Gold Coins in Hand I The Importance of Offering

Hi everyone, this is Nancy. Today is Dec. 18th, 2021. It was almost the end of the year. I wish all of you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Today, with this video, I would like to share with you a story about offering. This story is taken from the Sutra of Wise and Foolish, and this story tells us the importance of offering: Offering leads to wealth.

It’s said that when the Buddha lived in the world, there was an elder in the city of Sravasti. His wife just delivered a baby boy, and he was named Gold Wealth. The boy’s appearance was not ordinary. When he was born, his hands were curled and not stretched. His parents were frightened. After they managed to open the clenched hands of the child, they saw two gold coins in the hands. They happily accepted the coins and put them away. Not only that, later on, every time they opened the child’s clenched hands, there would be two gold coins, and it seemed that they were inexhaustible.

When the child grew up, he told his parents that he was leaving the home to cultivate. His parents consented right away. So he went to where the Buddha was. He had his hair shaved, put on robes, received ordination when he reached the age. In the monastery, every time when he paid homage to the other bhikkhu, he put his hands on the ground, right there where his hands were, there would be two golden coins. He practiced diligently and obtained Arhatship later.

One time, Ananda asked the Buddha, “Buddha, this Gold Wealth bhikkhu, what did he do in the past so that he has golden coins in hands all the time?”

The Buddha said, “In 91 kalpa past, there was a Buddha whose name was Vipassi. Whenever the Buddha travelled with his disciples, many rich elders would make offerings to him and his disciples. One time, poor man who sold his firewood and got two coins. When he saw the Buddha, he was happy, and he offered the two coins to the Buddha. Because of this, he was able to be born with gold coins in hands and accompanied by gold all the time. That poor man is bhikkhu Gold Wealth. So you see, genuine offering leads to wealth.

Amitabha! This is today’s Dharma share. Why do we make offerings to the Buddha? Because the Buddha is the greatest blessing field where we harvest the most and the best. Thank you everyone for being here. I wish all of you a safe, peaceful and happy holiday season. I will see you next year. Bye.