Giving Thanks

A master sought to built a new school for his students to learn in. The cost was beyond the capacity of him or his followers to provide, so they had to be content with what little they had. A wealthy individual who had been influenced by the master heard of the need for a new school and feeling generous, and having the available funds, decided to give the money to the master. He made the arrangements and had many hundreds of thousands of dollars set aside and he wrote a check which he delivered to the master. When the master received the check, he announced to his followers that they could now start arranging for the building of the new school with all the amenities they had planned for. The rich man was extremely upset with the master. At the very least, he believed he should have been thanked publicly for the large donation. Eventually, he became so upset, he went to the master to complain about his behavior. He confronted the master and told him he thought him ungrateful. Not many institutions, let alone individuals, could have provided the funding he had given. The least he expected was a show of thanks.

The master faced his benefactor and told him, "It is not I, the recipient of the giving, that should give thanks. It is the giver."