GIVING IS THE KEY TO WEALTH
Master Jun Hong Lu: After learning about the karma of giving, a man eagerly told the Zen Master, “When I strike it rich in the future, I will definitely cultivate generosity and make a career out of helping others”.
The Zen master answered, “If you are only willing to give after you become rich, I suppose you will neither be rich nor will you give”.
The man probed, “Why do you say so?”
The Zen master told him, “Because giving is the key to wealth”.
This man replied, “I am so poor now. I don’t even have enough to eat. How can I practise giving?”
The Zen master picked up a grain of rice from the man’s bowl and said, “A sincere and compassionate heart starts from offering a grain of rice. Taking one less grain, a few grains less or a dozen or dozens of grains less will have no effect on our health whatsoever. In fact, many a time, things that may seem worthless to us can be the things that others yearn for. When our hearts are sincere in giving, even if it is just giving away a grain of rice or a penny, it’s equally meritorious”.
“Unfortunately, many people are only willing to give after they become rich, not knowing that generosity starts now. Those truly wealthy people have no time to practise giving, nor do they have the heart to do so as they will be more interested to use the money to churn out more for investments”.
In Buddhism, it is said that it is from giving that one receives. A person who wishes to gain needs to understand that he needs to learn to give first.
It is common nowadays that people wait for others to treat them well before they will do the same. If you know that the other party is waiting for you to show them kindness, why can’t you be the one to take the first step? When you give your heart out, be rest assured that your love will be reciprocated. Hence, to be willing to part with one’s possession is the wisdom of a Bodhisattva that is free from all self-interests.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, Taiwan, China, 16 October 2016
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