There is a story in the Bible of how several Israelites went to the Temple and gave large amounts of money. Right behind them was a poor widow who gave only two copper coins. The offering was tiny, but Jesus called His disciple’s attention to it. “This poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others,” Jesus said. “They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.”
The Buddha’s advice on giving is not formulated as a story the way Christ’s is, but the message is the same. Generosity should not be reserved for when a person has a surplus of money, energy or time. One should always be sharing with and giving to one’s neighbors, loved ones and even complete strangers.
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