GENEROSITY

GENEROSITY

Mahatma Gandhi went from city to city, village to village collecting funds for the Charkha Sangh. During one of his tours he addressed a meeting in Orissa. After his speech a poor old woman got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey and her clothes were in tatters. The volunteers tried to stop her, but she fought her way to the place where Gandhiji was sitting. "I must see him," she insisted and going up to Gandhiji touched his feet. Then from the folds of her sari she brought out a copper coin and placed it at his feet. Gandhiji picked up the copper coin and put it away carefully. The Charkha Sangh funds were under the charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked Gandhiji for the coin but Gandhiji refused. "I keep cheques worth thousands of rupees for the Charkha Sangh," Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly "yet you won't trust me with a copper coin." "This copper coin is worth much more than those thousands," Gandhiji said. "If a man has several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't mean much. But this coin was perhaps all that the poor woman possessed. She gave me all she had. That was very generous of her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this copper coin more than a crore of rupees."

Lifetime Happiness

Lifetime Happiness

A young man, a student in one of the universities, was one day taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the students' friend for his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.
As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which were supposed to belong to a poor man who was working in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day's work . . .

Student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick:
We will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them ..."
"My young friend," answered the professor, "We should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor . . . But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of this poor man.
"Put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how this affects him.."
The student did so and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes . . .
While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance.
He gazed upon the coin, turned it around and looked at it again and again.
He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin . . .
His feelings overcame him . . . He fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom this timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing . . .
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears.
"Now," said the professor, are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?"
The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. .. I feel now the truth of these words, which I never understood before: "It's more blessed to give than to receive."

If you want happiness... .for a lifetime - help someone.

Paradox of Hatred

Hatred is Never Appeased By Hatred

“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,”
in those who harbour such thoughts hatred is not appeased.

“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me”,
in those who do not harbour such thoughts hatred is appeased.

The Story of Tissa Thera

Venerable Tissa, a cousin of the Buddha, did not pay due respect to the senior monks. When they admonished him, he threatened them, and complained to the Buddha. The Buddha urged him to apologise, but Tissa was obstinate. The Buddha related a story to show that Tissa had been just as obstinate in a previous life. He had to ask forgiveness from the senior monks.

Hatred is Conquered by Love

Hatred never ceases through hatred in this world;
through love alone does it cease. This is an eternal law.

A Story of Jealousy

A husband had two wives, one barren, the other fertile. Due to jealousy, the barren wife put a drug in her rival’s food and caused two successive abortions. On the third occasion the potion caused the death of both mother and child. The dying woman vowed to take revenge, and fulfilled her resolve. The other too did likewise. Thus both women avenged themselves in the course of two successive births. In their third birth circumstances, however, compelled both to meet the Buddha, who pacified them by advising them not to retaliate.

Happiness is Mind-made

Happiness is Mind-made

Mind is the forerunner of (all good) states.
Mind is chief, and they are mind-made.
If one speaks or acts with a pure mind,
from that, happiness follows,
as one’s own shadow that never leaves.

The Story of Matthakundalī

The only son of a stingy millionaire was on the verge of death because his father was too mean to call a doctor, and tried to treat his son himself. The Buddha saw the dying boy with his Divine Eye, and stood for alms in front of his house. Seeing the Buddha, Matthakundalī was delighted. Dying with a mind full of faith in the Buddha he was reborn in the celestial realm. After his son’s death, the millionaire was grief-stricken. Every day he went to the cemetery crying for his son.

The deity appeared before his father in a form like his son, and stood weeping. The millionaire saw the youth and asked him why he was crying. The deity replied that he wanted two wheels for his chariot, but could not get them. The millionaire offered to buy him whatever chariot wheels he wanted. The deity said that he wanted the sun and the moon for his chariot wheels. The millionaire told the youth that his wish was folly as it was impossible to obtain the sun and the moon. The deity admonished the millionaire, “You are even more foolish than me in crying for your dead son. At least I can see the sun and the moon, but you cannot even see your dead son.” The millionaire realised that the youth was his own son, and gained some faith in Dhamma. The next day, he offered alms to the Sangha and the deity appeared, telling the assembly how he had gained such bliss just by revering the Buddha in his mind.

Suffering is Mind-made

Suffering is Mind-made

Mind is the forerunner of (all evil) states.
Mind is chief; and they are mind-made.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,
from that, suffering follows,
as the wheel follows the hoof of the ox.

The Story of Cakkhupāla Thera

A monk named Cakkhupāla determined not to lie down for the entire Rains Retreat. He contracted an eye infection and the doctor told him that he must lie down to take the medicine. He refused to lie down, so the disease got worse. He realised Arahantship, but simultaneously went blind.

As he was pacing up and down, he unintentionally killed many insects. Visiting monks noticed the trampled insects on the elder’s walking meditation path, and told the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha explained that the monk had killed them unintentionally and that he was an Arahant.

The monks then asked the cause of his blindness.

The Buddha related how, in a previous life as a doctor, he had treated a poor woman’s eyes. She promised to become his servant if her eyesight was restored. The treatment worked, but the woman pretended that her eyesight was getting worse. The doctor retaliated by giving her another medicine, which blinded her. Due to that evil action Cakkhupāla became blind.

courtesy: http://www.aimwell.org

Some more Learning

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it may be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles a rainy day and lost luggage.

I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch - holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.