SHIH-FU:

This is a difficult question to answer because every situation is different. It depends on who you are, what you can do, how much you have to give. If you are poor and have no money, then you cannot do much. Perhaps you can help an individual person here and there: give food to a homeless family or clothing to someone dressed in rags. If you have money, power, or influence, then you can do more. Perhaps you can help to create a better society and environment. But you must remember, no matter what kind of help you give, there will be those who don't care, who won't listen, and who will not change. By Buddhist standards, you do what you can. You do your best.

If we merely use money to help these people, the help will be minimal. Our financial resources are limited. Besides, money will not help them in a fundamental way. We have to figure out how we can better the environment and help them improve their karma that has led them to where they are now. We have to help them understand the principle of cause and consequence, so that they will better understand their situation. In this way we can help them in a fundamental way. Buddhism takes the long view and concerns itself with fundamental issues. We as practitioners cannot dwell only on short-term solutions. We have to dig beneath the superficial. To do this we have to think about how we can spread the Buddhadharma.

STUDENT: