Noble Use of Money

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Mahavideh Foundation

Page 19

Noble Use of Money
Noble Use of Money
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Violence In Business Practices Questioner: Is it considered violence (hinsa) if a businessman makes a lot of profit but does not give adequate compensation to his workers, or if he himself makes money without working?
Dadashri: That is all a practice of violence.
Questioner: If a person accumulates wealth in this way and spends it towards religion, what kind of violence is that?
Dadashri: Whatever he gives towards religion, whatever he sacrifices, will lessen his liability by that much. If he were to make one hundred thousand rupees and give eighty thousand towards the construction of a hospital, then he would no longer be responsible for that amount. He would only be liable for twenty thousand rupees.
Questioner: Is it violence when one hoards money?
Dadashri: That is considered violence. To hoard is violence because others are deprived of their share.
It Goes, The Way It Came... Everything carries on in the name of God and religion!
Questioner: When a person gives charity, he gives in good faith, but how does he know whether the person in charge is carrying out his responsibility?
Dadashri: If your money is not good, then it will go towards a bad cause. Honest money will go towards a good cause and dishonest money will go towards a bad cause! Stealing Large Amounts and Making Token Donations
Questioner: Many people say that by giving charity, one becomes a deva (celestial being). Is that true?
Dadashri: There are people who, despite giving charity, go to hell. That is because they give under pressure, they do not give willingly. In this current time cycle, people do not have the kind of money needed to make a true donation. The wealth of the current time cycle is from dreadful deeds, and so donations made with this money, on the contrary, causes more harm. Nevertheless it is still better to give to a needy person than give just for the sake of giving. What is the use of giving for fame and prestige? Feed and clothe the people in need. In this time cycle, where will you find honest money for donations? Here it would be better to improve your thoughts than to give charity. Where can one acquire honest wealth when there is none? Whatever honest wealth there is, does not last. Today, large donations are made with 'black' money. Nevertheless, even though the money is illicit, it is not considered wrong because, although the donor acquired it through illicit means, he is donating it towards a good cause. This frees him from his sins. Whatever he sows he will reap! At least he will reap some fruits for the seeds he sows!
Questioner: There is a verse in a spiritual song, "A smuggler tries to free himself through a token donation given as a cover up." On the one hand he smuggles goods and on the other, he gives to charity. Will he gain any benefits?
Dadashri: No, he will not gain anything and in fact that is a sign of going to hell. Those are considered thieving tendencies. It would be better for a smuggler to live an honest life and give nothing to charity, than to smuggle and give a token donation. What is the point in taking a prisoner out to a park just for one day when he is serving a life long sentence?
The smugglers and the black-marketers give large donations to protect their reputation. This is called "token donation.'
Questioner: So are there no virtuous people today?