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Giving to charity
betaboy
Veteran
Namaste,
Giving to charities ... will that create good karma even if one gives with the sole motive of creating good karma?
BB
p.s.
Either way, are there reliable Buddhist charities in India?
Giving to charities ... will that create good karma even if one gives with the sole motive of creating good karma?
BB
p.s.
Either way, are there reliable Buddhist charities in India?
0
Comments
Altruism is a result of compassion. I help people because I know life can be difficult and miserable. I know that if I help somebody, then they may not have to feel that misery. I open the door for somebody because I can, because I am in no rush, because they look stressed, because they have their hands full, because I like to see people smile, because I like to bring people happiness.
You can make this a lot deeper than it is. Eventually, you'll come to the conclusion that people only do things that benefit themselves. Which is true because who would consciously choose to inflict misery upon themselves? You may speak of people burning themselves in political protest, but they did it for themselves as well as for others. They did it because they knew it was right that they stood up. We all have motives.
I am altruistic because I know it is 'right' in my heart. (cliche, I know)
Why did Buddha teach the Dharma? Why not just keep it to himself?
You ask a great deal of questions, are you doing any sitting meditation? I think some of these would become more clear if you looked from a still space.
Giving to others is of benefit to everyone, including yourself. If you are doing it for merit, that's fine. It is good enough that you're doing it. With enough time spent being generous, you'll start to shift over to doing it because of how needed you are, your heart will simply swell with compassion and it will be the right thing to do. You won't seek merit, you'll simply know.
Kind of like how you eat to sustain your life. You don't think of how the food is necessary to remain alive, you notice the hunger and just eat. You'll do the same... you'll notice the compassion and just give. Until then, take it on faith that it is necessary... for merit, for joy, to feel good... whatever motive works is fine.
With warmth,
Matt
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.006.than.html
Dānañca dhamma-cariyā ca
ñātakānañca saṅgaho
Anavajjāni kammāni
etam-maṅgalam-uttamaṃ.
Generosity, living by the Dhamma, assistance to one's relatives,
Deeds that are blameless:
This is the highest good fortune.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dhammayut/chanting.html#mangala
metta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html
" This discourse discusses the motivations one might have for being generous, and rates in ascending order the results that different motivations can lead to. The Commentary notes that the highest motivation, untainted by lower motivations and leading to non-returning, requires a certain level of mastery in concentration and insight in order to be one's genuine motivation for giving."
Also Sappurisadana Sutta: A Person of Integrity's Gifts
"These five are a person of integrity's gifts. Which five? A person of integrity gives a gift with a sense of conviction. A person of integrity gives a gift attentively. A person of integrity gives a gift in season. A person of integrity gives a gift with an empathetic heart. A person of integrity gives a gift without adversely affecting himself or others.
"Having given a gift with a sense of conviction, he — wherever the result of that gift ripens — is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions. And he is well-built, handsome, extremely inspiring, endowed with a lotus-like complexion.
"Having given a gift attentively, he — wherever the result of that gift ripens — is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions. And his children, wives, slaves, servants, and workers listen carefully to him, lend him their ears, and serve him with understanding hearts.
"Having given a gift in season, he — wherever the result of that gift ripens — is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions. And his goals are fulfilled in season.
"Having given a gift with an empathetic heart, he — wherever the result of that gift ripens — is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions. And his mind inclines to the enjoyment of the five strings of lavish sensuality.
"Having given a gift without adversely affecting himself or others, he — wherever the result of that gift ripens — is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions. And not from anywhere does destruction come to his property — whether from fire, from water, from kings, from thieves, or from hateful heirs.
"These five are a person of integrity's gifts."
With metta,
While I hope this gives me good karma, I really really hope that the charities can keep doing the work they do to make people and animals happier&healthier.
Sorry for being brutally honest.
When I moved to Colorado, through a new friend I was invited to join a monthly lunch group. Most of the people in the lunch group work long hours at the local soup kitchen for the homeless once a week. What a positive of group of people they are! I still choose to do other things than the soup kitchen, but just being around them is uplifting. But, my point is that being around positive people might lead to a change in attitude of the OP, which in the long run could change his life and karma.
Also caring about and helping others gives one a good feeling and makes people happy. Think about people who volunteer alot, they tend to be very happy people. Not only does one get a good feeling for oneself but people tend to respond better to genuinly nice people and often reject selfish people. As the Dalai Lama says, if you're going to be selfish, at least be 'wise' selfish.