Question and Answer for Life

I would like to ask you why people like to do bad deeds, even though they know that it is not good. And how can we correct this?   Question: Luang Phaw, I would like to ask you why people like to do bad deeds, even though they know that it is not good. And how can we correct this?  Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku   Even though we know it’s wrong and we know everything that is not good, we cannot resist doing it. Layperson, this problem is not new. It began at the same time the world was born. Why? It is because the human mind is used..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

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?   Question: 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?  Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku   This question came by letter ; so I hereby reciprocate by answering him on air. You as a new graduate have to..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

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?   Question: 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?  Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku        Benefactor, there are two aspects to be considered, in  the first instance,  the illness is beyond the contemporary medical technology.  The..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

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? Question: Venerable Luang Phaw, I have two questions.  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?   Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku     A flaw in the Thai nati..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

Some people think there shouldn’t be any resolution when making merit, because it is as if one is greedy or one expects something in return. I don’t know how to correct this misunderstanding. Question: Venerable, some people think there shouldn’t be any resolution when making merit, because it is as if one is greedy or one expects something in return. I don’t know how to correct this misunderstanding.   Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku   I, myself have heard this when I was young and I believed what they said because they were older. Until I came to the temple and especially until I met our Khun Yai ..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

used to invite relatives to come to the temple to make merit, but they refused and only sent money each time. They thought that even though they didn’t go to the temple, they would receive merit because it’s their money. How can I explain to them? Question: Dear Luang Phaw, I used to invite relatives to come to the temple to make merit, but they refused and only sent money each time. They thought that even though they didn’t go to the temple, they would receive merit because it’s their money. How can I explain to them?   Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku    To send money or anything to make merit is a meritorious deed. Does one gain merit? In reality on..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

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?   Question: Dear venerable Luang Phaw, the present society is facing increased problems of children lacking gratitude for their parents.  Do you have any recommendations in teaching our children to become good and grateful people?   Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku     No matter whether they are in the military or in any other occupation and regardless of the length of the ordination, the obje..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

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? Question: Luang Phor, Sir, 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?  Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku    This paradigm has proliferated unabatedly in society.  To change it is rather hard; however it is not beyond our ability, if we take the mat..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

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. Question: Venerable Luang Phor, Sir, 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.  Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku     Dear Benefactor, drinking alcohol is one thing; strengthening friendship is another thing.  ..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

I would like to ask a question about the circumstance that there might be false allegation made against us without any truth in it. How should we take it? Question: Dear most respected Luang Phaw, I would like to ask a question about the circumstance that there might be false allegation made against us without any truth in it. How should we take it? Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku    First we need to understand the meaning of ‘false allegation’. It means when we are right but they think it’s wrong or we are doing good deeds but they said it is bad we call this false ..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

For jealous people what is their downside and how can this be rectified? Question: Luang Phaw, Sir, for jealous people what is their downside and how can this be rectified?     Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku     The people who have the bad habit of not wanting anybody to do well. Hum! How bad is it, how can it be rectified? You need to find the core of how it starts? The jealousy started in a person who has less goodness or knowledge or capability than others for if..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

I’d like to ask Luang Phaw about the principle of “Sangha Dana” (presenting gifts to the Order of Monks), and if there is only one monk who receives our gifts, it can be counted as Sangha Dana or not? Also I’d like to know which one gives us more merit between presenting gifts to the Order of Monks or to a specific one. Question: I’d like to ask Luang Phaw about the principle of “Sangha Dana” (presenting gifts to the Order of Monks), and if there is only one monk who receives our gifts, it can be counted as Sangha Dana or not? Also I’d like to know which one gives us more merit between presenting gifts to the Order of Monks or to a specific one.    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku   Before explaining about the donation call..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

The people who have a hard life tend to think why the previous merit does not help them. How could I explain to them? Question: Dear Luang Phaw I have a question that I would like to ask you. The people who have a hard life tend to think why the previous merit does not help them. How could I explain to them?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku This is something worth thinking about. For the people who complaint like this, they have to check the causes of the suffering they are experiencing. If it is because they are careless or they..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

I would like to ask a question, if we have to visit or take care of our relative who is seriously ill, how do we do to look after them or to motivate them to think positively?   Question: I would like to ask a question, if we have to visit or take care of our relative who is seriously ill, how do we do to look after them or to motivate them to think positively?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku Seriously sick, is it? Alright, I will talk about all the sick people whether they are very sick or not. We can divide them into 2 types as follows: 1. The patient who has not been ..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

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? Question: I would like to ask Luang Por, Sir, that 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?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku  Dear benefactor, there are two kinds of opposite sides, one is called the competitor; the..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

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? Question: Venerable Luang Por, Sir, 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?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku Blessings, benefactor. You have asked the right person, because before I ordained I was a..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

I would like to ask you about what the old ancient Thai people used to say regarding Sodhmantra (general Pali term for the chanting of the Lord Buddha’s Dhamma) and Bhavana (Pali term for actual meditation): “Sodhmantra is external medicine and Bhavana is internal medicine.” What is the concise meaning? Question: Venerable Luang Phaw Sir; I would like to ask you about what the old ancient Thai people used to say regarding Sodhmantra (general Pali term for the chanting of the Lord Buddha’s Dhamma) and Bhavana (Pali term for actual meditation):  “Sodhmantra is external medicine and Bhavana is internal medicine.” What is the concise meaning?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku     With regards..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

There are many people who are afraid to practice meditation because they afraid to lose their minds. How can we explain to them to understand about meditation more clearly? Question: There are many people who are afraid to practice meditation because they afraid to lose their minds. How can we explain to them to understand about meditation more clearly?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku The rule of thumb is that people who practice meditation will have good sharp minds. That is because mind and meditation go together and you are unable to separate them. It is the same as when we l..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

I invited my friend to the temple for meditation. He wondered why our temple does not have walking meditation. On top of that, he would like to know why there is someone leading us through the instructions with his voice while we are supposed to be seated quietly during the sitting meditation? Question: I invited my friend to the temple for sitting meditation. He wondered why our temple does not have walking meditation. On top of that, he would like to know why there is someone leading us through the instructions with his voice while we are supposed to be seated quietly during the sitting meditation?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku Before we start you must first understand the term, “Walking ..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

Since there are a lot of collisions that break our society. What can we do to give unity back to our nation? Question:  Dear Luang Phaw, since there are a lot of collisions that break our society. What can we do to give unity to our nation?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku   Talking about the national unity, it has been longed for for a long time, but nobody really call for it because nobody tries to know why the unity is being lacking of. The brief reasons are... 1. The gain people get. Since most peop..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

How can we train our descendants to be disciplined and well-organized when they grow up? Question: Dear Luang Phaw, how can we train our descendants to be disciplined and well-organized when they grow up?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku   Talking about discipline, it is straightly about habits, so it must definitely come from daily things we repeatedly do, think and talk. Since you see how valuable discipline is to your descendants, the country and the religion, it’s really good that you wo..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

The habit of each person is different. Some have good habits, some don’t. I’d like to ask Luang Phaw what caused these good and bad habits. Question: Dear venerable, the habit of each person is different. Some have good habits, some don’t. I’d like to ask Luang Phaw what caused these good and bad habits.    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku   Human habits come from the reiteration and repeated thoughts of each person. Since our habits are based on the same reason, the next question is what makes the difference between them. If we have goo..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

Most people think that lying to ease other’s feeling, as when a doctor conceal the truth from a severely ill patient in order to ease their mind, shouldn’t be sinful. How can we explain it to them so that they can understand this correctly? Question: Venerable, most people think that lying to ease other’s feeling, as when a doctor conceal the truth from a severely ill patient in order to ease their mind, shouldn’t be sinful. How can we explain it to them so that they can understand this correctly?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku Every time we lie to others, we’ve lost our courage to face the truth.  This courage decreases each time we l..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

Is buying poultry eggs from the markets to cook considered a form of misdeed from killing? Question: Venerable, I would like to know, is buying poultry eggs from the markets to cook considered a form of misdeed from killing?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku Eggs have always been Thai people’s favorite food. It’s good to ask this question because it’s better to be careful. The eggs found in today’s markets are mostly fresh from a poultry farm. The eggs in the markets are not the eggs left behi..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ 

I once invited a friend to meditate. My friend told me that regular people like him/her who work, maintaining the precepts is enough. It is not necessary to meditate also. How can I explain Luang Phaw’s teachings to him/her? Question: I once invited a friend to meditate.  My friend told me that regular people like him/her who work, maintaining the precepts is enough.  It is not necessary to meditate also.  How can I explain Luang Phaw’s teachings to him/her?    Answer by Venerable Dhattajeevo Bhikku  You must look at the state of his/her mind.  Where is he/she mentally?  In giving an answer so a person sees the i..... อ่านเรื่องQuestion and Answer for Lifeต่อ