SEVEN TYPES OF GIVING IN BUDDHISM THAT DON’T COST MONEY
A man once went to the Buddha and cried, “I am such a loser; I fail in everything I do”. The Buddha told him, “That’s because you didn’t practise giving”.
This person said, “Buddha, I am a poor man. How am I supposed to practise giving?”
The Buddha told him, “Even if a person has no money, he can offer seven things to others”.
The first one is called the Giving of Facial Expression, which means bestowing upon those who see you the warmth of your smile.
The second one is the Giving of Words, that is, the giving of kind and encouraging words that warm the heart of others.
The third is the Giving of one’s Heart. You should open up your heart, treat others with your utmost sincerity, help them and let them feel your love.
The fourth is called the Giving through one’s Eyes, that is, sending others warmth through your gaze. Unfortunately, in this day and age, people only have cold gazes. They look at others as if they are their enemies and hence, hurting themselves as well as others.
The fifth is the Giving by means of Bodily Actions, where you help others through your actions and let them feel the abundance of love in this world.
The sixth is the Giving of one’s Seat. Think about it, when we offer our seat to others in a boat, bus, it is also a form of giving.
In addition, there is the Giving of Rooms, where you offer an extra room in your house for others to rest as a means to help them.
The Buddha said, “If you are able to practise these seven types of giving, you will enjoy good luck your entire life”.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, Spain, 14 May 2016
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