need, they should not throw food away in the trash — that would surely upset the dāyakas. If there are other monks who need more food they should share it with them, or with nuns or novices. If there are neither, they can share it with lay people who help the Saṅgha or their own blood relatives if they are needy. Failing that, they should share it with lay people like beggars, or at least leave it where animals can eat it.
There is merit to be made even by sharing the bowl washings with worms and other creatures that live in the garden.
When Ānanda once accepted 500 robes he was accused of being greedy. He explained how they were shared, and how the old robe were reused as bed-sheets, and the old bed-sheets reused as foot-wiping cloths, etc., with nothing being wasted. The donor then gave him another 500 robes.
We should have the same attitude with everything donated, including money donated to a kappiya for paying utility bills, etc. Even if we have sufficient funds to keep the heating on 24/7, we should use it sparingly so that the funds will last longer, and after our death any surplus funds can benefit other monks or meditators.
If the monks have more than they need, they should not throw food away in the trash — that would surely upset the dāyakas. If there are other monks who need more food they should share it with them, or with nuns or novices. If there are neither, they can share it with lay people who help the Saṅgha or their own blood relatives if they are needy. Failing that, they should share it with lay people like beggars, or at least leave it where animals can eat it.
There is merit to be made even by sharing the bowl washings with worms and other creatures that live in the garden.
When Ānanda once accepted 500 robes he was accused of being greedy. He explained how they were shared, and how the old robe were reused as bed-sheets, and the old bed-sheets reused as foot-wiping cloths, etc., with nothing being wasted. The donor then gave him another 500 robes.
We should have the same attitude with everything donated, including money donated to a kappiya for paying utility bills, etc. Even if we have sufficient funds to keep the heating on 24/7, we should use it sparingly so that the funds will last longer, and after our death any surplus funds can benefit other monks or meditators.
Blog • Pāli Fonts • In This Very Life • Buddhist Chronicles • Software (Upasampadā: 24th June, 1979)