Giving to Others
Yutang Lin
Giving things to others
Should be intended to
make others happy
Having given something to people
And yet could not forget
that it was given by oneself
Asking this and asking that
Chasing after it all the
way
Only causing the recipient
To fell pressure
mounting
And regret for not having declined it
At the very
beginning
Things given to others
Were but a morsel
To others' real situation
Did not make a real
difference
Only due to one's grasping that could not be forsaken
Regarding it as a big
matter
And pouring out all sorts of opinions
Simply causing the
recipient
To feel embarrassed and ill at ease
To practice almsgiving
One should let go of
self and others
Things that were given
Simply are others'
now
No longer keep them in mind
And no right to ask
about them any more
Thus both sides will be at ease
And all matters become
carefree
As a Dharma practitioner
One constantly received
graceful giving
The hardship in such reception
Could hardly be
appreciated by the givers
In cases of arrogant almsgiving
Could only be received
with compassion
No words to respond to others
Only Buddhas see this
clearly
Written in Chinese and translated on March 11, 2012
Lunar February 19, Guan Yin's Birthday
El Cerrito, California