[Buddha-l] Reaching out to others in charity

[Michael Wilson]

There was a story/lesson about buddhist charity from
Korea you might be interested in, as told by a
buddhist monk, so when I retell it, you will lose some
of the significance, but I might be able to point you
to the book.

After the Korean war the country lay in ruins.  The
buddhist monk (who later became quite well known in
Korea) was doing his best to bring rice into the
neighbourhoods of the city.  While going around the
neighbourhoods he saw banners announcing that such n
such a person had just given so many Korean $Won to
this temple, or that neighbourhood project.  When one
such actual philanthropist came to him with an offer
of help, he said, "This is a wonderful thing you are
doing, giving your money to help the poor in this
city, but do you have to do it with the banners waving
showing off how generous you are?"

As Rumi said, "if you can't be fed, be bread".
mjwilson



	
		
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