SHOULD WE GIVE TO THOSE BOGUS BEGGARS?
Caller: I have one more question on “Compassion”. We are taught that we need to have the same compassion for all beings. Unfortunately, in this day and age, there are many fake street beggars, who just want to make a quick buck. If we give without knowing whether they are genuine or not, would we add on to their karmic obstacles and inadvertently incite their evil behaviour? Would we also generate negative karma for ourselves?
Master Jun Hong Lu: First and foremost, you need to have the right perspective of compassion. Make no mistakes – are you practising compassion towards yourself or others? For example, when you give some money to others, on the surface it may appear that you are being compassionate towards them. In fact, you are the one who stands to gain. This is because your merit is the offshoot of your compassion.
No matter whom you show compassion to, do not think that you are on the losing end. This is because, the moment your compassion arises, heaven, earth and the Bodhisattva will know about it.
The small amount of money you give will not make those beggars rich; similarly it will not make you go broke. In fact, the compassion you show towards others will be like a salve for your soul. As to whether the beggar is genuine or not, the negative karma is his to contend with. Let it be if he continues to create negative karma. Are you willing to kneel down and beg? Are you willing to pretend like a beggar? As for him, clearly, he is already suffering from present-life retribution. You think you still want to hold back your compassion? If you consider this perspective, you will understand.
Source: Wenda20131006B 03:11, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
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