Does this mean stream enterers can't make charitable gifts to non-Buddhists?He is incapable of seeking outside the Sangha for persons worthy of gifts. (Dutiya-abhabbannhana Sutta AN. iii. 439)
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Can Stream Enterers Give to Non-Buddhist Charities?
Can Stream Enterers Give to Non-Buddhist Charities?
Non-violence is the greatest virtue, cowardice the greatest vice. - Mahatma Gandhi
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Re: Can Stream Enterers Give to Non-Buddhist Charities?
I don't read it that way -
Upali was a famous disciple of Nigantha Nataputta (Mahavira) - he went to visit the Buddha trying to defeat him in a debate. He ended up taking refuge in the Buddha. The Buddha told him to continue supporting the other ascetics (non-Buddhists) who had been relying on him for so long. Upali became a stream-enterer. It seems that although he no longer kept his house open to non-Buddhist ascetics, or treated them with great reverence, he did instruct his servants to continue to offer alms to them when requested. He reserved the more excellent treatment for disciples of the Buddha...
I'm sure you could find other examples from the suttas. I recall that the Buddha said that it is demeritorious to discourages someone from an act of generosity, presumably whether the recipients are Buddhists or not. That is because generosity is meritorious in all cases - and yet it is MORE meritorious to offer to someone who is virtuous, and has abandoned greed, hate, and delusion or is practicing to do so (So, Buddhas and Noble disciples are the prime candidates).
So, I don't think a stream enterer would necessarily abstain from giving charitable gifts to non-Buddhists, but they would not imagine that they could find someone more worthy of gifts than the four types of Noble disciples, or the Buddha himself.
Upali was a famous disciple of Nigantha Nataputta (Mahavira) - he went to visit the Buddha trying to defeat him in a debate. He ended up taking refuge in the Buddha. The Buddha told him to continue supporting the other ascetics (non-Buddhists) who had been relying on him for so long. Upali became a stream-enterer. It seems that although he no longer kept his house open to non-Buddhist ascetics, or treated them with great reverence, he did instruct his servants to continue to offer alms to them when requested. He reserved the more excellent treatment for disciples of the Buddha...
I'm sure you could find other examples from the suttas. I recall that the Buddha said that it is demeritorious to discourages someone from an act of generosity, presumably whether the recipients are Buddhists or not. That is because generosity is meritorious in all cases - and yet it is MORE meritorious to offer to someone who is virtuous, and has abandoned greed, hate, and delusion or is practicing to do so (So, Buddhas and Noble disciples are the prime candidates).
So, I don't think a stream enterer would necessarily abstain from giving charitable gifts to non-Buddhists, but they would not imagine that they could find someone more worthy of gifts than the four types of Noble disciples, or the Buddha himself.
Re: Can Stream Enterers Give to Non-Buddhist Charities?
Hello:
No, the meaning of that phrase is that a Sotapanna won´t look outside the buddhist community for any of the eight individuals (this are the eight kind of individuals "worthy of gifts").
No, the meaning of that phrase is that a Sotapanna won´t look outside the buddhist community for any of the eight individuals (this are the eight kind of individuals "worthy of gifts").
Regards.Monks, there are these eight individuals who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which eight?
The one who has entered the stream, the one who has entered upon the course for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry, the once-returner, the one who has entered upon the course for the realization of the fruit of once-returning, the non-returner, the one who has entered upon the course for the realization of the fruit of non-returning, the arahant, the one who has entered upon the course for arahantship
Monks, these are the eight individuals who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.