Just a few thoughts....

Hi Everyone,
A rare chance to visit today - it will get easier to get computer time here after July 1.

Maitri wrote:

isn't there really urgent to do something to change this, not just to accept it?
Isn't that a responsibility not to be taken to lightly?

Or is this a wrong way of thinking?

What is the best way to do something?

Stricktly speaking, from an enlightenment point of view and a buddhist point of view, it is the wrong way to think. Instead of "what to do?" the question needs to be "how to be?" Not "what do I do about the suffering of others", but "how do I respond". Have I truely solved the question of suffering to know how to be of help?

Here is a story Osho once told-
A father of 12 goes to the Rabbi and laments about his many children, so many mouths to feed, not enough food, the house is too small, his wife is exhausted and cranky, and on and on. He starts sobbing and asks: "Rabbi, what do I do?" And the Rabbi answers: "Haven't you done enough? - Stop!"

We tend to self-righteously judge the suffering that "others" - corporations, govenments, groups and individuals - have caused and demonstratively go out and "help". Often people, meaning quite well and going all out for the suffering, end up harboring huge amounts of hostility and judgement within themselves, which from a buddhist point of view, contributes to the hostilities in the world.

Often, not really understanding situations we "help" and unintentionally cause more harm.

So what is the best way? In many ways this question is a Koan. "Helping" is a two-edged sword!

With meditation, much time in silence, and witnessing our still ongoing hostility and anger inside, we may find ourselves responding with "right action" to situations of suffering. What you are supposed to respond to, will show up in front of you. Your old neighbour's needs, a stray animal, a dying relatives child you may need to adopt, a corporation you may have to save from crooks, a country you may have to make very difficult decisions for, and so on and so on, all depending on your role in this vast ocean of beings. Your inner eye will know when to help and when not to interfere. It takes great humility, both to help, or not to help.

Also it should feel like a joy, even a passion, a calling - to help. If it is sacrifice, martyrdom, sefl-righteousness it will not last long or may even be misplaced or useless. If you love it with all your heart you will continue through the really hard times that are bound to come.

Liquidchild wrote:

Its the year 2006 and almost 1/3 of the world liv in poverty, its an absolute disgrace dat in this day and age we still brush it under the carpet and turn a blind eye to everything

"Liquidchild" - what a beautiful name. Yet you seem quite "unliquid" in your view of things. So many people in the world are making a difference. What do you think of Bill Gates' efforts? There are so many like him, at least here in the US, many you would never hear about. Helping smarter than governments and being effective, innovative, etc. 1/3 of the world in poverty? That means 2/3 aren't.

What percentage of this 1/3 would you say is responsible for its own poverty? Or should we always assume that all poverty is caused by others rather than maybe the culture or thinking of some of the ones living in poverty. Are all poor people innocent and all wealthy people evil?

From what I can see it is not a question of brushing things under the carpet or turning a blind eye, but the huge conundrum of how do you help people, many of whom are close to impossible to help. It is not that easy to help that 1/3 you speak of.

tx MM!
You're welcome!!!

Maitri, you bring up good points and your list is a great start for anyone, enlightened or not.

I think I did not do a good job explaining my point and will try again. I didn't mean to say that there is anythig wrong or unenlightened about helping others. Nothing could be further from the truth. As far as enlightenment goes, not helping others, makes absolutely no more sense at all.

Maitri wrote:

It might be difficult to help wisely when one is not enlightened. I agree with that. But still I feel that ethical behaviour is very important also when one has not yet "seen the light".

For Buddhist practice isn't restricted "only" to "sitting", is it? It is, I feel, also about acting and about our relationships with other people at home and in our world.

And that helping others is good for us, too, since we are all interdependent. Buddhism teaches, as I understand it, that helping others creates good karma.

"Helping wisely" has more to do with intuition or how much information one can gather about the situation one is trying to help, than anything to do with enlightenment.

As far as good Karma goes, yes, if helping with a loving heart, even in a situation where "help" could be counterproductive, good Karma is created.

If help is given with self-righteousness or hostility towards anyone, or even with "desire or greed" for acumulation of good Karma, it creates bad Karma.

That does not mean that $100 from a kind person, and $100 from a self-righteous person woudn't equally feed a starving family for a month. My point was not "don't bother to help until you are enlightened" and I am sorry if it came across that way.

Maitri wrote:

This is not enough to save the world, but they are some few suggestions of things that can be done quite easily for oneself and for the world, without running a great risk of becoming neither a martyr nor to self-righteous, I believe.

Of course, and your list of organizations is a good one with one of my favorites on there, the SOS Childrens Villages. My husband and I are supporting a large area of villages in India with schooling, immunizations and housing that a friend of ours runs, where every penny goes directly to the children. Unfortunately we know what some of the "helping" organizations do in these areas that would make your hair stand up-( none of the ones you mention, as far as I know) Some of them ( the one I know of is Spain's Intervida ) are as corrupt and brutal as any other large organization with lots of money and power, and supporting them can cause much harm.

Still it is subject to interpretation, as in, are you supporting pedophiles if you support the katholic church? You would get very different oppinions on that one.

Maitri wrote:

It is not only that people need to be helped, but we really need to help, too.

So, so true. It is a mutual need, a mutual joy. Our need to help is greater than any other need may be. Therefore humility, and gratitude for the opportunity and "no taking credit for one's deeds", with the understanding that by helping, there also exists a possibility of doing unintentional harm. Therefore in helping one accepts a level of selfishness in oneself.

Maitri wrote:

One can chose ecological dairy products and eggs (because they are not cruel to the animals and the environment)

And what about ethical Investment?
It is not so nice to have money in a bank that supports weapon-industry and unfair and polluting trading, is it?

These choices are very good ones, and all our small steps add up to more goodness in the world. And for one's good Karma , it is important to not look down on others who chose otherwise, out of either different convictions or ignorance, humbly understanding that oneself is still quite ignorant. And the enlightened one is the most ignorant!