What to do with old stuff

[pjc]

Hi, since I found the triple gem, I have decided I want to part with my old possessions from childhood and young adult life that are sitting in my parents garage. I have let go of other possessions and the process has been nothing but rewarding because I can feel the freedom of releasing attachment, and I have been able to good with these items, donating them to charity or donating the proceeds from selling them towards forwarding the dhamma.

However the items I have already let go of have all been useful things that I do not think arouse too much greed, aversion or delusion, but are just useful tools for maintaining well being in our modern world. On the other hand, these possessions from my youth are pretty much all toys, games, videogames, fantasy, sci-fi, violence, addicting, etc. Even the stuffed animals are normal in a non-dhamma view, but seem to be a very distracting, view perverting training tool that when scrutinized seems potentially harmful to give to a child. And in my own experiences, these items were really nothing but a source of attachment and MASSIVE distractions(borderline addictions), which is part of why I am happy to get rid of them and move on entirely from that chapter of keeping them unnecessarily stored away in my parents garage.

Some of the items are valuable, like retro video games and old magic cards. Not crazy, but maybe everything all together is worth $1000-$2000. So its a decent amount of money I could donate to the sangha and contribute to the supporting those who live of the welfare of others. Nevertheless, I have gotten to a point of complete indecision, and need help to work my way out of it. I know I am overthinking this, but to not make a decision is just to leave it for my parents to have to deal with.

My understanding of the teaching regarding livelihood is that the Buddha discourages participating in trade where you will be harmed or encourage others to be harmed through the breaking of the precepts, or in arousing passions, aversion or delusion. As I thought about this, I have started wondering: is it right to sell my old valuables, or even give away possessions that may cause this kind of harm to their recipients? Would it be better to just throw these things away? Or are there other alternatives?

[SarathW]

I always give away what I don't want. Sometimes I sell them.
What matters is using resources effectively and avoid clutter in your house.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I use a site called freecycle.org to pass on things that I no longer need.

[Bundokji]

To determine harm, be reasonable. Evaluate main purpose of the tool, not how it may be used in harmful ways. For example, a baseball bat is designed to play baseball. A disturbed individual might use it to kill someone, but this is not the main purpose of the baseball bat.

[KeepCalm]

Why don't you give your things to a charity shop then they can make some money for a good cause.

Not giving a small child a cuddly toy seems to be taking things too far to me. Surely children need toys to make sense of the world and for their imaginations to develop.

I can see how you could have a problem with toy guns and stuff like that but surely children should be allowed to play?

It is true that nearly all video games are violent and in my opinion, therefore, develop mental formations of violence and killing.

[dharmacorps]

I had a similar experience many years ago. I decided to get rid of all sorts of stuff including a massive record collection. Some I sold, some I gave away. You can't really go wrong. There's nothing wrong with trying to get money for it.

[pjc]

I appreciate all of your responses and shared experiences. I welcome anyone else who wishes to chime in, as unfortunately I am still deliberating. But seeing that there is a unanimous sentiment that giving and perhaps selling old possessions is likely to be non-harmful is pointing me towards being a bit less rigid with what my initial thoughts about what would be appropriate.

I am never the less still hung up on the potential harm these items could cause.

To determine harm, be reasonable. Evaluate main purpose of the tool

In the case of video games, fantasy books, magic cards, action figures the main purpose seems to be entertainment. The 7th precept doesn't specifically mention these things, but they seem to have similar detrimental effects as the entertainments that are mentioned. For instance: that they invite states of becoming that are so immersive you take on further identity views beyond your normal sense of self; they immerse you in a task that makes mindfulness on a skillful topic incredibly challenging; they are mechanisms for ourselves to find distraction from the hard to deal with realities of the world that never the less one must look at in order to find true happiness.

If I sell entertainment, I wonder if that makes the same kamma the Buddha told Talaputa, the actor, would take one to the hell of actors.

Not giving a small child a cuddly toy seems to be taking things too far to me. Surely children need toys to make sense of the world and for their imaginations to develop.

I am probably letting this train of thought push me too far in my reasoning. But, stuffed animals seem to be designed to be part of a common coping strategy that we teach ourselves and pass on to others, in order to deal with fear of abandonment and the inevitable loss of those we love. A strategy that involves deluding ourselves that our parents are eternal, that there will always be something external to take care of us and for us to look to for comfort. These seem to be hallmarks of wrong view.

I don't know lots of suttas, but two that I know that involve children, the Buddha gives the gift of the dhamma. In one instance, children are poking an animal with sticks and the Buddha gives them a teaching on compunction. In the other, the Buddha asks a seven year old girl a questionnaire: do you know that you are going to die? Yes. Do you know when? No. But you know you will die? Yes.

I also have a niece and nephew and can watch young people get so possessive and aggressive over things that have the appearance of being wholesome, but appearances are deceiving. And we live in a world already inundated by "stuff", who needs mine? Besides selling these items and donating the money to a dhamma cause, the main value I see in trying to find them a new home with another person, is the reduction of demand for new items to unnecessarily come into creation.

[Gwi]

Hi, since I found the triple gem, I have decided I want to part with my old possessions from childhood and young adult life that are sitting in my parents garage. I have let go of other possessions and the process has been nothing but rewarding because I can feel the freedom of releasing attachment, and I have been able to good with these items, donating them to charity or donating the proceeds from selling them towards forwarding the dhamma.

However the items I have already let go of have all been useful things that I do not think arouse too much greed, aversion or delusion, but are just useful tools for maintaining well being in our modern world. On the other hand, these possessions from my youth are pretty much all toys, games, videogames, fantasy, sci-fi, violence, addicting, etc. Even the stuffed animals are normal in a non-dhamma view, but seem to be a very distracting, view perverting training tool that when scrutinized seems potentially harmful to give to a child. And in my own experiences, these items were really nothing but a source of attachment and MASSIVE distractions(borderline addictions), which is part of why I am happy to get rid of them and move on entirely from that chapter of keeping them unnecessarily stored away in my parents garage.

Some of the items are valuable, like retro video games and old magic cards. Not crazy, but maybe everything all together is worth $1000-$2000. So its a decent amount of money I could donate to the sangha and contribute to the supporting those who live of the welfare of others. Nevertheless, I have gotten to a point of complete indecision, and need help to work my way out of it. I know I am overthinking this, but to not make a decision is just to leave it for my parents to have to deal with.

My understanding of the teaching regarding livelihood is that the Buddha discourages participating in trade where you will be harmed or encourage others to be harmed through the breaking of the precepts, or in arousing passions, aversion or delusion. As I thought about this, I have started wondering: is it right to sell my old valuables, or even give away possessions that may cause this kind of harm to their recipients? Would it be better to just throw these things away? Or are there other alternatives?

There's nothing wrong with collecting a hobby.
Funding by selling it is also great.

Better not to overdo it.
It's okay to like something, as a layman.

What should be thrown away is
Lazy to donate, meditation, fasting,
not keeping the precepts properly.
This must be the one to throw away.