Troubled....Monks, money and charity.

Makarov

Dear On-Line Sangha,
Once again I come to you, as I seem to every few months, with a question that I am unable to convincingly answer for myself.

I currently sponsor a Tibetan Monk in one of the Drepungs of Mundgod, India. I chose to sponsor this particular monk because he was ill and needed special support due to medical expenses, etc. I too have some medical issues that are irellevant to my question but this fact has brought the two of us together in quite an interesting way. I send funds and medical supplies to him to help with his treatment and he sends packages of Traditional Tibetan medications to me and prays for my health.

MY QUESTION: This young monk is only 21 and has many years of health care and educational expenses ahead of him as well as some desire to eventually bring his parents & siblings to India someday. How appropriate or inappropriate would it be for me to open a Savings Account for him into which I deposit very small amounts periodically, say $5 - $10 a month.
IF this is ok...should I tell him I am doing it or should I view it as an eventual gift to be presented when the need for the money arises?

Thanks for your help here ....
Erich

federica

"Use the Force, Luke...."

...Or in this case, tackle the Eightfold Path, one step at a time....

Right View
Right Intention
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Business, or Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Awareness
Right Meditation....

Take one at a time and ask your question.... the only one who can truly give you a sufficiently satisfactory and unambiguous answer - is you.

Simonthepilgrim

Welcome back, Erich. Good to see you here again.

After only a few moments of thought about your question, it seems to me that you could solve your dilemma in the following way:

Make contact with the monk's abbot. Explain that you want to support the medical expenses that his sangha must incur in looking after him, and how you want to do it. Specify that the money is for this purpose, until it is no longer needed. t that point, ask the abbot to contact you so that you can decide whether to continue to support the sangha's needs.

After all, your sponsored monk may, or may not, need the funds for long but the sangha's needs will go on and on.

May your actions benefit all beings.

Makarov

Hi Simon and Federica, Thanks for your simple wisdom in response to my question. I guess my dilemna is wanting to give to one who wishes to possess nothing....kind of a sticky situation and a "social" situation where a Westerner can have difficulty relating to/understanding such a lifestyle.

Palzang

If your offering is motivated by generosity (the first of the six paramitas), then how can it be wrong? My experience is that monks in India are always in dire need of money just to cover basic living expenses, such as a toothbrush or some sandals. Even a little goes a long way for them, and they are very appreciative. They live in very basic accommodations for the most part. The monasteries give them what they can, but it's often very little. So anything you can do to help one (or more) of them is wonderful. And to help bring his family to India would be even better. You know, you could also do the savings account anonymously. That would be even greater merit because you wouldn't be tempted to puff up your ego about it! (not that you would, but I'm just saying...)

Palzang

Makarov

I especially like your "annonymous" idea Palzang. Again, something that had not occured to me! Perhaps, rather than earmark the money for "my" monk I could open the account and then make a gift of it, after it grows a bit, to The Sangha for whatever needs it has at that time. Super Ideas! That's why I ask you guys! Erich