Will you give when a man with stroke come knocking on your

last SG · 2011-08-26T17:08:01+00:00

If you encounter such a case, it means that you have encountered the 因緣 for practising doing good. This is known in Buddhism as 佛緣. For me, I would donate so...

Leogirldreamer SG

i just had a strange encounter. A man came to my door and told me Amitabhva Buddha asked him to go around asking for alms for a period of time. There was a little boy with him about 3 years and another 9 – 10 years boy behind him.

I asked him how did Amitabhva Buddha ask you to go begging? did you dream of him?

He just showed me his half limp body and said he had a stroke and Amitahbha Buddha asked him to beg for a period of time.

I then asked do you know how to chant the Amitabha Sutra? He said he only know how to say Namo Amitabhva buddha.

I told him to use his conscience and do not insult buddhists.

I didn’t give him any money at all although i can tell his stroke is for real. But i was a bit angry at the way he used Amitabha Buddha name to ask for money. He left looking a bit sad and disappointed. I don’t know whether i have done the right thing but it is the first time someone come to my door to beg. It’s quite a shocker. Plus he use the name of buddha.

Will you give him money?

Beautiful951 SG

Well, I don't know. I may give him food if I have vegetarian food in the house. But not money.

Asking him to recite the sutra is not really easy. I know about the pureland and Amitabha buddha's vows but I can't remember the entire sutra.

realization SG

For me...

I will give him some money (probably not more than $5).

If I have an extra strand of mala beads at home and one of those Amitabha Sutra free publications, I will give those to him and teach him how to recite 'Namo Amituofo'.

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A bit of explanation.

Many years ago, when I was browsing books at MPH (the one at Stamford Road), this guy standing beside me told me, "Buy this... buy the Tibetan Book for the Living and the Dead". I bought the book on his recommendation and spent some time listening to him talk about his retreat experience in Nepal. A week later, he asked me out to give me a strand of mala beads and taught me to chant "Om Mani Padme Hung".

While I didn't immediately decide to follow the teachings of the Buddha then, I believe it planted the seed. From the book I bought, I learnt very basic breathing meditation (pay attention to the gap between the in and out breath). I still have that strand of mala beads.

Amituofo. /\

An Eternal Now SG

It is good to warn him against that.

Abhasita Sutta
Monks, these two slander the Tathagata. Which two?
He who explains what was not said or spoken by the Tathagata
as said or spoken by the Tathagata. And he who explains what
was said or spoken by the Tathagata as not said or spoken by
the Tathagata. These are two who slander the Tathagata.

Now, as we all know, slandering the Buddha is a cause for rebirth in the lower realms.

Dawnfirstlight SG

I will give him money but will advise him not to go round telling people Amitabha asked him to go round begging.

Domo Kun SG

Well, I don't know. I may give him food if I have vegetarian food in the house. But not money.

Asking him to recite the sutra is not really easy. I know about the pureland and Amitabha buddha's vows but I can't remember the entire sutra.

Amitabha's 48 vows, who can rememeber the 48 vows can take part in memory contest. I until now only memorise heart sutra and sutra of eight great awakening only in chinese.

realization SG

I will give him money but will advise him not to go round telling people Amitabha asked him to go round begging.

I wonder if he did that thinking that some people would be afraid to go against Amitabha and hence give him money?

Beautiful951 SG

Amitabha's 48 vows, who can rememeber the 48 vows can take part in memory contest. I until now only memorise heart sutra and sutra of eight great awakening only in chinese.

I merely meant that I knew that he made vows to create a pureland to save sentient beings by making it easier for them to be reborn and practice in his pureland but I cannot recite all 48 vows by memory.

LavenderWu SG

I was almost a beggar before too. Beggars whether street or door to door one already “throw away their face” and give their all to beg.
If I am the one facing this scenario. I will do 2 good deeds at 1 go.

Amitabha have mercy, hope he forgave this man for using his name to beg.
1) I will introduce him to Amitabha religion, bring him to temple which have Amitabha.
And a good thing is, he can repent and say sorry to Amitabha in the temple.
Second good thing is some temple provide free vegetarian meals everyday.
I will encourage him to chant Amitabha mantra to change his fate.

2) Religion is not bread. Hence regarding his poverty. I will get help from social service or old folk home or destitute home to take him in. Or CDC to help him get a job. Since he had stroke, he can’t work. Hence will find a home willing to adopt him.

2009novice SG

haha... tell him... one recitation of Amituofo one penny for him

realization SG

Amitabha have mercy, hope he forgave this man for using his name to beg.
1) I will introduce him to Amitabha religion, bring him to temple which have Amitabha.
And a good thing is, he can repent and say sorry to Amitabha in the temple.
Second good thing is some temple provide free vegetarian meals everyday.
I will encourage him to chant Amitabha mantra to change his fate.

in response:

1) Yes, good thinking!. I'd forgotten that the major temples have free vegetarian meals daily.

2) I like your pragmatism :) Get him help from social services.

LavenderWu SG

Hahahaha. Ya good idea Novice. But then I want him to chant not for sake of money (although money problem to him is utmost now). Hope he can change his fate for better.

realization SG

haha... tell him... one recitation of Amituofo one penny for him

you ar...

LavenderWu SG

Thanks realization.

2009novice SG

you ar...

actually... there was a Pureland patriarch which I can't recall his name... Not sure whether was it Shan Dao Da Shi

he started promoting Pureland, by encouraging the locals to recite Amituofo. (by using one penny starting from children)

Soon the entire town were chanting Amituofo.

Lol...

OK found it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u07QLwbva0E

realization SG

actually... there was a Pureland patriarch which I can't recall his name... Not sure whether was it Shan Dao Da Shi

he started promoting Pureland, by encouraging the locals to recite Amituofo. (by using one penny starting from children)

Soon the entire town were chanting Amituofo.

Lol...

Heard of that before, yes.

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And unfortunately, there was also one modern day Venerable (don't remember which) who offered money to a beggar, but requested she chant 'Namo Amituofo' but once. The girl refused, and the Venerable felt sad that such is the spiritual poverty of the people of our times. As in, refusing to utter even one recitation of the Buddha's name.

mancha SG

Something tipped him off that the occupants of the house are Buddhists.

Leogirldreamer SG

actually if the man had come to my door and said ”” i had a stroke and no job for a long time, can you give me some money?” i will straightaway give him a few dollars and no questions ask.

but he came and said ” namo amitabha buddha, Amitabha Buddha had asked me to ask for alms for a period of time”. I go like ???!!! are you sure.

are you so good a person that Amitabha Buddha even tell you what to do ???

i mean is it going to be a trend that beggar go around and say ” Guan Shi Yin Pusa ask me to beg ”.....that kind of stuff. It is very false. If he has been straightforward and said his stroke problem without citing buddha’s name, i will definitely help him.

Anyway if i gave him a mala bead and even teach him how to chant the sutra, don’t you think he might even use it to beg even more successfully? with a mala bead in one hand and the sutra in the other ? and telling people Amitabha buddha ask him to beg????

Domo Kun SG

Heard of that before, yes.

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Cannot blame ppl. In Secondary school, my school nearby got buddhists funeral. The classmates make fun of the funeral. Some of my sec school frenz always slander buddha also.

Leogirldreamer SG

and i remembered the two boys that followed him were well dressed. I have seen really poor boy in tattered t-shirt, so these two were dressed quite well. The older boy even look sheepish when i questioned this guy about the content of the Amitabha Buddha sutra.

Although i felt bad not helping this man but i don’t want to feel cheated because someone use the name of Buddha to “pressurize” me to give. And i want to stop him from using the name of Amitabha Buddha,, so i questioned him.

I told him to go to any temple and they will let him sit to chant. The reason he gave me was he had a stroke he can’t pray and ” how do you chant the sutra?” Coming from someone who claimed Amitabha Buddha asked him to beg for alms, this is unbelievable.

Imagine beggars go around saying ” Jesus ask me to beg ”, ” Guan Shi Yin Pusa ask me to beg ” ......for eg….goodness…what’s next ?