Someone asked me the other day if I was planning a "Buddha-almsing" to protest the Christmas shopping season. Well, I don't necessarily want to protest Christmas shopping, but I kind of like the "Buddha-almsing" idea.
How about starting a tradition of Christmas alms-giving through donations to your local dharma center or monastery? It doesn't have to be extravagant. Just give up a carton of eggnog and give the $3.50 to the Buddha.
If you don't have a local dharma center or monastery, I suggest a donation to the Tzu Chi Foundation. (Click here for the U.S. Tzu Chi page.) Tzu Chi is an international Buddhist organization, headquartered in Taiwan, that is helping the poor and relieving suffering in 69 nations.
Credit: Bodhidharma (without the Santa hat) by floating ink / flickr.com, Creative Commons License
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