Once
a poor brahmin went to a king and begged for alms. The king agreed to
give him something but wanted him first to answer some questions. His
first question was, "Why don't you have hair on the palms of your
hands?" The brahmin was taken aback. He quickly remembered God and,
after careful thought, replied, "Your Majesty, I am just a poor brahmin.
My hands are always outstretched to beg. I live through others'
donations, and that is why my palms are hairless." The king then asked,
"Very well. Tell me why I don't have hairy palms. " The brahmin again
remembered God and answered boldly, "Your Majesty, you are always
giving. Your hands are always giving to others so how could hair grow on
your palms?" "Very good," answered the king. "Now tell me why these courtiers, who neither give nor receive, don't have hairy palms." The
brahmin replied, "It's like this. You keep on giving and I keep on
taking. Your courtiers see this and it makes them wring their hands, so
how could hair grow on their palms, either?" So into which category do
we fall? Are we receivers or just hand-wringers? There are plenty of
people who simply wring their hands.
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