Valuing Trustworthiness Over Money and Returning Found Money

By Qingyan

(Clearwisdom.net) In the Ming Dynasty (a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644), there was a scholar named He Yue. He also went by the name Weizhai. While he was walking one night, he found more than 200 taels (38 grams) of silver. After returning home, he dared not to mention this issue to his family members, fearing that they would persuade him to keep the money.

On the morning of the second day, He Yue went to the place where he picked up the money and found someone looking for the money. He Yue asked him about the amount and seal mark on the money. Since all of the person's answers matched the money, He Yue returned the money to him. That person wanted to reward He Yue with part of the money. He Yue said, "Nobody knew I picked up the money, so if I wanted to keep it, all the money could have been mine. However, I did not do that, so how could I ask for a reward?" That person thanked He Yue politely and left.

He Yue once worked as a tutor in a eunuch's family. One day, the eunuch left for the capital and entrusted a box to He Yue. There were several hundred gold taels inside. The eunuch told He Yue, "I will pick it up later."

Several years passed, yet there was no news from the eunuch. Later, He Yue heard that the eunuch's nephew was passing by, but it was certainly not for the box. He Yue valued loyalty over money though, so he handed over the box to the nephew and asked him to pass it on to the eunuch.

Valuing trustworthiness over money is being moral, just, and following the duty which anyone should keep. In the field of cultivation, it is quite clear that virtue and karma are two kinds of substances that exist in any person. If anyone gains something which does not belonged to them by improper means, he will exchange his valuable virtue, and the situation will create karma as well. Therefore, valuing money over trustworthiness damages one's virtue and fortune. The gain does not make up for the loss.

May 24, 2007

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/5/25/155582.html

 Yearly Archive   Printer Version