There was a student that went to study the concepts of buddhism
under a great master. After learning six of the eight virtures he
left the school to make a name for himself against his master's
wishes. By having the right conduct, speech and actions and making
the right efforts, he soon succeeded in accumulated great wealth
and fame in the land. However despite his generousity and
humbleness he could not avoid making more and more enemies who were
jealous of not only his wealth, but his acts of charity. In the end
he lost everything. Broken and desolate, he blamed his lack of
patience for not learning the last two virtues under the great one
and decided to go back to the monastry.
Finally he succeded in learning all the eight virtues, but decided
to remain in the monastry as a humble monk.
A junior in awe of the monk's previous accomplishments lamented
"what a waste of talent".
The monk heard this and smiled.
"Why does a person desire to accumulate unecessary materiality? To
give to charity? This is an illusion.
Taking destroys others livelihoods.
Giving the charity to increase fame brings bad karma as you were
originally the destroyer.
When you have understood rightly and have the correct intentions,
you will realise that not taking saves lives instead of destroying
and results in no need to give to charity as no people need
it.
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