The fields of Giving

Q&A (2021/12/05)

In reference to the #3 question from Nov. 21 weeks ago:

3. Is happiness just at the physical level?

~> There are different levels of happiness, but for ordinary people, they only consider the abundance of external materials, thinking that having these basic materials is equivalent to obtaining happiness.

~> They are not yet considering higher-level happiness, such as the happiness of achieving meditation, the happiness of saving sentient beings, or the happiness of liberating troubles. 

1a. Does this sentence structure alline with stages of the path: 

• Meditation • Bodhisattva• Enlightenment 

~> I will present it as below diagram:

1b. A member of the group was hoping we could read articles on Happiness. We talked about happiness a lot and we wondered how to achieve it ....

~>The fundamental idea of ​​Buddhism be situated in 

to escape suffering and attain happiness

Therefore, each of the big and small topics in the book not only provide us with the correct concept of happiness, but also hope that we will practice and apply them in order to gain the happiness from our hearts gradually.

~> Since the fundamental topic of Buddhism is not separated from happiness, I hope that everyone in the book club will not forget to link their “reading gains” to the exploration of happiness in each meeting. Here are also some famous quotes about happiness to share with you:

• To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him. (Buddha)

• Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. (Buddha)

• Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. (Buddha)

• Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions. (Dalai Lama)

• Happiness is when “what you think, what you say, and what you do” are in harmony. (Mahatma Gandhi)

Verse 46 in The Way to Buddhahood:

One should give willingly and in ways that are beneficial to others,

Having compassion or respect in different circumstances.

There are differences in attitudes, in the fields of good fortune, and in the substances given,

And accordingly there are differences in the levels of merits.

2. In reading about the two fields Compassion and Respect (in modern day) Are there more fields now? Did the Buddha mention these fields in a specific teaching?

~> Farmer plowing is one of the common themes in both the Āgamas Sūtras and the Pāli Canon. Good farmland is the basic condition to guarantee the harvest. Therefore, the Buddha often used it as a metaphor for spiritual practice, even in the practice of Giving.

~> The field of Respect and the field of Compassion, are the most basic definitions, which are divided from one's own capabilities.  Some people are better than us in abilities and other aspects, and we treat them with Respect; while there are others whose living conditions or physical conditions are inferior to ours, and we should empathize them with Compassion.  Therefore, initiating from our own condition, people who are better than us become our field of Respect, and those who encounter more difficulties than us become our field of Compassion.

~> In later commentaries, we did see different classification, as follows (sources: Digital Dictionary of Buddhism): 

• The three kinds of fields producing happiness, with lists varying according to the source: (1) respect 敬田, (2) gratitude 恩田, and (3) compassion 悲田.

• The eight fields for cultivating blessedness 福田: buddhas 佛田; saints 聖人田; monks/nuns 僧田; preaching monks (upâdhyāya) 和尙田; teachers (ācārya) 闍黎田; father 父田; mother 母田; the sick 病田. 

• Buddhas, saints, and monks/nuns are termed reverence-fields 敬田; the sick are compassion-fields 悲田; the rest are grace- or gratitude- fields 恩田. 〔梵網經 T 1484.24.1007a15〕

• Another group is : to make roads and wells 曠路作井 (曠野美井); canals and bridges 建造橋樑 (水路橋梁); repair dangerous roads 平治嶮路; be dutiful to parents 孝養父母; support monks 供養沙門; tend the sick 給事病人(供養病人); save from disaster or distress 救濟貧窮 (救濟死難); provide for a dharma-equality assembly 設無遮會. 〔梵網經古迹記 HBJ 3.462a1; T 1815.40.710c1〕

• Another group is : making offerings to the serving the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha; parents; the monks as teachers; the poor; the sick; and animals.

3. In relation to other religions ....Is there a special property of giving in Buddhism?

~> Poverty can easily cause a person to lose his moral bottom line and act in violation of law and discipline, which not only affects others but also hurts oneself.

~> To eradicate poverty, most people think of earning more money in order to accumulate wealth. However, the Buddha instructs us to cultivate charity, and the act of Giving & Sharing is the best way to cultivate a charitable mind.

~> At the same time, being charitable can also subdue people's greed and stinginess, and make mental health more healthy.

~> If you have noticed the layout of this book, we will study the topic of generosity twice, once in the third chapter (verse 45-47), and then in the fifth chapter (verse 124-129). Why do we have to talk about generosity twice and separately?

~> In the third chapter, the main target learners come from people who have just started to learn about Buddhism. Their general concern is still the world's materials, wealth and enjoyment of life.  At this stage, if they can establish the right view of generosity, and reduce their greed and stinginess through giving & sharing, it is already a very good achievement.

~> As for the discussion of generosity again in Chapter 5, it is different.  The learner is no longer a beginner in Buddhism, but a person who knows how to practice. Greed and stingy are relatively weak, or it can be said that greed will no longer arise so easily.  When this type of people re-examine the issue of generosity, they are no longer trying to subdue the troubles of greed, nor to increase more wealth (external material enjoyment), but hope to enhance their wisdom through Giving & Sharing.  Therefore, the generosity discussed in Chapter 5 will be related to the truth of emptiness.  They hope that through generosity, they can have a better and deeper experience in their spiritual practice.

How do we cut the root of poverty?

Q&A (2021/11/21)

from the Verse 45 in The Way to Buddhahood:

Humans depend on the basic necessities of life to obtain happiness, 

But these necessities are derived from previous charities. 

Thus, for sentient beings, the Buddha 

Always praises first the good fortune of giving.

When the Tathāgata expounded the Dharma, he did not teach like we do now. He did not always begin with discourses about liberation from birth and death, birth in a Pure Land, all things being identical with emptiness, or both mind and the Buddha being identical.

1. How is the Mind and Buddha identical? IS it referring to Buddha nature?

~> That’s right, we can think of it as Buddha-nature, it can also be regarded as the state of achieving liberation / enlightenment, and it can also be regarded as “the very moment when the Truth (emptiness) appears”.

~> However, these aspects are too profound to be understood by beginners, so the Buddha would not teach sentient beings these difficult teachings at the beginning.

If the people were able to believe in and practice these virtues and also appeared to have the roots of virtue necessary to transcend the world, then the Tathāgata would expound the world-transcending Dharma.

2. What is the world-transcending dharmma? Is it Mahayanna? or the end to suffering?

~> In Theravāda, it refers to all teaching and practice that lead to nibbana, the highest good and final goal in Theravāda Buddhism.

~> In Mahāyāna , it refers to the practice of all bodhisattvas, with the ultimate goal of becoming a Buddha and helping sentient beings.

For their happiness humans depend on the basic necessities of life such as clothing, food, lodging, transportation, and medication.

3. Is happiness just at the physical level?

~> There are different levels of happiness, but for ordinary people, they only consider the abundance of external materials, thinking that having these basic materials is equivalent to obtaining happiness.

~> They are not yet considering higher-level happiness, such as the happiness of achieving meditation, the happiness of saving sentient beings, or the happiness of liberating troubles.

Of the threefold fortunate karma, giving was what the Tathāgata always preached first. He did this for a very important reason, as was clearly expounded in the verses by Candrakīrti Bodhisattva.

4. What is the verse by Candrakirti Bodhisattva? (is this the same Candrakirti that wrote the commentary on narajuna?)

~> Madhyamakāvatāra (入中論) is a commentary on the meaning of Nagarjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (中觀論) and the Ten Stages Sutra (十地經).

~> The mentioned verse in the book as : 

All living beings yearn for only happiness,

And yet there is no human joy without enjoyment of possessions. The latter in their turn arise from generosity.

This Buddha knew and so spoke first of giving.

彼諸眾生皆求樂

若無資具樂非有

知受用具從施出

故佛先說布施論

~> The general idea is: all living beings pursue happiness, but in their pursuing process, the external material is often determined to be the main cause of happiness. In fact, those are not TRUE happiness.  Nevertheless, these external materials are not useless. With abundant resources such as food, clothing, housing and medicine, they can be used to relieve SOME of the suffering of sentient beings.  But, to be abundant, sentient beings must first learn to GIVE (You can fulfill your wishes only if you have a heart of charity). That's why the Buddha first expounded about the importance of "giving".

5. How do we cut the root of poverty? Is it by sharing our wealth after first taking care of our own needs?

~> From the perspective of “mindset”, Buddha encouraged us to cultivate “the sharing mind”.

~> From the perspective of “living (real life activity)”, we undoubtedly need to take care of our basic life in the first place.

~> The good deeds of “giving” will pay more attention to the "charity mind", especially the need to restrain one's greed and stinginess.

~> Hence, having the mind of generosity not only allows us to gradually eliminate poverty, but also does not prevent us from taking care of our own needs.

6. What are the differences between: Desire, craving and clinging?

~> Generally speaking, they are the same, but show varying degrees of greed. They are being counted as one of the 'three poisons' (三毒); in Yogâcāra (唯識) consciousness theory, it is one of the six primary afflictions (根本煩惱).

~> The basic sense includes :greed; sensual attachment, covetousness; to hanker after, to want.

~> From Skt. rāga / Pali. lobha, usually translated into CRAVE.

~> From Skt. tṛṣṇā / Pali. taṇhā, regularly translated into DESIRE.

~> In the narrative of twelve dependent origination (十二緣起), CLINGING will arise after CRAVE, which leads to different degrees of greed. As I usually say, the more we crave, the more we cling.

These necessities of life are dependent on the fortunate karma of giving, so when the Buddha preached the Dharma he urged people to accumulate merit through giving; by doing so they would avoid future poverty and the hardships that affect one’s economic state and one’s practice of the Buddha Dharma.

7. In which Sutta does the Buddha say: "give now and you will get a good return in your next life" or is this a comment by  Ven. Yin Shun?

~> This is a basic and common view in the Āgamas Sūtras, or divisions of the early Indian scriptures; and also in the Pāli Canon.

~> For instant, in the Saṃyuktâgama no.1146 and Samyutta Nikāya 3.21.