Such wonderful books from Liew to me…thank you so much!!
And look at the sweet card he wrote below:
How nice of CK Liew with gifts and a card for me. As I said, people are very generous here and I like to share what they have given me.
Thanks.
Tsem Tulku
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1. Terima Kasih Rinpoche!
I have heard, Generosity, one of the 6 Perfections/Paramitas when practiced in its purest form destroys the causes of miserliness, both inner, outer and secret.
Oft, I hear of how it’s more blessed to give than to receive but perhaps, as I was contemplating, isn’t it also blessed to receive what others offer to one?
After all, others also need to practice this generosity, so how else do we want them to actualize the practice but by receiving what they offer to me as well.
Of course, then I too have to ensure that the receiving part is also in its purest form, in accord with the principles of not-self and emptiness.
Then wouldn’t it be a win-win situation for all?
Hi Peter,
What you said is wonderful in theory. The challenge is to crystallize the wise instructions of the masters ourselves. After all, it is by their example and the benefits derived from it that they give us the 6 Paramitas.
Giving and taking is inseparable. There is no right and wrong,or which is better – it all depends on motivation. However,I believe at our level, we should learn to give first in order to be able to receive with correct motivation.It is safer since we are prone to miserliness and pride. Receiving runs the risk of increasing greed and reinforcing miserliness.
If we practice giving sincerely always , then whatever we receive becomes the natural result of the virtue of giving.There is no danger.Just sharing.
Aaahh … thoughts from a wise one. Practice .. give .. give .. give — I will receive!!! Ha ha. It is in giving, that we receive.
Isn’t it about economics as well? If there is no one to give, who/what is there to receive? There goes the circle again. Every action of Rinpoche’s is a lesson in itself. Rinpoche chose to share with us not because he is happy that he receives gifts (though he is happy, knowing that another being is practising generosity) but because he wants us to rejoice and know that another of our friends has been touched by dharma, the greatest gift of all.
Offering gifts to ones Guru creates tremendous amount of merits. One will learn not just to offer material gifts to Guru but with accumulated merits one will also learn how to offer service to Guru. These kind of offerings are not difficult to do. Eventually a student have to offer inner offering and finally secret offering which is the highest offering that pleases the Guru.
Perfection of Generosity is the core practice of a Bodhisattva and is one of the top priority practice in 6 Paramitas. It is a virtuous practice required for skillfully serving the welfare of others and for oneself in attaining enlightenment. The practise of this virtuous quality requires discipline and sincerity to open up unconditional love, skillfulness, wisdom and compassion.
Giving is the first paramita within the six paramitas that is practiced by those aspiring along the Bodhisattva ideal. It is said when we first encounter our Lama we should give as much as we can as it will create the causes for us to receive much dharma from the lama. The Dharma is what we want from our Lama, as that is the most precious thing that he can share with us.
I rejoice in Liew that he is making offering to Rinpoche. Its very meritorious to make offerings to our guru, I quote this from the Lam Rim that the guru represent all the enlightened being and when we receive gifts or items from you he is accepting on behalf of all enlightened beings hence the merit is great. We were also not born during the time Buddha Shakyamuni or Lama Tsongkhapa were around and could not take teachings from them, one of the main activity of the Buddha is to teach the holy dharma, hence who is doing Buddha like activities for us now, it is our Guru! Hence our Guru is our Buddha, hence making offerings to our Guru we get the same merit as if making offerings to a Buddha.