Problems in Buddhist ethics of givers and recipients in contemporary society

Abstract

In this paper, an attempt was purposely made to consider a Buddhist ethical problem that ‘is a taker’s taking gift of a giver whose business is not allowed by the Buddhist scriptures morally permissible?’ In this matter, the debates of three parties are found: the first claimed that it ought to be accepted, the second claimed no, and the third claimed that in some circumstances it is morally permissible. This paper argued that such taking becomes morally right because of: 1) a giver’s motivation in offering it is only individual; he/she is individually entitled to choose which kind of gift would become the needed one, 2) a taker’s duty is to focus on a giver’s intention to offer, therefore, the taking a giver’s gift of a taker becomes morally permissible despite of its unknown sources, 3) as far as the scriptures dealing with generosity are concerned, such giving which ought to be taken or not is not mentioned, only the quality of each giving is obviously declared, therefore, they, a giver and a taker, is bound to manage the charity themselves, and 4) when it comes to the giving concerning with the intention to give, its scope is wider than general giving; such giving based on the mentioned ideas is somehow assigned to support Buddhist monks’ taking certain gift where its source is unknown in all situations.