the begging bowl, answered

monday night, i went to wat something or other to Monk Chat. Every other day, the Wat offers an open session to foreigners to talk with novice monks about the principles of Buddhism. Determined at first not to speak, our monk opened up to us about some basic principles of Buddhism, the 5 rules: we try not kill anything, we try not to steal, etc.. and the three causes of suffering, anger greed and delusion. Suffering is of the mind, the speech or the body. The mind, when thinking impure or evil thoughts, for example, manifests that thought in everything it is.
I asked this monk about compassion. I asked him what the Buddhist does when encountering a beggar in the street, and if the ones who shout at passersby can differ from those who hold their request silent, stoic in their vigil. He replied that to have compassion is to have wisdom, and it is good to give of yourself to others. If one has wisdom, however, one would not give to someone who would hurt them. Be wise about whom you give compassion. When one is compassionate, one is not being unkind to others.