Why we give alms, robs, monasteries, medicine or anything required for monks / nuns? Coz we think “these monks, nuns chose this life to cease all kind of suffering from their interest and no one force to them, they are wise and that’s why they selected this kind of difficult path to be different from others… so it’s my responsibility to serve them from my level best so they can achieve what they want easily without thinking about basics things like foods, robs, place to stay or medicine etc…” likewise we serve monks & nuns.
So Samma Sambuddha said do not become a debtor to these people who serve everything for you to ease your life and follow the path. If you did not follow the path or you are not able to discipline yourself from desire, hatred & ignorance you become a debtor to these people. So be quick, be hurry and achieve the eternal peace and become a blessing to all beings. And there were some Bhikkus who took this advice so seriously and sit for meditation by thinking that I won’t take my next alms food till I become an Arihat and most of they achieved the noble level.
Why I explained these things? Am I going to insult the Bhikkus who don’t behave like that or praise the Bhikkus who had that quality? NO!!! I’m going to explain how we can use this advice as a lay person whom interest to cease all kind of suffering through dhamma. Let me try my level best.
Your husband, your wife, your kids or grown children, your relatives, your friends or other people recognize you as a person who interest on dhamma and have intention to cease all kind of suffering. Then they support from their level best to achieve what you want sometimes may be through just a word. Family support you through the foods, cloths, place to live, medicine like basics and others may support you by introducing you to various Bhikkus, or dhamma books or dhamma audios etc…
I personally experience sometimes some elderly relatives or teachers or other known people says with the tears in their eyes “oh, dear we were fools when we on your age… we never took this seriously and now we really do regret of what we have done. So it’s pleasure to see wise kids like you and we are ready to give any kind of support to fulfill your wish… etc… and there are some Bhikkus who says its’ really a blessings to see your kind of people still exists in this world and we are ready to do any kind of support to fulfill your wish… and sometimes some friends says it’s a blessings to give some foods to you guys as you are doing something difficult... etc… etc… Most of the time when these things happen or in this kind of situation people being to fly with the ego.
Most of the time when such a treat & words come to them they use it to improve their ego by thinking I’m a noble one, I’m a higher being, I’m in a higher level etc… and even some of the noble people who already in the stream - entry level may think that’s it… this is enough and I’ll attain Arihanthship later etc… Who’s getting the evil effects? If this kind of person is not a noble being that attain any level of the dhamma path may have chances to become a hungry ghost who burning with an alms bowl. Samma Smabuddha explained such kind of hungry ghosts are available just because they become debtor to what they gained as human beings by showing that they follow the path to nirvana or interest on dhamma. So if you are not an enlightened being be careful with what you do. Don’t play with other’s gifts or emotions. Be honest to yourself and to others.
Imagine how grateful you are to other people for such a support. If husband support you think “my husband fulfill all my wish just because he believes in me… my wife support me just because she like to support what I want… my kids my relative even my friends supporting me by not troubling me in a worldly way because they want to see me achieving what I seek” so what if I use these opportunities to just eat & sleep like an normal being? What if I use this opportunity to waste time on chit chatting or increase other’s desires, hatred & ignorance? What if I use this opportunity to entertain myself secretly? Don’t I become a debtor to them?
Even you don’t get any support at all by favoring you for what you seek or need then think “at least I get a chance to analyses the life how suffering, how tiring this existence just because of their behaviors and treat to me” etc… most of the time people think about what they missing. Always in complaining mode, When it comes to the dhamma path or nirvana they complain that my husband not supportive enough, my wife is not supportive enough, my kids my relatives are not supportive enough… my parents wants me to get married and have kids and achieve worldly success how can I betrayed them poor them so I keep this intention for later… etc… etc… and if there is nothing wrong with family then complaining about the country and its’ situation… if the country is peaceful and all ok then complaining about the world’s status… if even the world is ok then being to think about the alien attacks or some kind of another threats from universe… etc… etc… If again all ok then says “How I can attain nirvana it’s not possible because there is no Buddha exists now… so I wait for the next Buddha”
This is the basic quality of all beings, in love with defilement desires, hatred & ignorance. So recognize yourself and there is nothing wrong with the outer world or other people. Always learn to put the blame in to yourself. That’s why it will be easy for you to deal with any faults of your own. Because we can’t correct other’s faults, this is the method of wise beings. They don’t worry about the outer world… they recognize their own faults and they correct themselves. Then only they can become a support to another being too. Then only we can get rid of being a DEBTOR. So be wise. Use the other’s supports, other’s motivation to your path to become a NOT DELAY person and for sure you end up with ultimate happiness. You can guarantee it to yourself because you can feel the change for yourself step by step. That’s the best about dhamma. Not following something unknown or something achieve after death. What we follow through dhamma is possible to experience from the day one which we start to follow BUT should be in correct way. May you all able to become a bless for whole universe!!!
