Is it skillful/right to donate blood?

SteadyBlue

I wondered, is it right in terms of dharma to donate blood? I see two sides to it, personally. On one hand, you're providing means to help another person, but on the other hand, that's at the cost of removing some of your blood and inviting in a higher-than-normal possibility of fainting or becoming ill, thereby doing harm to yourself. With that said, does the good outweigh the bad?

johnathan

Yes it does... Your becoming faint or becoming ill is less suffering than dieing... Also, the faintness and becoming ill is not guaranteed (I have never experienced either after donating blood)... whereas someone who is dieing and needs blood will die if they don't get it...

The intent is to save lives not harm the self...I don't believe any bad karma would come from such an act.

TheJourney

It's never not right to help someone. Unless it causes more suffering by doing so. But obviously that's not the case here.

Dazzle

Hi SteadyBlue,
There's a very small chance of becoming ill from giving blood -and even if you feel faint at the site of a needle, its such a small inconvenience compared with actively doing something which will help to maintain the lives of others.

Kind wishes,

D.

SteadyBlue

That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure. I gave a pint today, and in my lightheadedness afterwards, I was thinking "I'm very lightheaded and not thinking clearly...is that an issue with right thought?" I guess there is such thing as over-thinking, haha.

Mountains

that's at the cost of removing some of your blood and inviting in a higher-than-normal possibility of fainting or becoming ill, thereby doing harm to yourself. With that said, does the good outweigh the bad?

If you give $100 to the local homeless shelter, and as a result you have to eat ramen noodles two nights that month rather than going out for a nice meal, is that any different? The odds of causing any kind of significant harm to yourself by donating a unit of blood are vanishingly small compared to the immeasurable good it does to someone who needs it. Speaking as someone who has in his lifetime donated well over 5 gallons, as well as done platelet pheresis, but who is no longer eligible to do either, I say *PLEASE* suffer whatever tiny amount of inconvenience it might impose upon you to donate blood and/or platelets.

As a nurse I have watched patients suffer greatly for a lack of it, particularly a lack of platelets (which cannot be banked, they are used as they are donated within a short time). Your tiny bit of suffering can eliminate a HUGE amount of suffering on the other end. Please, please, please donate blood and platelets at every opportunity.

johnathan

@SteadyBlue
"That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure. I gave a pint today, and in my lightheadedness afterwards, I was thinking "I'm very lightheaded and not thinking clearly...is that an issue with right thought?" I guess there is such thing as over-thinking, haha."

I thought Right Thought (or Right Intention): has to do with ridding ourselves of whatever qualities we know to be wrong and immoral (or more specifically the kinds of mental energy that controls our actions)

Right intention can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement.

Buddha distinguishes three types of right intentions:

1. the intention of renunciation, which means resistance to the pull of desire, 2. the intention of good will, meaning resistance to feelings of anger and aversion, and
3. the intention of harmlessness, meaning not to think or act cruelly, violently, or aggressively, and to develop compassion.

You're thinking of the 5th Precept perhaps...

TheJourney

That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure. I gave a pint today, and in my lightheadedness afterwards, I was thinking "I'm very lightheaded and not thinking clearly...is that an issue with right thought?" I guess there is such thing as over-thinking, haha.

It is over-thinking. Don't worry though, you're not alone in that. It is one of the problems of this world. It's all quite simple actually. Just trust yourself. Don't think of the world as some sort of place with all these laws and rules which you have to follow. It's really quite simple. Don't complicate it.

nanadhaja

That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure. I gave a pint today, and in my lightheadedness afterwards, I was thinking "I'm very lightheaded and not thinking clearly...is that an issue with right thought?" I guess there is such thing as over-thinking, haha.</blockquote
Well done my friend.Giving blood is a most virtuous means of giving.
If you feel faint,thats ok,you will get over it.At my first temple in Malaysia we actually had a blood drive on the temple grounds.There were one or two light headed monks after that.
With metta,
Phra Greg

[DeletedUser]

Your blood in the body would not stay there unchanged. It would be replaced naturally, otherwise, you would be problematic. The blood donated is only in a very small portion of blood drawn out from your body. Nonetheless, highest state of hygience has to be taken as once infected from needle etc that contaminated from disease. The aftermath effect is freaking Individual state of health and weight etc also another consideration and doctor is there for you. Although blood donated to the recipient may not entirely provided wholesome goodness even though the recipient is saved, the giver is surely enjoying a state of good blessings/karma.

Dakini

Ive never heard of anyone becoming ill after donating blood. If you're female, take some iron supplements for a few days afterwards.

Don't give blood if you've taken chloroquine, or anything for malaria (if you've travelled) within a year of giving blood. There may be some other prohibitions, as well.

nanadhaja

Ive never heard of anyone becoming ill after donating blood. If you're female, take some iron supplements for a few days afterwards.

Don't give blood if you've taken chloroquine, or anything for malaria (if you've travelled) within a year of giving blood. There may be some other prohibitions, as well.

Hi Dakini.What is the problem giving blood if you have been on anti-malarials?
With metta,
Phra Greg

Dakini

The stuff stays in your blood for a long time. I tried to give blood back when I was travelling to tropical countries, and the docs who gave me the meds for malaria said I couldn't give blood for one year after going off the anti-malarials. That's all I know. Maybe now there's a new generation of anti-malarials that functions differently. But anyone who wants to give blood should find out first what the restrictions are. You don't want to accidentally give "bad blood" (it happens).

SteadyBlue

Man, I say [i]stupid[/i] things sometimes...I realize I've made myself look like an idiot. Believe me though, in real life I do my best to meditate often and alleviate suffering for myself and others as much as I can...I'm not as awful a Buddhist as I look like on here sometimes, I swear.

TheJourney

No such thing as an awful buddhist. Anyone that thinks you're less of a buddhist than he is lacking in understanding.

nvamsa

There are 3 levels of giving:
1. Giving of external things : money, goods, services, any possession etc.
2. Giving of one's body parts: blood donation, organ donation etc.
3. Sacrificing one's life.(highest dana parami)
I'd be glad if I'm able to do this meritorious deed and rejoice before, during & after doing it.

nanadhaja

The stuff stays in your blood for a long time. I tried to give blood back when I was travelling to tropical countries, and the docs who gave me the meds for malaria said I couldn't give blood for one year after going off the anti-malarials. That's all I know. Maybe now there's a new generation of anti-malarials that functions differently. But anyone who wants to give blood should find out first what the restrictions are. You don't want to accidentally give "bad blood" (it happens).

Thanks for that.I will see if I can find something out by the power of google.
It is so true that bad blood can get through causing some devastating results.
I will certainly remember this next time some one asks me if they should donate blood.
With metta,
Phra Greg

Dakini

Right. Not everyone can or should donate blood. You can't just assume it's ok.

nanadhaja

Man, I say [i]stupid[/i] things sometimes...I realize I've made myself look like an idiot. Believe me though, in real life I do my best to meditate often and alleviate suffering for myself and others as much as I can...I'm not as awful a Buddhist as I look like on here sometimes, I swear.

Nothing stupid at all.In fact as a result of your post we are getting some interesting things being said by Dakini for instance.Your post may have helped prevent some one in the future giving blood that may be detremental to the receiver.
With metta,
Phra Greg

dorje

Basically, those on medication should not give blood simply because the recipient may be allergic to the blood and have adverse reactions to them. It's especially so for anti-malarials, because they have a very long half life, i.e. they stay in your body for a long time and take a long time to break down. Similarly, those who have taken paracetamol or aspirin recently are not allowed to donate blood, because some people have adverse reaction to them. It's actually a common allergy, paracetamol and aspirin.

nanadhaja

Basically, those on medication should not give blood simply because the recipient may be allergic to the blood and have adverse reactions to them. It's especially so for anti-malarials, because they have a very long half life, i.e. they stay in your body for a long time and take a long time to break down. Similarly, those who have taken paracetamol or aspirin recently are not allowed to donate blood, because some people have adverse reaction to them. It's actually a common allergy, paracetamol and aspirin.

Thank you for this imformation.These are things I guess that we don't automatically think about when we do things like giving blood.
Do these medications have the same effect if a person dies and organs are transplanted?
With metta,
Phra Greg

dorje

Usually, in organ transplants, the person who is a potential donor is not tested for any medications. This is because the tissues can, and will die very quickly without constant blood flow. This is if the donor is non-living.

If the donor is a living patient, I would gather that the doctor would advise on what medications to avoid taking to avoid complications. Of course this is what I observe. Others may have a different experience.

Ada_B

It's a good thing to give blood, if you can. It could save a life. Bone marrow is also a good thing to give and has fewer restrictions (this is because they don't take the marrow until they find a patient who matches, so your health would be individually assessed at the time). But you need to take advice from the blood doning service about whether you are suitable or not.

fabianfred

When a Boddhisatva trains themself in the ten perfections over huge periods of time, they do each perfection at three levels.
Ordinary = Parami, special = UperParami, super = ParamattaParami...
For the perfection of giving, special is giving organs or body parts or blood, and super is giving ones life.
Therefore blood donors gain special merit from the act.