Dana and debt

Balancing family life and the Dhamma, in pursuit of a happy lay life.
TRobinson465
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Re: Dana and debt

Post by TRobinson465 »

DooDoot wrote: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:36 am ....
Anyways, If you would like i will rescind my rockefeller argument. As i feel this side chatter is detracting from the OPs intent of the thread. if you would like to continue this exchange you can create another thread and ping me and we can continue without sorta ruining the OP's thread here. If not we can just leave it. But i feel it better i just rescind my rockefeller argument then sit here and try to defend it while ending up hijacking the thread and ruining it for everyone else just so i can make my point.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
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salayatananirodha
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Re: Dana and debt

Post by salayatananirodha »

dylanj wrote: Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:49 am The kammic consequence of generosity & giving is wealth.

No one has ever nor will ever become poor from giving.

If you have debt you should give more. Even if you have just $100 you could give it all away & your debt will not be a bigger burden as a result, wealth will come to you. Through generosity your wealth will increase & you will be able to pay your debt while continuing to give & develop relinquishment.

Causality is not materialist, it is ethical. Many Buddhists fail to break out of materialism.

You should have faith that you could literally give away everything you have, all of your possessions, & the result will only be an increase of wealth, not a decrease.

anāthapiṇḍika gave away his entire fortune & sure enough he developed a whole new fortune all in one lifetime.

I have about $20,000 of debt. I give a couple hundred dollars in charity each month. Whenever anyone asks me for money I give it to them. I help support a poor Burmese friend of mine. I recently paid for the school fees of a man from Uganda who messaged me asking for money on facebook. I donated $50 to pariyatti yesterday. Overall my wealth & income is increasing. Still I could & should do more.

The thought "I do not have enough to give" is stinginess. It is not a rational conclusion based on how poverty & wealth actually manifest in the world. They are results of kamma. You will become rich if you're generous. You will become poor if you're miserly. The moment you hesitate to relinquish your wealth is the moment you should throw it all at those who deserve it. This is a radical mode of causality extremely different than what the world generally believes in but it's what the Buddha taught & you would do well to have faith in it.
this is one of the most inspiring things i read in 2018 and it really altered my practice
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salayatananirodha
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Re: Dana and debt

Post by salayatananirodha »

dylanj wrote: Wed Jun 13, 2018 9:13 pm
'''Whatever there may be in our family that can be given away, all that we will share unreservedly with the virtuous ones who are of good character.' It is in such a way that you should train yourselves. "
:goodpost:
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