Just to confirm that Buddha doesn’t regard next life of exist or non-exist extremely. The belief or principle teaching of extremism is not the way the Buddha’s teaching propagated. His teaching is the middle way, moderate way or non-judgmental etc.
For Buddha, next life can exist in the condition of:
– We are possessing Kilesa (defilement) កិលេស, Kamma (action) កម្ម and Vipaka វិបាក (fruition); these 3 are the potential for next rebirth
– With above 3, we are still Puthujana បុថុច្ជន, not Arahanta អរហន្ត
For Buddha, next life doesn’t exist in the condition of:
– Enlightened One, or Awaken One (full Enlightenment) will not been reborn.
About Danna or Tver Bon/Tver Tean is one of the principle teachings of Lord Buddha. Be reminded that Tver Bon and Tver Tean is not equivalent to the term “sharing”. Sharing might be equivalent to the international aids of developed or democratic countries who attached strings and conditions to those aids. But Tver Bon/Tver Tean in current situation of Cambodia might be comparable to the aids or free donation from China. In the public, it is showing that China is very kind to Cambodia. But at the back door, China might be able to obtain good position on different special agreements with the powerful for the benefit of China’s corporations etc.
Khmer proverb said “give him the means to catch fish, not the fish”. Buddha said “Teaching people the Dhamma or wisdom បញ្ញា is the greatest Tver Bon or សព្វទានំ ធម្មទានំ ជិនាតិ “.
1. Material giving means give four necessities such as clothes, food, shelter and medicine. Clothes are more affordable, but medicine is more costly. In Canada, medical care or medicine is free. People feel more confidence and less stress on the suffering caused by health (both physical health and mental health).
2. Dhamma giving means give wisdom or right view and right understanding to each other or from the top (leader) to the bottom (follower). Education is the priority. Budget for education is more than budget for military and others. Confidential legal enforcement is part of laying down “productive and profitable communication between individuals”. Government gives huge scholarship to students or give loan with minimum interest or no interest to individuals who wish to pursue higher education. Students who got GPA 3.60 and up will get to university or college for free etc.
3. Forgiveness giving means citizens or individuals have chance to correct themselves before jail or verdict is undertaken. There are “peace officers” everywhere to facilitate for the commitment of the violators to be free of punishment. Forgiveness in the term of strengthening the rule of law, not by the emotion of individual. In case of Khmer Rouge trial, it has been endorsed by Buddhist principle because all Buddhists will forgive unless the trial must be durable and successful.
Hence, Tver Bon might has definition and typology different from Tver Tean. Analytical perspective of Tver Bon will give wisdom or means to the receivers, while Tver Tean will give material to the receivers. Bon បុណ្យ means wisdom, Tean ទាន means offering or giving. But the traditional concept for Cambodians, it might not different.
Like I mentioned before, to be correctly conducting a meritful Tver Bon, one must consider 3 conditions:
1. Giver or ទាយក ទាយិកា must possess morals, pure mind and good stance on Dhamma value
2. Receiver or បដិឃាហកៈ must possess morals, pure mind and good stance on Dhamma value
3. Material to be giver or ទេយ្យទាន must come from reliable and good source.
By complying with these 3 conditions, the merit will be fully yielded to the givers.
If there is question or concern, I am happy to elaborate more.
Peace,
Sophoan