On Giving

Then said a rich man, "Speak to us of Giving."

And he answered:

You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?

And what is fear of need but need itself?

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?

There are those who give little of the much which they have - and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.

And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;

They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.

Though the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;

And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving

And is there aught you would withhold?

All you have shall some day be given;

Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.

You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving."

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?

And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?

See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

For in truth it is life that gives unto life - while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

And you receivers - and you are all receivers - assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.

Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;

For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.

如果你給予你的財產,
這是很小的事,不算什麼,
當你給你自己的時候,
才是真正的布施。

有一些人他給一點東西,
不過給的時候,心裡面有一點祕密的欲望,
喜歡人家認得他的好心,
喜歡人家讚歎他,
所以不管他給多少財產,都不乾淨。
還有一些人,他只有一點點而已,
不過他什麼都給,
這些人對人生有信心,對上帝很有信心。
只因為他不認為上帝或是人生有一天會缺少什麼?
永遠都會有,他不怕明天會不夠。
這些人的櫃子永遠不空,
因為他很相信上帝的愛力,
相信人生永遠都會充滿他需要的東西。
這些人不論給什麼都是全心給予,非常開心的給,不會後悔。
當他給的時候,他的開心和快樂,就是他自己得到的獎賞。
有一些人,他給的時候感覺到很痛苦,心酸酸的,
那種感覺就是這些人的洗禮。
有一些人他給的時候,
他不知道快樂或是痛苦啊!
他不追求快樂。
他給東西時,心裡面不很在意,
不認為這是很大的功德,
他不在乎那個布施的功德。
這些人他們布施的時候,
就像玫瑰花或是野花開在很深的山裡面,
味道自然會送到天空四周去。
他沒有想任何事情。
透過這些人的手,上帝給我們真正的禮物;
透過這些人的口,上帝跟我們講話。

在這些人的眼睛裡面,上帝真正地如果有人要求我們什麼東西,
我們是要給的。
不過,如果人家還沒問,
我們已經給了,
是比較好。
跟世界的人微笑。

有什麼值得我們抱抱著、
留下來給自己?
任何你擁有的東西,
有一天你都要給出去。
所以現在就布施,要給、要給!
讓布施的季節變成你的,
不要變成你繼承人的。你常常說你會給,
不過給一些人值得的人而已。
你的園裡面那棵樹沒有這樣這麼說,
還有那些動物,牠們也沒有這樣想,
牠們給,因為牠們要活存。
如果我們抱抱著什麼,
保留著什麼東西的話,
表示說我們會滅亡。

上帝能夠給任何人再活一天、再活一晚,
那個人就值得你的布施。

還有什麼人值得游泳在生活的大海裡面,
卻不值得游泳在你的那條小河流中。

不管誰值得不值得,
接受的行為已經值得功德,
因為要接受別人給的東西,
本來就是一種功德、是一種勇氣,很慷慨!

不過,你有沒有問自己:你是誰?
值得讓人家應該脫下自尊心,
讓你知道他哪裡值得。

我們應該先看自己,
值得不值得當一個布施的好工具。
因為事實上,
這個生命、這個愛力,
他自己給予自己,不是我們給的。
我們認為我們自己給,
事實上我們只是一個證人。

對那些接受的人,
也不用說誰是接受的人,
大家都是乞丐,都是接納的人。

還有你們這些接受者,
事實上,大家都是接受的人,
不用造出一種隆重、感激的氣氛。
如果這樣做的話,我們會給自己很重的壓力,
也帶給布施的人重擔,認為彼此有恩義。
事實上,都是上帝的生命力給予的,
接納的人和布施的人,
應該用那個禮物當翅膀,一起飛上去。

因為如果你每次都記得你接受人家禮物的恩惠,
記得那個債務,
這表示說你懷疑布施的人的心。
布施的人應該瞭解:
大地就是他的母親,天就是他的父親。

 




因為你的財產,
不正是一些你要保留的東西,
保護得清清楚楚,恐怕你明天有可能需要。
不過明天哪!明天有可能什麼都不會發生。
明天能帶給我們什麼?
就像一隻很小心的狗,
牠把骨頭埋在沙裡,
很大的一片沙地,沒有留下痕跡,
然後牠跟著主人去朝山,
等一下怎麼能夠找到呢?
我們害怕明天有可能需要什麼東西?
這個害怕本來沒有什麼力量,
是害怕本身有力量。

當我們害怕、恐懼的時候,
就像一個人的井雖然有滿滿的水,
卻怕有一天井會乾掉,
自己會渴死。

登录后才可评论.