Should one give Charity with Black money?

Stealing Large Amounts and Making Token Donations

Questioner: Many people say that if one donates, then he becomes a celestial being [in the next life], is that true?

Dadashri: There are even those who go to hell [in the next life] despite donating money. This is because they donate due to someone pressuring them to do so. In fact, in this Dushamkaal (the current era of the time cycle characterized predominantly by misery, and almost no happiness), people do not even have the money to give for donation. The money that is present in Dushamkaal is money gained by doing terrible deeds. So, on the contrary, when that money is donated, it causes harm. Nevertheless, if you give it to some person who is suffering, rather than giving it for the sake of donation, if you give it to remove his difficulties, then that is good. What is the point of giving donations for the sake of gaining fame? Give food to someone who is hungry; give clothes to a person who does not have clothes. Otherwise, in this era of the time cycle, where can you get the money for donation? There, the best thing is that there is no need to give donation. Have positive thoughts. Where can you get the money for donation? Real money has not come, has it! Nor does real money remain as a surplus. Those who give large amounts of donations, it is money that comes in off the books, it is money under the table. Nevertheless, for those who are giving donations, it is not wrong. This is because one obtains it through the wrong means, but he uses it in the right way, so at least he becomes free from the demerit karma! He planted a seed in the farm, so it grew, so he receives that much fruit!

Questioner: There is a verse in a spiritual composition, ‘The smugglers are trying to get released [from karma] by making a token donation.’ (Daanchori karnarao soydaane chhootva mathe.) So, on the one hand, one engages in smuggling, and on the other hand, they give donations, so they at least gained that much, didn’t they? Can we say that?

Dadashri: No, we cannot say that they made a gain. That is a sign of going to hell [in the next life]. That is an unscrupulous intent. The smuggler engaged in stealing and gave a token donation; instead, it would be better that he does not donate any money and straightens up. It’s like this, it is better to receive a punishment of a jail sentence for six months; what is the point in being allowed to visit a garden for two days in the middle of the sentence?

What this [verse] is trying to convey is that a person took part in the black market, in smuggling, then he donates fifty thousand rupees so that his name does not get besmirched, so that his reputation does not get ruined, that is why he is giving a donation. This is referred to as making a token donation.

Questioner: So there are no virtuous people these days, are there?

Dadashri: You can’t expect a person to be completely virtuous, can you! But this is for those high-profile people who earn tens of millions of rupees and then donate a hundred thousand rupees. Why do they do that? So that their reputation is not tarnished. It is only in this era of the time cycle that the practice of giving token donations is ongoing. This is really worth understanding. Of the other people who give donations, there are some who are householders, their financial condition is average; there is no problem with such people giving a donation. On the contrary, those people [earning through unscrupulous means] give a token donation so that their reputation is not tarnished, they put up a false front to cover up their own reputation! They give donations only for the sake of showing others!

Currently, are they donating money or taking it away? And whatever donation is given [using money acquired through smuggling] is a violation of MISA [India’s Maintenance of Internal Security Act].

That Money Binds Punyas

Questioner: Is it not acceptable to donate ‘black’ money?

Dadashri: Donation of ‘black’ money is not acceptable. Nevertheless, if a person is starving and someone gives him ‘black’ money, then that person may use that money to buy food! And there is a legal problem with ‘black’ money, but there is no other issue. If that money is used for payment in a restaurant, then would they accept it or not?

Questioner: They would accept it.

Dadashri: Yes, so the cycle continues.

Questioner: Nowadays, ‘black’ money is being used towards religion, so is merit karma actually earned through such an act?

Dadashri: It definitely is! One has given that much away, hasn’t he! He has given away that which came to him, hasn’t he! So based on the motive, the merit karma accordingly becomes that way, with that motive! The fact that he donated such money is not the only thing that is taken into account. It is indisputable that he gave away the money. Aside from that, where has the money come from, what is the motive, once all these calculations are made, whatever is left over, that much belongs to him. And what was his motive? ‘The government will snatch it away, so why not dump it here instead!’