Arun Arun
When Lord Buddha arrived in Pataliputra, everyone started planning to give gifts to him according to their financial status.
King Bimbisara also presented him with precious diamonds, pearls and gems. Buddhadev gladly accepted everyone with one hand. After this the ministers, Seths, moneylenders offered their gifts to him and Buddhadev accepted them all with one hand.
Buddhya Story : The Glory of Charity
Meanwhile, an old woman came there leaning on a stick. Saluting Buddhadev, she said, ‘Lord, when I got the news of your arrival, I was eating this pomegranate at that time. Because I don’t have anything else, I have brought this half-eaten fruit. If you accept this meager gift of mine, I will consider it unfortunate.’ Lord Buddha accepted that fruit with both hands in front of him.
When King Bimbisara saw this, he said to Buddhadev, ‘Lord, forgive me! I want to ask a question. We all gave you valuable and big gifts which you accepted with one hand but you accepted the small and false fruit given by this old woman with both hands, why so?’
Hearing this Buddhadev smiled and said, ‘Rajan! You all have definitely given valuable gifts but all this is not even a tenth part of your wealth. You have not done this donation for the welfare of the downtrodden and the poor, so this donation of yours cannot come under the category of ‘saatvik donation’. On the contrary, this old lady has given me only a mouthful of her mouth. Even though this old lady is poor, she has no longing for wealth. This is the reason why I have accepted its donation with an open heart, with both hands.
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