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Donation of food is said to be greatest?

What you think?

My point on this:

The human race is the blessed category of the creation since the human being alone has the faculty of devotion to God. You must save the life of every human being if it is in need. Even if the human being is an atheist, you must save the life since the atheist has a chance of becoming a devotee in future. Therefore, donation of food is said to be greatest since it is the basis of life. But, you should donate it to the deserving people only. 'Deserving' means any human being suffering for food. The human being must work and earn the food without begging as far as possible. Otherwise, people become lazy without doing work.

Hence, while donating the food to a person capable of doing work, you should analyze the background carefully. Generally, poor children, poor old persons, poor disabled and poor patients can be accepted as deserving receivers of your donated food. A rich person should be always avoided as far as possible leaving rare emergent occasions. Do not have any analysis in the occasions of emergency demanding immediate service. Such donation is called as 'Apat-dharma'.

Welcome back datta.

Charity is a part of pretty much every religion - and donation of food as charity is a subset of this. Indeed, non-religious humanitarian organisations also practice the feeding of the poor - and indeed let us not forget that many governments around the world do this via social security, and also indirectly by food subsidies etc.

After disasters, charities and normal people alike come together with government etc agencies to donate aid - among them food.

I would not say that feeding those who are hungry directly (by donating food) is the 'greatest' virtue - I'd put eradicating the circumstances that make it necessary to feed people above this. (Teach a man to fish, rather than give him a fish - if you like).

I have served food to the poor - and handed out food parcels etc. Whilst it can be humbling and a eye-opening, it can also be misused and used as a way to salve your ego too. Intention is key - as in most things in life.

Cheers,
Shafique

shafique wrote:Welcome back datta.

Charity is a part of pretty much every religion - and donation of food as charity is a subset of this. Indeed, non-religious humanitarian organisations also practice the feeding of the poor - and indeed let us not forget that many governments around the world do this via social security, and also indirectly by food subsidies etc.

After disasters, charities and normal people alike come together with government etc agencies to donate aid - among them food.

I would not say that feeding those who are hungry directly (by donating food) is the 'greatest' virtue - I'd put eradicating the circumstances that make it necessary to feed people above this. (Teach a man to fish, rather than give him a fish - if you like).

I have served food to the poor - and handed out food parcels etc. Whilst it can be humbling and a eye-opening, it can also be misused and used as a way to salve your ego too. Intention is key - as in most things in life.

Cheers,
Shafique

Who is the really deserving person? Veda says that the person not expecting anything from anybody is the most deserving receiver of your donation [Akaamahatasya]. The deserving person must have full faith in God and should believe that God will give him all the required needs of the life. He should work and earn and if something is needed beyond the scope of the work, God is going to help him in the correct moment. He need not beg other human beings, who are beggars themselves, praying God to fulfill their desires.

A beggar should not beg another beggar and should go to the house, which donated food to the other beggar. Similarly, you should approach God and not the other human beings for your needs, which are not covered by your work. In fact, a true devotee should not beg even God because God is omniscient and will act at the right time. Therefore, if one is expecting something from you, he is not a deserving person since his faith in God is not complete.

Who is the most deserving of food donations?

In my mind, the beliefs of the person have very little to do with how hungry and deserving they are. My main criterion would be: How hungry/poor are they? (when the last time they ate etc)

Discriminating based on what I thought they believed in would lessen the act of charity in my mind. But that's just my personal opinion.

Cheers,
Shafique

dattaswami wrote:Donation of food is said to be greatest?

I disgree, Food of any kind is the GREATEST

shafique wrote:Who is the most deserving of food donations?

In my mind, the beliefs of the person have very little to do with how hungry and deserving they are. My main criterion would be: How hungry/poor are they? (when the last time they ate etc)

Discriminating based on what I thought they believed in would lessen the act of charity in my mind. But that's just my personal opinion.

Cheers,
Shafique

Yep!

And dattaswami, this post and the other about being punished for helping those who are undeserving completely buts me off Buddhism.

I'll stick with atheism.

shafique wrote:Who is the most deserving of food donations?

In my mind, the beliefs of the person have very little to do with how hungry and deserving they are. My main criterion would be: How hungry/poor are they? (when the last time they ate etc)

Discriminating based on what I thought they believed in would lessen the act of charity in my mind. But that's just my personal opinion.

Cheers,
Shafique

Human life is very important because human being alone can understand the spiritual knowledge and can become a devotee of God. Therefore, you must always save the life of a human being by giving food, cloth and shelter. You must always stop the starvation-death of a human being, be it theist or atheist. You must save the life of even an atheist because even the atheist may be converted into theist if the life is saved. After saving the life of the starving human being, you must concentrate on improving the amenities of poor people so that a peaceful life is very much essential to concentrate on God.

The rich is becoming richer and poor is becoming poorer in the present day. This will disturb the social balance and will lead to the human explosion in the society. When the balance of the society is disturbed, nivrutti (loving practical service to God) finds no place. Therefore, resist all the wastages that take place in the rituals. Do not burn the ghee in the name of performing ‘homa’. Ghee is most valuable food material. The actual ‘homa’ is to put ghee in the burning fire of hunger of a poor man. The fire of hunger is called as ‘Vaishvanara’ as said in the Gita. Similarly, don’t burn the oil in the name of ‘Deepaaraadhanam’ before the statue or photo of God. The purpose of the light is only to remove the darkness in the olden days. In the day time, the light is not necessary. Even in the night, when the light is present supplied from the electric bulb, the oil lamp is not necessary. You need not burn the perfumes also, when they are not required for you.