One man’s wife died in a Buddhist land, somewhere in China. The man called a Buddhist monk to pray for his wife who was dead now and had gone on a new journey – just to pray to protect her. The monk prayed, meditated, and then he said, ”Everything will be good. Don’t you worry.”

The man asked, ”But I heard you saying something like ’for all the beings of the earth.’ You never mentioned my wife in particular. You were asking blessings, you were asking bliss for all the beings of the earth, but you were not mentioning my wife in particular. Mention her name in particular!”

The monk said, ”It is difficult, because Buddha has said that whenever you ask for something, ask for all. It has to be shared with all. I cannot ask only for your wife. And if I ask only for your wife she will not get it. If I ask for all, only then is there a possibility.”

Then the man said, ”Okay, but at least make one exception – just my neighbor. Exclude him! – and ask for everyone else. But at least make one exception. Exclude him, because I cannot bear this idea that he is also getting blessings of the divine.”

This miserliness, this mind of jealousy, hatred, cannot understand how to share. You never share anything. You may give something to somebody, but there is always a hidden bargain.

Remember the difference. You can give many gifts to your husband, to your wife, to your friends, but they are deep bargains – you are expecting something to be returned. That is not sharing.

Sharing means you are never expecting anything in return, you are simply giving. You are not even expecting thankfulness.