“To get the benefit of the donation, the donation has to come from the heart of each individual person.”

“To get the benefit of the donation, the donation has to come from the heart of each individual person.”

Question from Singapore: “I used to do donation for my family members without them knowing. Recently, I informed them about the donation, so that they can rejoice on those merit. If I do donation on behalf of family members where they are not aware of it, can they benefit from these donations?”

Than Ajahn:  “No. To get the benefit of the donation, the donation has to come from the heart of each individual person. 

The person himself has to have the initiation to give the gifts away. The gifts to be given away should belong to him. If it belongs to someone else, then he is not getting any merit.

So, first you have to have the initiation, the thought, ‘I want to give something or some money away.’ The money that you give away must belong to you. Then, you’ll get the merit.

If you give your money away and tell your friends that, ‘I have done some merits for you,’ your friends will not get any merits because they don’t feel anything.”

“Dhamma in English, Q&A session, May 16, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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