Dear Venerable,

When you give you create karmic merit. But would that accidentally make the receiver owe you karma? Thank you for your advice.

A:

When you give, you give good karma. The receiver receives good karma. Simple as that. There is no "I Owe You" contracts here. An issue arises when the receiver is actually fraudulent, or does not deserve the gift of compassion from the giver.

A group of monks in the time of the Buddha did not practice well so when they died they were brought to heaven but there they must serve the female deva who donated to them in the previous life. Best wishes.