Blessed Us!

This afternoon, after a long health-scare, I was feeling greatly peckish and so, took the opportunity to pay a visit to the nearby Ramadan market to satisfy my glutton appetite for the bakar-bakar, ulam-ulam, kuih kuih muih muih. Had the company of mom and sis-in-law too as they wanted to select their fav foods.

We were busily scouting for the perfect grub to buy when I spotted a Rohingya mom-and-child asking for alms beside a murtabak stall. My instant reaction was to dig into my pocket but was stopped by mommy dearest before i could unload into the little alms cup. My mom was obviously quick to observe that this little tanned-skin lady was dressed in a rather nice baju with some jewellery (dunno whether real or fake)dangling from her wrist. Well, I gave my mom the usual "stubborn" stare and proceeded to give anyway.

It is so true that our eyes causes us to perceive and be judgemental; often masking the truth of reality. We owe it to ourselves to dig deeper before allowing ourselves to act on shallow perceptions.

This incident has led me to think where should be the limit to our acts of kindness and compassion. I obviously didn't share my mom's view that the lady was too well dressed to beg for alms. My belief is that nobody wants to beg if they had a choice, and it wouldn't be a burden for me to part with a few small notes if it would ensure that the person and their dependants could have a decent meal that day.

Well, I 've been proven wrong too. I still remembered the incident whereby I gave a lame man a few extra ringgit, only to discover later that he used the money to punt on damacai. Still, I believe that the act is in the giving; shouldn't be overly concerned with how the money is used.

My limit therefore, remains the same for now. There is onlyone exception to the rule of alms giving. Realizing the boundries of religious conduct and vows of the Sangha (Buddhist monkhood) community, I am definitely confident of the laws broken by the bogus monks who thrive on the fears and sympathy of the masses and would thus, reject any financial advances made to them.