I recall reading words or translations in the Pali suttas suggesting the following: 1. It is a path of decline to give donations to non-Buddhists. 2. It is most meritorious to give donations to the Noble Sangha & higher Ariyans 3. People are sick, injured & disabled in this life due to violence they have done in past lives. Today, I read a post soliciting for donations on a Buddhist forum for a sick non-Buddhist. Since the time of the post, no one has given a donation, except me. Because I am simple minded & a sucker for bleeding hearts, I gave a US$37 dollar donation, to symbolize the 37 bodhipakkhiyādhammā, which include the 7 factors of enlightenment, which, according to the suttas, cure disease & illness. My questions are: 1. If my donation helps cure the sickness of the sick person, am I stopping the person reaping their punishment for their past life karma? 2. If this person does not reap what they have sown, how will they learn the necessary lesson from their past deeds, similar to Angulimala? 3. If I am not giving donations to the Noble Sangha, but, instead, blocking the Law of Karma punishing a non-Buddhist, am I incurring demerit against myself, which could lead to rebirth in a lower realm? In other words, should I practise equanimity? 4. Should I give donations to supreme leaders of the Dhamma, such as Samana Johann? 5. What is the karmic destination of a person that solicits donations from Buddhists for non-Buddhists? 6. Or is all of the above mere superstition therefore I should give the donation merely because it develops compassion, open-handedness & beautifies my heart?

If you take Jhana factors or the 37 Factors, many of them counteract one of the Hindrances. So if these factors (and perhaps other factors mentioned in the Tripitaka) are grouped with the hindrance they counteract or enhance, what would this grouping look like? I.e., - each hindrance - with the factors that counteract it - and the factor that enhance them either as a single factor or pair of factor being unbalanced An answer should minimally include the Jhana and 37 Factors, and references to the Tripitaka.

The 37 Factors are sometimes paired as balancing factors. When they are out of balance there are some implications, and there is a controlling (or pivotal) factor which is instrumental in keeping the balance. In many publications these are scattered throughout, so I am looking for: - balancing factors, or pair of factors which need to be balanced - the implications of any imbalance - associated Controlling (or Pivotal) Factors ... with references from the Canon where these appear.