Question: Hello Master. I own a food shop which also sells animal meat. Even if I don’t kill any animal myself but I know this causes me bad karma right? How can I reduce my bad karma from that? Thank you!

Now you have been working together with the people who are not keeping precepts by killing. Doing good deeds and practicing meditation as a shopkeeper that ensures to deal with the people who are working only for themselves. It’s the same as you are doing; that’s why your mind will not be stable and pure. If we are not doing good deeds, our minds cannot be healthy and wealthy and our lives also cannot be healthy and wealthy. But if we are doing good deeds as much as possible and supporting volunteers, meditators who are doing good deeds, we may also deal with the people who are doing good deeds full-time. These people will get healthy and wealthy minds, healthy and wealthy lives when they are skillful with doing good deeds. So you should support meditation centers and volunteers regularly. It will help you become a volunteer and meditator in the future. By running your own business, you have been working for yourself, not for the others and the Truth; that’s why you should do for the others and the Truth also. If you cannot do it by yourself, you can support by donating to meditation centers and volunteers every month. In this way you will surely not be rejected to work for the other and the Truth. That’s more effective than paying taxes. In developed countries, everyone who has incomes has to pay taxes. Donating to meditation centers and social organizations regularly is the best for those who are working. In Myanmar more and more people from various backgrounds come to work with our centers. It’s possible here in Vietnam also; most businessmen or workers have this idea. We can solve many problems; we can help many people for sure. That’s why I set up donating together with many people every month from 1,5 years ago. We are using this system for the TNC Lien Hoa Dhamma nursing home also. In the future, more and more people will participate in this kind of good deeds. It will not be difficult to understand the benefits of doing good deeds not only for us but also for the others and the Truth.