The Noble Use Of Money

Editorial

Scriptures and religious leaders have described many ways of creating merit karmas (punya). One of the ways is through charity (daan). The purpose of charity is to give happiness to others by giving something that belongs to you.

One is taught to give from childhood. When a child visits a temple with his mother, he is taught to give money or food to the poor sitting outside. The parents will give the child money to put in the collection box. This is how children are taught to give.

Gnani Purush Dadashri has explained the subtleties of how a person can incur a tremendous loss if he is making a donation, without understanding and internal awareness. What kind of awareness and intention should one have while making a donation? What are the highest kinds of donations? How many kinds are there? To whom can you give? Dadashri has given a lot of information about giving charity, which the reader will find invaluable. For the reader, this small publication will become the ultimate guide, providing the best understanding in matters relating to charity.

Jai Sat Chit Anand

-Dr. Niruben Amin

CHARITY

The Purpose Of Charity?

Questioner: Why do people give to charity?

Dadashri: One gives because he wants something in return. A person gives happiness in order to receive happiness in return. People do not give for the purpose of liberation. When you give happiness to others, you will receive happiness. Whatever you give, you will get back. That is the rule. We receive through giving to others and we lose by taking away from others.

Questioner: Which is better, fasting or giving charity?

Dadashri: Giving charity is like sowing a field. When you sow anything, you will reap the fruits of the seeds. Fasting increases one’s internal awareness, but the Lord has said that one should fast only to the point his body can tolerate.

The Very Meaning Of Charity Is To Give Happiness!

Charity means to give happiness to other living beings, humans, or animals. When you give happiness to others, the reaction of that will be happiness for you in return. When you give happiness to others, happiness immediately comes to you.

Whenever you give charity you feel good inside. Despite giving away your own money, you feel good because you have done something good. When you do something good, you feel good and when you do something bad, you feel bad. Based on this can you not tell what is good and what is not?

Solutions For Happiness!

Questioner: Should we give to the poor and needy or should we worship God for peace of mind?

Dadashri: If you want peace of mind, then you should give what is yours to others. Tomorrow buy a bucket of ice cream, feed some people, and see how much joy you get from doing that. As such people do not care for ice cream on a cold, rainy day, but try it all the same for your peace of mind. Feed the birds and the animals some grains and watch them jump with joy as they eat. You too will feel joy within. These pigeons get excited even before you throw the grains! So when you give someone something that belongs to you, you will experience joy within.

If someone is badly hurt and to stop the bleeding you have to tear your shirt for a bandage, you will feel good inside even if your shirt was very expensive.

Where To Give Charity?

Questioner: Some religions say that one should donate a percentage of one’s earnings. What is that for?

Dadashri: There is nothing wrong with donating to religion, but the money from the donation has to be put to good use. If the money is likely to be abused you should not give anything, give elsewhere.

Make sure that your money goes towards a good cause; otherwise too much money squandered in worldly pleasures can take you to a lower life form. Give your money towards a good cause. Religious leaders however should not take the money for themselves.

Divert Your Money Towards Religion

It is very difficult to take care of money! It is better to earn less money instead. If a person earns ten thousand a year and gives one thousand in charity, he does not have to worry. Whether another person gives a million and this here gives a thousand, it is all the same. What I am saying is that you should give something, however little it may be. At least you will have diverted your money towards a good cause; otherwise taking care of money is very difficult. It carries a great risk and involves a lot of suffering. It is easier to care for animals than to care for money. With animals all you have to do is tie them on a leash and you know they will still be there the next morning. Money however, is very difficult to take care of. It creates big problems and worries.

Does Money Not Last With Gnan?

Questioner: I earn ten thousand rupees every month, but why does it not last?

Dadashri: Money earned after 1942 does not last. All of the money that has been earned from 1942 onwards is associated with demerit karma (paap) from the past life, and that is why it does not last. This will change in a few years. I am a Gnani Purush and still the money that comes to me does not last. As long as you have enough money to take care of your obligations, that is all you need.

Questioner: What should we do when money does not last?

Dadashri: Money is not something that lasts. You have to change the way it is being used. Divert it towards a good cause. Whatever you spend towards a good cause is considered real money. Money will last in a religious household because there will not be any conflicts there. In a household where there is only money and no piety, there will only be conflicts. People earn vast amounts of money, but that money goes to waste. It is only at the hands of a person with a lot of merit karma, that money is spent towards a good cause. It is great merit karma (punya) indeed when money is spent for a good cause.

After 1942, money has not been of any quality. Nowadays money is not used for the right cause. It would be very good if it were.

Money Would Last For Seven Generations

Questioner: In India money lasts for several generations, whereas here in America it lasts at the most, six to eight years and then it is gone. Often a person who has the money will lose it and the one who has none will gain some. What is the reason behind this?

Dadashri: The merit karmas of people in India are so sticky that no matter how hard a person tries to get rid of his money, he will not succeed. And the demerit karmas are very sticky also, so prosperity is very hard to come by Whether a person is a Vaishnav or a Jain, his merit karmas are so tightly bound that he cannot get rid of money even if he wants to.

There was a very wealthy and a famous man from Petlad, named Ramanlal. Wealth had been carried forward in his family for seven generations. The family was very generous and regularly donated large amounts of money, yet they never ran short. He had bound very tight merit karmas. People can also bind demerit karmas (paap) in the same way and consequently suffer intense poverty for generations to come. They suffer endless miseries. Therefore the karmas one binds can also vary in intensity.

In America, wealth fluctuates rapidly, whereas in India the cycle of fluctuation is slower and wealth lasts for several generations. Nowadays however people do not have such punyas. A person can only be born into a wealthy family, if he or she has the same amount of punyas as the head of the family. It is not the punyas of the head of a family but the punyas of the proceeding generation that keeps the family wealth intact. Who can be born into the famous household of Kasturbhai? It is only the one with same kind of punyas as Kasturbhai. Where can one find such fortunate people with such merit karmas, nowadays? There has been few with such punyas in the last twenty-five years.

Otherwise It Runs Down The Drain

In the past money would last for at least three to five generations. Nowadays it does not last for even one generation. It comes and goes in a person’s lifetime. What kind of money is this? It is money which comes as a result of past merit karma but creates new demerit karma (paapanubandhi punya). There is still some money, which comes as a result of merit karma and also causes new merit karmas (punyanubandhi punya). Such money inspires you to come here to satsang. It brings you here and makes you spend that money for spiritual and other worthy causes. That money will go to a worthy cause; otherwise everything will be lost without any gain. Everything will go down the drain.

Your children are enjoying your money but if you were to tell them this, they will tell you that they are enjoying their money, so how can it be considered yours? When they tell you this, it means that everything has gone down the drain!

Invest All Excess Money In Charity

People perpetuate the worldly ways by doing what the world is doing. A Gnani would tell you, ‘Why are you jumping in this hole( life after life of msery)that wastes your hard earned money?’ People climb out of a hole full of misery and fall into a hole full of money. Whatever excess money you have, donate it towards a charitable cause because money that is sitting in the bank will be of no benefit to you. If you donate your money you will not encounter any obstacles; if you give it to charity, it will be credited to your account (karmic account).

Change the Flow Of Your Money

In fact, in the most crucial time of life, only religion will help you. So let your money flow towards religion, the benefit of others. During Satyug (era of true value and use of money) one could afford to be attached to money, as it benefited all. Such wealth does not exist in this era. Why do wealthy businessmen of today suffer from high blood pressure and heart attacks? The culprit is the money of this era.

What is the nature of money? Money is mobile by nature. It will come and go. So use it for the benefit of others. When hard times fall upon you, the only thing that will help you is what you had given to others. Be aware of this from the start and put your money to good use.

When your worldy interaction becomes pure, when you have no desire to take that which is not rightfully yours, the world will be yours. It will not matter then if you enjoy life, because you are also sharing with others. What else is there to do? Are you able to take your money with you when you die? Whatever you spend for others is yours. That balance will be at hand for you in your next life, so if you want a balance for your next life, you should spend your money for others in this life. This sharing is for all living beings; even if a crow takes a bite out of your food, it will be credited to your account. But anything you spend on yourself or your children goes down the drain. Nevertheless, that too is inevitable. You have no choice in the matter.

If you only feed birds, animals, and not people, it is still considered feeding others, but because it costs less to feed animals and birds, a lesser amount will be credited to your account.

Keep Your Mind Noble

Questioner: I used to donate thirty percent of my earnings to charities, but now I have stopped. I am not able to do that anymore.

Dadashri: Since your intention and desire is to give, you will be able to at a later time, because there is plenty of money where it came from. But what can anyone do when the mind becomes spoilt?

Does Wealth Come Because One Gives, Or Does One Give Because It Comes?

One day I was visiting someone. We were sitting in his living room and there was a bad storm. The doors and windows started banging in the wind. The host asked me whether he should close the doors. I told him not to close all the doors. Fresh air can only flow in if the trapped air is allowed to flow out. Otherwise no matter how strong the force of the wind, it cannot enter.

This same analogy can be applied to the flow of money. If you do not obstruct it and let it flow out from one end, it will flow in from the other and will continue to flow in. But if you obstruct it, no more will come in. That is how it works. Now, it is up to you to decide the path in which it will flow. Whether you use it on your wife and children, or for fame, or for Gnandaan, the charity that liberates others, or to feed the hungry, it is up to you. Only when you let it flow, it will come to you.

Types Of Charity

There are four kinds of charity: Food (ahara-daan), medical care (aushadha-daan), spiritual knowledge (Gnan-daan) and The State Of Absolute Non-Violence (abhaya-daan - conduct that raises no fear in any living being).

Charity Of Food

First, comes the charity of food. When some one comes to your door at noon and says, ‘Brother, please give me something, I am hungry.’ Then you reply, ‘Please sit down right here, and I will serve you food.’ This is charity of food. Someone may interfere by telling you that if you were to feed this robust man, what will you do for his dinner? God has said for one not to interfere in such matters. Because of your charity, that man will live at least one more day. Tomorrow he will find someone else to help him live. You do not have to worry about what will become of him tomorrow or in the future. When someone comes to your home, give whatever you can. At least he will live today, that is all! Something else may be in store for him tomorrow. There is no need for you to worry.

Questioner: Is charity of food considered the highest?

Dadashri: It is considered good but how much can you give? People would not keep giving forever. It is enough to feed someone just once. He will find his second meal somewhere else. But today he lives because of that one meal! Nevertheless when people give food, do they give fresh food or leftovers?

Questioner: They get rid of their leftovers. What can they do if they cook too much?

Dadashri: At least they are making good use of it! When one gives freshly prepared food, then I will accept that it is correct. Surely there must be some rules of the science of the Enlightened Ones (vitarag); it cannot be haphazard. Any other time you can get away with it, but not here.

Charity of Medical Help

Charity of medicine (donation of medicine, doctor’s bills or other medical help) is considered higher than charity of food. If a poor man falls ill and cannot afford to buy medicine, you should either give him the money or buy the medicine for him. He may live a few more years because of your charity. Charity of medicine is more beneficial than charity of food. Do you understand which is better?

Questioner: Charity of medicine.

Dadashri: Charity of medicine is considered more valuable than charity of food because it keeps a person alive longer and gives him relief from pain and suffering. Many of our women and children regularly give charity of food and medicine. It does not cost too much, but it should be done all the same. If a poor man comes to your doorstep give him whatever is ready at the time.

Gnandaan Is Higher

Gnandaan is even higher. Money donated towards books that guide people on the right path towards their salvation is all gnandaan. By gnandaan one can progress to a better life form in the next life or can even attain liberation.

God has said that gnandaan is the main daan. And where money is not involved, He has talked about abhayadaan. As far as money is concerned, he has said to give gnandaan and those of ordinary means should give charity of medicine and food.

Questioner: But if people have a surplus of money, should they not make donations?

Dadashri: Giving donations is best. Give to reduce people’s misery and suffering and use the rest on a constructive path of charity. Gnandaan is the charity that leads people on the right path. That is the highest form of charity in this world! You benefit so much from this gnan (knowledge) by understanding just one sentence, so imagine how much more can be gained if people were to read a whole book?

Questioner: Now I understand exactly.

Dadashri: Yes, those who have more money should primarily do gnandaan.

But what kind of gnan (knowledge) should it be? It should be the kind that will help people of the world. The products of such charity are for the salvation of the world, not for entertainment. People enjoy reading books and fictions but it does not benefit them; on the contrary they regress in their spirituality.

Abhayadaan Is The Highest

Abhayadaan is where one’s conducts is such that he will not raise fear in any living being.

Questioner: Can you explain abhayadaan some more?

Dadashri: Abhayadaan means that you do not hurt any living being to the slightest extent. I will give you an example. When I was young, in my twenties, I used to go to the movies. It would be midnight by the time I would come home. Walking home, I would startle sleeping dogs with my footsteps because I had metal studs on the soles of my shoes. It occurred to me then, about what kind of a person I was to startle the poor sleeping dogs. After that I would remove my shoes each time I had to walk past them. This is what I used to do even at that young age. Don’t you think the noise would startle the dogs?

Questioner: Yes and it would interrupt their sleep.

Dadashri: They used to get startled and naturally they would bark. Would it not have been better to let them sleep so that they would not disturb others as well?

So, for abhayadaan, one should first have the inner intention (bhaav) of not hurting any living being, even in the slightest degree. This will then come into practice. Only if you make such a bhaav first, will it come into practice. The Lord has called this the highest of all charities. No money is involved in this charity. This is the highest form of charity, yet people do not have the capacity for it. Even those who have money cannot give this charity. So they should perform their charity with money.

The Lord has said there are no other forms of charity besides these four. People talk about other forms of charities, but that is all imaginary. There are only these four. In your mind, as much as possible, your intention should be towards practicing abhayadaan.

Questioner: If we do abhayadaan, does that automatically include the other three?

Dadashri: No. Abhaydaan is possible for only extraordinary people and so even those who do not have the financial means can practice it. At one time the wealthy used to do abhayadaan but nowadays they lack the qualities because they have acquired and accumulated their wealth by depriving and threatening others.

Questioner: So, have they done bhayadaan (charity of threats/fear)?

Dadashri: No, you cannot say that. Despite having done this, they give towards gnandaan. Regardless of what they do, at least they are using their money for gnandaan. At least they are doing something good.

Only Gnanis Can Give Abhayadaan

Abhayadaan is the best. The Lord has praised abhayadaan. First and foremost give abhayadaan, so that no being will fear you; then comes charity of knowledge, medicine, and finally food.

Abhayadaan is higher than gnandaan, but people cannot give abhayadaan! Only the Gnanis and his followers of enlightened beings can give abhayadaan. The Gnani’s followers too, can give abhayadaan. They live in such a way that no being fears them. Even a dog will not be disturbed by them. This is because for an enlightened being the slightest hurt to the other reaches within, and hurts his self. And therefore we should live such that through the medium of our thoughts, speech and acts no living being should suffer..

Money Involved In All Three

Questioner: So is there no place for the charity of money in these four major categories?

Dadashri: The charity of money is included in gnandaan. When money is used to print books that impart knowledge it is gnandaan.

Questioner: Isn’t everything being done through money anyway? We need money even to give donation of food.

Dadashri: Yes, money is needed even for donation of medicines. Money is needed for everything, but a donation of money for gnandaan is the highest.

How Can Money Be Given?

Questioner: For any of the donations we should not give cash, is that right?

Dadashri: Correct, money should not be given in cash. For gnandaan you should give in the form of printed books but if you want to make a donation for food, feed people cooked meals. Nowhere, has it been written that donations should be in the form of money.

Donation Of Gold Coins

Questioner: It is said in the scriptures that in the past people used to donate gold coins, isn’t that money?

Dadashri: Yes donations of gold coins were given to only the Shraman Brahmins (Jain ascetics). The Shraman cannot ask anyone for anything so people would give them charity of gold coins for their daily sustenance and for the marriage of their daughters. And in those days the money-coins were used for a good cause. Nowadays it is different; today even the derasars (Jain temples) are built from illicit money. Such is the influence of this time cycle!

The Gnani’s Viewpoint…

Questioner: There is often a dilemma about this, but in your view, which is higher, donation for knowledge (vidyadaan) or education or donation of money?

Dadashri: Charity of education is higher. Those who have money should give towards education and gnan(spiritual knowledge). For gnan you should have books printed and give in other ways to propagate it. How is gnan propogated? The money should be spent only for gnan. Those with and without money should focus on abayadaan. They should live in such a way that no one fears them. It is not proper for people to donate money for prestige and fame. Monuments have been constructed for fame and prestige but none of these monuments have survived. When are you able to carry forward credits of what you do in this life? It is when you give for the propagation of gnan and education.

The Book That Helps Is Worth It!

Questioner: Thousands of religious books are printed but no one reads them.

Dadashri: That is true, nobody reads them, and they just collect dust. You are right when you say that a book is worth something only if a person reads it. Nowadays, hardly any of the books are being read. Countless books on religion continue to be published. Many people publish religious books for recognition and fame. A book on religion is of value if there is gnan in it that helps one in practical terms. If such a book exists then it is worthwhile. Printing and publishing such a book for the masses is a worthwhile charity, otherwise what is the point? A person is only able to print such books if he has the merit karma to do so. Otherwise the circumstances will not arise. Money will always come and go; credits will always turn into debits. What is your experience, do you only have credit or do you also have debits?

Questioner: Both are there.

Dadashri: So the debit-credit cycle continues relentlessly.

Questioner: It should be like that.

Dadashri: But there are two paths. The debit either goes towards a worthy cause or down the drain; it can only go towards one. The entire wealth of Bombay today is going down the drain.

Bombay - A Fairground Of People with Merit Karmas (Punyashadis!)

Questioner: Many people of Bombay give large donations; they donate millions of rupees.

Dadashri: Yes, but those donations are given for prestige. Nevertheless that money is going towards a good cause, like hospitals and medical care.

Questioner: Do those people receive any benefits or not?

Dadashri: Yes, they get a lot of benefits; benefits are inevitable. The city of Bombay has so much wealth. Because of this wealth there are so many hospitals. Bombay has an enormous amount of wealth; as big as the ocean, and it also goes into the ocean.

Questioner: Wealth only accumulates in Bombay. What is the reason behind this?

Dadashri: Only in Bombay does wealth accumulate. That is just the way things work. The highest of everything is pulled towards Bombay.

Questioner: Is it because of the nature of the location?

Dadashri: Of course it is the quality of that land! The highest of all things are pulled towards Bombay. Even the green chilies in Bombay are of the best quality. The greatest of people are to be found in Bombay and even the lowest and the most worthless are to be found there too. Both the qualities are there. You would not find such people in the villages.

Questioner: There are many balanced and tolerant people in Bombay, are there not?

Dadashri: The whole city is a fairground of people with tremendous merit karmas; people with such karmas are all pulled together. People of Bombay tolerate everything; if someone steps on their toes, they apologize in return, but a villager would slap that person instead! The people of Bombay can be called developed people.

Wealth Going In The Gutter

People’s wealth is going down the drain. Only occasionally does a person’s wealth flow on the right path, if he has the merit karma. Can wealth not go into the gutter?

Questioner: It is obviously going there!

Dadashri: An enormous amount of wealth is being poured down the drains of Bombay. Bombay is the bazaar (market) of attachment(moha). A person’s wealth will sweep away very quickly. It is all bad wealth. If it were good, it would be spent towards a worthwhile cause.

At the moment the wealth of this world is going down the drain. All of people’s earnings are going down the drain because they spend it for their own amusement. Not a single rupee is being spent on the right path. And when a person donates money to colleges or schools, it is to boost his ego. If money is spent without egoism, then it is good. But the charity people give supports their ego only through the recognition and prestige they receive. This fame and prestige has its consequences. What happens when that recognition turns into slander and defamation? They suffer in agony. Instead it is better not to have any expectation of fame. Fame leads to defamation. The one who has no expectations of recognition will not have to face defamation.

Use It On The Right Path

Money comes and goes. At certain time you will have a lot of it and at other times it will be depleted, so do not wait in supporting a good cause. Spend it on a good cause; otherwise it will go down the drain. People waste millions of rupees for their own comfort. They now regret this and they agree with me that their money has gone down the drain. They should have been cautious from the start. From now on they should be cautious. Money is bound to come their way again. Money will come and go; there will be a period of good times and bad times. If you spend the money for a good cause, it will be to your benefit. That is the only thing that will come with you.

You earn so much but where does it all go? Down the drain!! Have you made any donations? You might say in your defense that you cannot give because you have none to give. So where did your money go? Who ploughs the land and who reaps the crops? Money does not belong to those who earn it but to those who spend it. So whatever new ‘overdrafts’ (donations) you send (to the next life), that much will be yours.

Charity Means To Reap What You Had Sown

Questioner: When there is no connection between charity and the Soul, is it then necessary to give charity?

Dadashri: Charity means to give and then receive. This world is in the form of an echo. There will be echoes of whatever you do and it will return to you with interest. So if you give, you will receive. In this life you are reaping the benefits of whatever you gave towards a good cause in your past life. If you do not do the same in this life, it will all be wasted. What happens if you use up all the wheat you harvest and do not sow anymore?

Questioner: There would be no more crops.

Dadashri: That is precisely how everything is. Give to charity. It will create an echo, which will return to you amplified. It is because you gave in your past life, that you are able to come to America, to a better life. Otherwise do you think it is easy to come to America? It is because of a lot of your merit karmas that you are even able to fly in a plane. There are a lot of people who have never even seen a plane!

Wealth Returns to the Same Place

Dadashri: Was your household not wealthy once?

Questioner: Such were the merits (punyas)of the past karmas!

Dadashri: Wealth comes to those who have helped others in their past life. It does not come to those who desire to take away from others, and if it does come, it will not stay. Wealth will only come to those who wish to give to others, to those who go out of their way to help others, to those who let others take advantage of them, and to those who are noble. It may appear to have gone away, but it will return to them.

Greed Makes You Forget Charity

You can only give when you have the means. If a person does not have any money to give, he thinks to himself that he would give charity if he had the money. And yet, when the ability to fulfill the desire for charity is there, he pushes it aside. The nature of the human mind is to delay, he will say, ‘It is only a million and a half so far, I will give when it becomes two million.’ And then it does not happen. In such charities, it is best to give without thinking and planning. That is true wealth.

Questioner: What if a person was to die before he accumulates two million?

Dadashri: He goes away and his wealth gets left behind. Things remain unresolved and he gains nothing. That is the nature of a human being. When he does not have the money, he says he wants to give and when he has the money, his greed will blind him.

People make all kinds of excuses when it comes to giving. On the other hand, if someone owes them money and does not pay it back, they become resigned and claim that they were not lucky enough to get the money back. They will let go of their money in those situations but yet they cannot let it go towards a charity. Such is the inner kashaya of greed for money. It completely deludes them. You have to become strong and bold, only then will you be able to give. That is why I tell you to do at least something so that your attachment of greed, does not control you. If you cannot give a flower, give at least a petal, but do something. All you have to do is to give your support, even if that support is very little. Everyone should give in whatever way he can afford. Even a sick person can give a little support.

A True Donor

True wealth is one that never runs short. There would be no shortage of it even if you were to donate buckets full. It is not considered true wealth when a person gives for two days in a whole year.

There was an extremely wealthy man. He was known for his generosity because his family, for seven generations had been giving for charity very generously. He would give money to anyone that came to him asking for help. He was a very charitable person. As he continued to give, his wealth kept on increasing. I have witnessed this myself!

What is the nature of wealth? Wealth will increase tremendously if it is used for a good cause, but if a person cheats and steals from others, he will never be wealthy. If you ask businessmen how their businesses are running , they will tell you that the profits are substantial, but for some reason they are not able to save any of it. We have a saying, ‘A thief’s mother puts her head in the kothi (large clay pots used to store grains) and cries.’ Naturally she would cry, because the kothi is empty!

Charity is the flow of money and a true donor by nature is an expert in giving. He has the ability instantly recognize a person in need and offer to help in anyway that he can. He would offer to help a needy man whose daughter is getting married. He would tell the man that he is not able to give money, but that he could make arrangements to provide for his daughter’s wedding costs and even her jewelry. He would even arrange to fulfill the man’s customary obligations of sending gifts to all his relatives. He would take care of all the man’s social obligations, while simultaneously recognizing that the man could not be trusted with cash money. True donors are experts.

Investigate Carefully

If you give money to a poor person, upon closer inspection you will find that he is not really poor and that he has plenty of money. This happens because people have learnt to collect money in the name of poverty. It has become a business. Where should you give charity? It should be given to the common man who does not ask for it, but despite living frugally suffers a lot from within. They are the ones in difficulty, so give to them, the middle class.

Know Where Your Money Goes

One person had a spark of gnan. What gnan? He thought that people must die of severe cold exposure. Winter had arrived and it cold in the home. So what of the people sleeping on the footpaths? This is a type of a gnan. He had money. He went and bought a hundred new inexpensive woolen blankets of poor quality. The next morning at 4:00 AM he went around covering whomever he came across sleeping on the footpath. When he went back a week later, none of the blankets were to be found. They had sold the new blankets for the money.

He should not have given new blankets; instead he should have bought old, used ones from a flea market, so that they could not be sold. If his budget was seventy rupees per blanket, he could have bought three used blankets for the price of one new blanket. Then he could have given all three to just one person who would use it for the purpose intended since no one would want to buy old used blankets from him.

So in the current time cycle, if you are making a donation, do so only after giving it a lot of thought. Money of this era by its nature is wrong because it hardly flows towards good use. Even when you give to charity, you will only be able to give after you have given it a lot of consideration. In the past money was pure and so wherever one made a donation, it went to a good cause.

Nowadays you cannot give cash. If you want to give food, buy some food and distribute it. You should not give packaged food because they will try to sell it for even half the price. What can one do in a world like this? If yo