พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าทานคือนโยบายของบัณฑิต แต่ต้องให้ด้วยปัญญาและเมตตา ไม่ใช่ให้ด้วยอกุศล การตัดใจให้คือการตัดความตระหนี่ซึ่งเป็นมลทินปิดกั้นสมบัติละเอียด ยิ่งให้ฉลาดยิ่งได้ผลมากThe teacher explains that giving is the policy of the wise, but it must be done with wisdom and loving-kindness, not driven by unwholesome intent. Letting go to give cuts away the stain of stinginess that blocks subtle wealth from arising — the wiser the giving, the greater the result.
A follower asked the teacher why an elder teacher of the past once said that those who don't know how to give will only grow poorer.
Giving Is the Policy of the Wise
The teacher explained that giving has been the policy of wise people since ancient times. Those with wisdom give, because they see that the more they give, the more they have; the foolish see giving as loss. Giving is so important that it can accomplish things without ever having to ask anyone for help — but it must be done wisely. Foolish giving leads to greater poverty; wise giving leads to greater wealth. Anyone who wants great abundance must diligently practice giving.
Giving Must Be Guided by Wisdom and a Wholesome Intention
He said that giving not guided by and wisdom lets unwholesome intent take the lead, producing no real benefit and instead causing harm to oneself and others — for example, giving something useless, or giving something harmful like alcohol or intoxicants. Even if the recipient is pleased in the moment, suffering follows. What matters most is what stands behind the giving: when a wholesome intention leads it, the giving truly benefits both giver and receiver.
Giving with a mind that lets go of — even when what's given seems small or is all one has — sheds the stain of stinginess from the heart. This stinginess is itself the very stain that blocks subtle wealth from arising, since subtle wealth is what draws worldly wealth toward us, through our work and various channels in life.
The Fruits of Giving, Both Wholesome and Not
He compared a single act of giving, however small it seems, to planting a mango seed: once it grows into a large tree, it bears fruit again and again for years. Giving rooted in draws people who want to help and support one's work; giving rooted in wisdom guides one toward what is right and beneficial. On the other hand, when unwillingness to give — stinginess — stands behind one's actions, that stain clings ever tighter, making it harder to receive help from others, leading to hardship and mutual resentment. Giving, therefore, must be joined with both wisdom and loving-kindness, considering carefully whether what is given truly benefits the one who receives it.