Way of Life Part 4

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 16

THE WAY OF LIFE
from which house he had secured that food. He said, “Dear son, this food has been secured from the house of the merchant by name Nag who lives in the city of Nanduri. Nag had placed this food in front of the deity; so, you can eat it."
Ded ate the food. Nagarjun possessed the miraculous power called suvarnasiddhi (The power of making gold). He wanted to teach that power to some worthy person. power of that kind cannot be bestowed upon an unworthy person. If we pour water into a raw clay-pot, what will happen? The pot itself will break. Is that not so? If a miraculous power is bestowed on an unworthy person, what will happen? It will cause harm to that person. So, though great men are compassionate towards other jivas they surely think of the worthiness of the person concerned. WHAT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO A BEGGAR ?
From the Audience : Now-a-days, there are beggars who when they are given some money, use it for gambling. If we give them good clothes, they sell them away.
Maharajashri: We should not give money to such people. There is no need to think of the worthiness of people while giving food to them. There are some people like the beggars you have mentioned. They seem to be in great anguish, and they seem to be the followers of Jain dharma. They have learnt to beg for alms. They do not do any work or business to earn money though they are capable of working. They go to religious places and beg for food and money. They have developed the habit of begging for food and money thus. You only strengthen their bad habit by giving them money and you encourage them to go on in that manner.
There was a young man. He was a graduate. Once, he approached me. He had lost his job and was in dire poverty. He begged for some help. I said to him, “I will recommend you to some person who can give you an employment but you must observe four principles; you should not eat meat; you should not drink liquors; you should not gamble; and you should be faithful to your wife. Tell me if you are prepared to act according to these principles”.