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If I ask a question: "According to Hindu scriptures, is buying a home better than renting one? What are some arguments for or against buying a home (vs. renting it) considering that our life on earth is temporary?"

I think it will be immediately closed as off-topic and opinion-based. Or maybe I'm wrong in my assumption.

But here's how I want to frame the question:

  • I will add scriptural references to support my argument e.g., how our very life on earth is temporary, we should not get too attached to 'things' etc. I can cite a few verses from BG, VR, MB etc.

Then I will go on to ask:

  • Are there any references from scriptures to negate the above conclusions I've drawn?

Will framing a question like that, make it relevant to Hinduism and this site?

Or it will still be considered an opinion-based or off-topic question no matter how I ask it?

The question is now live

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  • If you want to ask what Hindu scripture specifically says about buying a house and renting a house, that would be fine. But if you just want to open up a free for all where people can cite general scriptural quotes about materialism and brevity of life and then argue about what that implies for buying or renting, that would just open the door for too much opinion-based speculation.
    – Keshav Srinivasan Mod
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 18:17
  • @KeshavSrinivasan Qn updated. Yes, I agree, I don't want a debate on it either. But I think asking "Are there any references from scriptures to negate the above conclusions I've drawn" is only limiting the answers to those who don't agree to the conclusions I've drawn. Those who already agree to my view have nothing to answer.
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 18:27
  • @KeshavSrinivasan I'm not sure about asking "what Hindu scripture specifically says about buying a house and renting a house" without mentioning the real intent behind my question.
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 18:29
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    Yeah, but even if your question restricts things to people who disagree with you, that just means you're inviting an argument with people who disagree with you, which is not really what this site is for. Now it would be different if you found some quote in Hindu scripture that said "You should never rent a house, you should only buy it." In that case you could post a question about why buying is considered better than renting if materialism is frowned upon. But as it is, you're just presenting an argument and asking for refutations, which is just an invitation for discussion and arguments.
    – Keshav Srinivasan Mod
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 18:37
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    In any case, I suggest you just post a simple question asking for what Hindu scripture specifically says about buying a house vs. renting a house, without presenting scriptural verses about materialism and the brevity of life and all that.
    – Keshav Srinivasan Mod
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 18:38
  • @KeshavSrinivasan How is "what does Hindu scripture specifically say about buying a house vs. renting a house" is different from "what does Hindu scripture say about planting a Rose tree or Apple tree in your garden?" :-) Aren't both Q's seeking personal advice not related to Hinduism in anyway? Some people will look both as 'off-topic' which is why I want to make the question relevant to this site.
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 18:43
  • No, I don't think asking whether Hindu scripture ever addresses the subject of buying and renting houses would be personal advice. Now it would be different if the person were to say "I have a 2500 square foot property that I want to buy. Should I buy it or should I continue renting? What does Hinduism tell me to do in this case?"
    – Keshav Srinivasan Mod
    Commented Dec 13, 2016 at 21:01
  • @KeshavSrinivasan "inviting an argument with people who disagree with you, which is not really what this site is for" - What about this question: Was Adi Shankaracharya’s Parakaya Pravesha to learn Kamashastra Dharmic? -- is OP not trying to debate the topic? Now I could try to write an answer saying it's adharmic. Then we'll have 2 answers saying one is dharmic and one adharmic. I can list a lot of Q's on this site with contradicting answers. Should we then close all such Q's as promoting debate?
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 1:45
  • @KeshavSrinivasan IMO, asking "Is Shiva supreme or Vishnu?" will lead to debate, but if I ask "Which scriptures declare Shiva as supreme?" is a valid question for the site although it will lead to debates in the comments section, the answers on the other hand have to backed up with references.
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 1:48
  • I will add scriptural references to support my argument e.g., how our very life on earth is temporary, we should not get too attached to 'things' etc. I can cite a few verses from BG, VR, MB etc. There is no need to add all this..going by ur understanding of scriptures one shud not even have wedded wife then,becoz chances are we will be attached to her..we shud instead rent a wife to produce progeny..but that's non sense ..Hindu scriptures do not prohibit legitimate acquisition of properties at all..
    – Rickross
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 6:13
  • ...anyways afaik ,renting a house shud be the last option to resort to ,building one's own house is recommended..Scriptures tell us that we shudn't use things that belong to others,like "never wear anybody else's clothes". In any case, in my view,"What do Hindu Shastras recommend ?-Buying a house or renting one?" is a perfectly valid question ..and i don't think that it will be closed..
    – Rickross
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 6:14
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    @Rickross "going by ur understanding of scriptures one shud not even have wedded wife then,becoz chances are we will be attached to her" -- that is what this site is for, to clear the understanding without prejudice :)
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 12:50
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    @Rickross "never wear anybody else's clothes" - interesting, I wonder why people donate their used clothes to poor :P
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 12:50
  • @sv. Ok..so i can be glad that i cleared a bit of ur confusion/understanding..as reagrds donating clothes to the poor.-The Scriptures say 1)-One shud not wear other's clothes.It does not obviously apply to the poor,who have no other options left..It is said for those who have the option to choose.. It also says-2)Donate to the needy,only to the needy, where thr's is no need that Dana is of little relative importance..So donating clothes to the poor(who don't have any clothes) is a meritorious act without doubt..
    – Rickross
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 14:45
  • ..So,i don't see any contradictions here..Also one need to understand that a poor has got poor only becoz of his previos bad karmas..Thats y he is being left with no other options but to wear others clothes...so,just because a poor is wearing other's clothes does not imply that it is a good act or that it shud be imitated..It does not prove that donating clothes to the poor is an avoidable act either..
    – Rickross
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 14:46

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"Buying vs Renting house" will be surely either off-topic or personal advice question. As you rightly said that, we can add some scriptural references and make it 'appear valid'. But in such case, we may defeat the purpose of asking relevant questions.

This may also spawn other irrelevant questions like:
What does Hinduism say about...

  • marrying neighbor's daughter?
  • renting vs purchasing vehicles?
  • working hours in office?
  • sunbathing during winters?
  • watching violent movies?
  • travelling in airplane?

...and what not?
With little efforts, all of the above can be related to Hinduism some way.

Related to this specific question: Isn't this a purely economy based decision? Unable to relate it with religion or spirituality. Suppose if scriptures suggest for buying, then how can people buy unless they afford it? If they say rent it then how someone can rent unless someone has already bought? To me it seems off topic.

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    I think "watching violent movies", "working hours in office" also "downloading pirated software" etc. are all are valid questions :) If we can find reference in scriptures to approve or disapprove, it will be helpful. SE expects every question will lead to answers that are opinion-based to some degree.
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 16:54
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    As for the original question I wanted to ask, I think it fits under "Academic questions about Hindu philosophical thought." from our guidance on on-topic Q's. But you can vote-to-close, I don't really mind because I was forced to ask that way :)
    – Say No To Censorship
    Commented Dec 14, 2016 at 16:59

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