Question and Answer for Life

Should donate my money to make merit through charity or toward the support of the monastic community since there are so many underprivileged groups?

Today’s society seems to be filled with so many underprivileged groups. I wonder if I should donate my money to make merit through charity or toward the support of the monastic community.

What is the definitive meaning to the saying “Good deeds brings wholesome results and bad deeds produce retribution”?

What is the definitive meaning to the saying “Good deeds brings wholesome results and bad deeds produce retribution”? Luangphaw can you please help clarify this for me because people nowadays believe that doing good deeds does not necessary lead to good results. However, they believe that misdeeds can yield benefits. What has led them to think in this way?

What is a definition of karma?

As a mother, I have taken great care in teaching my children about virtues, but children these days need to have good reasons. So they often would ask me a question in return concerning the standard one would use to measure good and bad? I am unable to answer their question sufficiently, so I ask you, Luangphaw, to help provide a definition to the word karma? How many ways can one acquire karma? What are the determining factors?

When the monks go for the offering rounds, can they wear a pair of sandals?

I would like to ask about when the monks go for the offering rounds; can they wear a pair of sandals? For nowadays some areas are not suited to walk bare footed.

Some students got low marks from the entrance exam, which constrained them to study in their less favored college. what should they do?

I would like to ask Luang Phaw about the college entrance examination of high school students. Some of my students were disappointed with the low marks they got from the exam, which deprived them of the chance to enter their chosen college. Then they were constrained to having to study in their less favored college. May Luang Phaw explain to me regarding what they should do?

What kind of knowledge does Buddhism provide for their benefit?

My students often ask the question that when other school subjects they study provide them with various types of knowledge regarding managing the Four Basic Requisites in their everyday lives, then what kind of knowledge does Buddhism provide for their benefit?

Lord Buddha’s teachings contain a total of 84,000 topics. As a school teacher, which parts of the teachings I should lecture to the school students at the primary and secondary levels?

We have always known that the Lord Buddha’s teachings contain a total of 84,000 topics. For me as a school teacher, I would like to ask which parts of the Teachings I should lecture to the school students at the primary and secondary levels.

If military personnel has the opportunity to ordain as a monk, what appropriate topics of the Buddhist teachings should they be taught? What kinds of merit will those who sponsor the ordination ceremony gain?

If military personnel has the opportunity to ordain as a monk, what appropriate topics of the Buddhist teachings should they be taught? And what kinds of merit will those who sponsor the ordination ceremony gain?

Soldiers and policemen have to be brave and they therefore, get into the habit of drinking alcohol to make them look courageous. How to change this erroneous core value?

Soldiers and policemen have to be brave and they therefore, get into the habit of drinking alcohol to make them look courageous. I would like to ask Luang Phor how to change this erroneous core value?

Will the friendship amongst drinkers last long?

People like to say that going out to drink alcohol with friends is a means to strengthen unity and promote relationships. It is regarded as promoting friendship. I just wonder if the friendship amongst drinkers will last long.

Why so many methods of meditation?

I initiated many friends into the practice of Dhammakaya meditation. They asked me why there are so many methods of meditation and why all the traditions claim that their method is the best. I would like to know how I should explain this issue to them.

Business these days is comprised of competing by means of pricing, trading-in, presenting a gift and offering something as a giveaway in order to beat the competitors. Is it considered exploiting the opposite sides?

Business these days is comprised of competing by means of pricing, trading-in, presenting a gift and offering something as a giveaway in order to beat the competitors. In doing so, is it considered exploiting the opposite sides?

Most people say that the fourth precept is particularly difficult to strictly observe, especially for those who are merchants. Are there any strategies to keep the fourth precept pure and chaste?

Most people say that the fourth precept is particularly difficult to strictly observe, especially for those who are merchants like myself. I would therefore like to ask Luang Por if there are any strategies to keep the fourth precept pure and chaste?

What is the cause of selfishness in a human being? Also, how should I behave towards selfish colleagues?

What is the cause of selfishness in a human being? Also, how should I behave towards selfish colleagues?

In the case where the judge sentences the murderer to death, but does not execute the culprit him/herself, is s/he regarded as violating the first precept him/herself?

In the case where the judge sentences the murderer to death, but does not execute the culprit him/herself, is s/he regarded as violating the first precept him/herself?

Military and police whose duty it is to protect the sovereignty of the nation and quell the unrest sometimes inevitably have to wound and kill the thieves. This kind of killing is more or less sinful than general killing?

the military men and women and the police, whose duty it is to protect the sovereignty of the nation and quell the unrest sometimes inevitably have to wound and kill the thieves. But killing and hurting people are necessary. I would like to ask Luang Por whether this kind of killing is more or less sinful than general killing?

What moral principles should be picked up to apply to my life so that I could maintain a scrupulous life?

My father has just passed away, as the eldest son of the family, how should I take a good care of my mother and my younger sister? And what moral principles should be picked up to apply to my life so that I could maintain a scrupulous life?

If a doctor cures the illness and it happens that the medical treatment has side effects causing the patient to death, is the doctor at fault?

In the case that the doctor cures the illness and it happens that the medical treatment has side effects causing the patient to death. I would like to ask if the doctor is at fault?

Doctors and nurses by the nature of their work often are involved in birth, ageing, illness and death, but most of them are not interested in Buddhism which teaches the truth about life, why it is so? how should I persuade them to study the Lord Buddha’s

Doctors and nurses by the nature of their work often are involved in birth, ageing, illness and death, but most of them are not interested in Buddhism which teaches the truth about life, why it is so? And how should I persuade them to study the Lord Buddha’s Teachings?

Is there a way to console or recommendation we can offer to encourage who wishes to commit suicide to choose life?

It’s the case of knowing someone who’s undergoing untold suffering and distress and wishes to commit suicide. Is there a way to console or recommendation we can offer to encourage him to choose life?