This is what Buddha says, not me ! The following excerpt is from Osho’s discourses titled The Discipline of Transcendence. The following excerpt is from Discourse one Volume 2. The entire transcript of this discourse is available on this website – The Challenge of The Buddha.
IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THE POOR TO PRACTISE CHARITY
“…… Charity is possible only when you are overflowing. Overflowing is charity.”
“….You possess only that which you can give. Only by giving do you become the possessor. If you cannot give, then you are not in possession, you are not the master. Then the thing that you think you possess, is possessing you. Then you are possessed by your possession.
Charity is a beautiful flowering of one who has, one who is in possession of his being; one who is not poor, one who is rich.
This man may be a beggar on the streets. It has nothing to do with your bank balance. The rich man may be a beggar, but if he has his being, authentic being, if he can love, if he can sing, if he can dance, if he can see poetry in the world, he is rich. He may not have anything at all. As far as material things go, he may not have anything. But he has something of the spiritual… something which cannot be taken away from him.
Observe this fact: that which you really possess cannot be taken away from you.
You can only give it – if you want – but nobody can take it away. That which you don’t possess, and by which you are possessed, you can never give – it can only be stolen or taken away, robbed.
Your love cannot be robbed. There is no way to rob it. You can give it voluntarily, you can give it freely, but nobody can rob it. You can be killed, but your love cannot be killed. There exists no way to murder love.”
“….Sharing is overflowing.
Buddha says this is one of the most difficult things – to try to share that which you don’t have – and that’s what people are doing. They go on trying to love without ever considering the fact that love has not yet grown in their heart. In fact, you don’t love yourself – how can you love others? The basic is missing, the very basic is missing.
You are not happy alone – how can you be happy together with somebody else?”
“..Buddha’s first sutra says: Try to become rich so that you can share.”
Can’t find a better way to say it !
I guess we all need a reset of our definitions of rich, poor and charity. The world’s richest may very well be the world’s poorest and vice versa. The reason Osho is the Master of Masters is because he makes you do all the work, gives no framework or theology to hang your coat on ….
Thank You Master 🙏🏿
Rich and poor depend on perspective. Perhaps the Buddha was referring to those who feel poor in spirit.
Yes he meant poor in spirit. Having a lot of money and/or things anyway have no meaning to a Buddha.