Expert: Judy - 9/7/2010

Question
Why do you feel that as a Buddhist you should help the poor ( what is your motivation )

if everyone adopted and practised a buddhist value framework would poverty sill be an issue  

how do these beliefs infulence your dessisions and interactions with the extreemly poor

in your oppinion do you believe that people need a religious motivation to make a difference

as a buddhist would you help alliviate world poverty in order to further your personal faith (generate good karma) or just for the selfless help of others  

Answer
To answer your questions in order:

1.  As a matter of fact, I DON’T feel as a Buddhist I SHOULD help the poor all the time.  To me, I don’t suppose to give a man fish whenever he needs, but rather I would teach him how to fish.  Thus, to help the poor or not depends on the condition.  If I see a help is needed as a springboard, then I would definitely help.  However, if I see a help is to just make someone to rely on me and not try his best to pursue whatever he needs to do, then helping him financially is just to help him keep being lazy or unmotivated.  Then, this is not beneficial to him but sabotage him.  Not every or all helps are actually helpful to the people who have been helped.  Helps should be executed in a wise way which would benefit the people who are helped in a long term.  

2.  If everyone practiced a Buddhist value framework, poverty would decrease.  However, it will still be an issue, because even within the framework everybody’s degree of value and understanding of it is different.

3.  I used to believe that it was always good as long as I helped the poor, basically out of sympathy and my own ego-centrism.  When I helped the poor in the past, I felt superior and happy.  Then, after I have studies the essence of Buddhist teachings, I realized that my motivation of helping was basically helping my sense of ego to grow.  Because the poor was helped by me, they then could survive.  It was my credit.  I even sometimes blindly helped the poor just because it seemed to be a virtuous thing to do.   Nevertheless, once I learn the Buddhist teachings, I help wisely and accordingly, out of the benefits of the poor in a long run, but not out of blind sympathy or self-ego.

4.  Not necessary religious.  A lot of times, religions make us live with blind rules and black ‘n white only.  Most religious people think that it is always good as long as there is help.  However, it is not true.  Most of the times, religions teach us to FOLLOW rules rather than do things wisely.  Even some Buddhists do it.
5.  It depends.  Alleviate world  poverty is not solving the basic or the root problem.  The poor does not just become poor.  It has to do with educations most of the time.