At the eight and most basic level of giving to others, a man begrudgingly buys a coat for a shivering man who has asked for help, gives it to him in the presence of witnesses, and waits to be thanked.
At the seventh level, a man does this same thing without waiting to be asked for help.
At the sixth level, a man does this same thing open-heartedly without waiting to be asked for help.
At the fifth level, a man open-heartedly gives a coat, that he has bought, to another but does so in private.
At the fourth level, a man open-heartedly and privately give his own coat to another, rather than a coat that he has bought.
At the third level, a man open-heartedly gives his own coat to another who does not know who has given him this gift. But the man himself knows the the person who is indebted to him.
At the second level, he open-heartedly gives his own coat to another and has no idea who has received it. But the man who receives it know to whom he is indebted.
And finally, on the first and purest level of giving to others, a man open-heartedly give his own coat away without knowing who will receive it, and he who receives it does not know who has given it to him. Then giving becomes a natural expression of the goodness in us, and we give as simply as flowers breathe out their perfume. ........ 'Suppose we all gave to those around us as the first man does, begrudgingly offering a coat we have bought in the presence of witnesses to someone who has need and who asks us for help? If we all did this, would there be more or less suffering in the world than there is now?'
I thought for a long time, the need to get it right battling in me with the simplicity of my grandfather's question. 'Less suffering, Grandpa,' I said finally in some confusion. 'Ah yes,' he said, beaming, 'this is true. Some things have so much goodness in them that they are worth doing any way that you can.' Unquestionably there are ways of giving that may diminish others, stripping them of their dignity and self-worth. We can learn to give without taking something away, and often we may learn as we go. But according to my grandfather, it is better to bless life badly than not to bless it at all."
