Questioner: Suppose due to merit karma, someone has accumulated hundreds of thousands of rupees, then should he distribute it to people who are impoverished or should he use it for himself?
Dadashri: No, he should use that money in such a way that the family members do not become unhappy. He should ask the family members, “You don’t have any [financial] difficulty, do you?” If they reply, “No, we do not,” then that is his limit to use the money. So then he should do so accordingly.
Questioner: It should be used for a good cause, shouldn’t it?
Dadashri: All money should be used for a good cause. Money used for the home will all go down the gutter. So, when it is used in other places, it creates a ‘safe-side’ [safeguard; safety] for you yourself. Yes, you can’t take it with you from here [into the next life], but you can create a ‘safe-side’ in another way.
Questioner: But in a way, that can be considered the same as taking it with you, isn’t it!
Dadashri: Yes, it is indeed like taking it with you, for your ‘safe-side’. So, use it in a way that it gives happiness to others. All of that is your ‘safe-side’.
Questioner: What is considered good use of money?
Dadashri: When you use it for the benefit of people or for God, that is considered good use of money.
1) One day I was visiting someone. We were sitting in his living room and there was a bad storm. The doors and windows started banging in the wind. The man asked me whether he should close the doors. I told him not to close all the doors. Fresh air can only flow in if the trapped air is allowed to flow out. Otherwise no matter how strong the force of the wind, it cannot enter. This same analogy can be applied to the flow of money. If you do not obstruct it and let it flow out from one end, it will flow in from the other and will continue to flow in. But if you obstruct it, no more will come in. That is how it works. Now, it is up to you to decide the path in which it will flow. Whether you use it on your wife and children, for fame, for Gnan daan, the charity that liberates others, or to feed the hungry, it is up to you. Only when you let it flow, it will come to you.
2) In the most crucial time of life, only religion will help you. Therefore it is important to let your money flow towards religion, the benefit of others. During Satyug (era of true value and use of money), one could afford to be attached to money, as it benefited all. Such wealth does not exist in this era. Why do wealthy businessmen of today suffer from high blood pressure and heart attacks? The culprit is the money of this era.
What is the nature of money? Money is mobile by nature. It will come and go, so use it for the benefit of others. When hard times fall upon you, the only thing that will help you is what you have given to others. Be aware of this from the start and put your money to good use. When your worldly interaction becomes pure, when you have no desire to take that, which is not rightfully yours, the world will be yours. It will not matter then if you enjoy life, because you are also sharing with others. What else is there to do? Are you able to take your money with you when you die? Whatever you spend for others is yours. That balance will be at hand for you in your next life. So, if you want a balance for your next life, you should spend your money for others in this life. This sharing is for all living beings; even if a crow takes a bite out of your food, it will be credited to your account.But anything you spend on yourself or your children goes down the drain. Nevertheless, that is inevitable. You have no choice in the matter. If you only feed birds, animals, and not people, it is still considered feeding others, but because it costs less to feed animals and birds, a lesser amount will be credited to your account.
Book Name: Noble Use of Money (Page #52 and Page #53)
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