giving alms to sannyasins or homeless, householders gain merit

[Guest guest]

om amriteshwaryai namaha,

 

[Mother asks some householder devotees to give alms to sannyasins they

are passing] " By giving alms to them, householders gain merit. In

order to lead a happy life in the world, a householder needs such merit.

Giving alms to the deserving is a way of acquiring merit. But a true

spiritual seeker tries to go beyond both merit and demerit; therefore,

he does not care about its gain or loss. " - Ammachi, Awaken Children,

Vol.4, p53 (0059)

 

note: that in the first four vols, Amma is speaking mostly to Indian

devotees some householders, some renunciates; in India there may be

plenty of sannyasins; in the west, we can give to the homeless

 

om hrim namah sivaya ! amma bless !

may all beings everywhere be peaceful, happy, healthy and awakening !

om lokaha samastaha sukhino bhavantu ! om santi santi santihi !

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

giving to the homeless? Ive struggled with this one because alot of

the homeless here will just use the money or alms given to them on

alcohol and drugs. Most don't have job skills and depend on the

government to give them money. I don't know maybe the solution is to

teach a man to fish instaed of giving him one. I won't support

anyone's drug habit. But working soup kitchens or giving to those

charities who feed the homeless is the best thing to do, or buying a

sandwich for them.

 

Does Amma walk through the streets giving money to the homeless?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ammachi , " amarnath " <anatol_zinc wrote:

>

> om amriteshwaryai namaha,

>

> [Mother asks some householder devotees to give alms to sannyasins they

> are passing] " By giving alms to them, householders gain merit. In

> order to lead a happy life in the world, a householder needs such merit.

> Giving alms to the deserving is a way of acquiring merit. But a true

> spiritual seeker tries to go beyond both merit and demerit; therefore,

> he does not care about its gain or loss. " - Ammachi, Awaken Children,

> Vol.4, p53 (0059)

>

> note: that in the first four vols, Amma is speaking mostly to Indian

> devotees some householders, some renunciates; in India there may be

> plenty of sannyasins; in the west, we can give to the homeless

>

> om hrim namah sivaya ! amma bless !

> may all beings everywhere be peaceful, happy, healthy and awakening !

> om lokaha samastaha sukhino bhavantu ! om santi santi santihi !

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

True, you have to be careful. I've bought food and rarely given some

money. There's plenty of mentally ill people who are homeless too.

 

And there's examples (in one of the books) of Sw. Krishna being

chastised by Amma for giving to ashram visitors who beg from her, even

though it's against the rules. Amma said to give the extra money to

'the office' which would then give it out to those they knew needed it

for bus-fare, etc. (To the best of my memory) The idea conveyed was

that it was hard to determine if someone actually needed the money,

aside from the bad karma of enabling someone's addiction.

 

 

Ammachi , " Madhurima " <juliamilin wrote:

>

> giving to the homeless? Ive struggled with this one because alot of

> the homeless here will just use the money or alms given to them on

> alcohol and drugs. Most don't have job skills and depend on the

> government to give them money. I don't know maybe the solution is to

> teach a man to fish instaed of giving him one. I won't support

> anyone's drug habit. But working soup kitchens or giving to those

> charities who feed the homeless is the best thing to do, or buying a

> sandwich for them.

>

> Does Amma walk through the streets giving money to the homeless?

[Guest guest]

living in NYC, there are so many opportunities for you Madhurima.

 

we go to NYC only occasionally for some event,

and take some items of clothing( socks, scarfs, hats, sweatpants, etc )

and/or sandwiches and some money

 

by all means, especially in the beginning,

be careful what you give and who you give to

 

you may want to just talk to them initially

 

but if you are too careful, you might never start

 

we pray to Amma to guide us,

to send us those we should give too

 

just the other day, I was driving to the dentist

in an area (PA) where one would not expect to find homeless

 

but as luck would have it, Amma had this poor

fellow pushing a cart with all his belongings clearly in my sight

 

initially my thoughts pitched in with questions, doubts, etc

then as I put my mind aside, more or less saying " so what "

my actions were thought-less

 

he was so grateful and so was I for the opportunity

 

Amma Bless,

amarnath

 

 

Ammachi , " Madhurima " <juliamilin wrote:

>

> giving to the homeless? Ive struggled with this one because alot of

> the homeless here will just use the money or alms given to them on

> alcohol and drugs. Most don't have job skills and depend on the

> government to give them money. I don't know maybe the solution is to

> teach a man to fish instaed of giving him one. I won't support

> anyone's drug habit. But working soup kitchens or giving to those

> charities who feed the homeless is the best thing to do, or buying a

> sandwich for them.

>

> Does Amma walk through the streets giving money to the homeless?

>

> >>>