Does having great courage also carry with it a propensity for generosity, or not?
By emptychair
@innertalks (23734)
Australia
April 9, 2018 10:50pm CST
{Some people asked a Sufi master, "Which is better, courage or generosity?" The Sufi master replied, "Those who are generous have no need for courage."}
This quote comes from the well known classic 13th century Persian Literature work, known as, The Rose Garden (or The Gulistan) of Shekh Muslihu'd-Din Sadi of Shira.
What could this Sufi guy have meant by this, if anything, then?
To me, generosity is a form of outpouring of love, and real love always has courage attached to it in spades.
Courage though, on its own, could sometimes be a reaction to fear in that it is a pseudo type of dutch courage, but generosity is always genuine, as is the love that it comes from.
What do you think that this mystical line of prose means?
Photo Credit:
This photo comes from the free media site: pixabay.com.
To take such a leap of faith, might either take great courage, great stupidity, or just great faith.
2 people like this
3 responses
@mlgen1037 (29882)
• Manila, Philippines
10 Apr 18
Why would you need courage to be generous? Compassion may be the better word. That is at least for me. I can have courage anytime and that would literally be just about me and my decision to go thru life everyday. But with generosity, it involves others. But I need to feel compassion. Compassion for others that allows me to feel human and gives me the opportunity to see right thru the sufferings of others. I do not give when I do not feel compassion. 
2 people like this
@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
10 Apr 18
Thanks.
I think that is sort of the point that he is trying to make, in a subtly deep sort of a way.
You do not need to have courage to be generous, (unless you are not being truly generous, and then you fake a sort of bravado, to others, to show off your generosity, which isn't really there), and when you are naturally really generous, you do not need courage.
Generosity is a part of your nature.
"From caring comes courage."
Lao Tzu, the great Chinese philosopher said this.
I guess he meant that when we care enough, we gain the courage, motivation, and strength to take action in the caring.
So courage might be related to generosity in some ways, because caring for others, is a sign that we are generous enough to care, and to have compassion, for them too.
I think that is sort of the point that he is trying to make, in a subtly deep sort of a way.
You do not need to have courage to be generous, (unless you are not being truly generous, and then you fake a sort of bravado, to others, to show off your generosity, which isn't really there), and when you are naturally really generous, you do not need courage.
Generosity is a part of your nature.
"From caring comes courage."
Lao Tzu, the great Chinese philosopher said this.
I guess he meant that when we care enough, we gain the courage, motivation, and strength to take action in the caring.
So courage might be related to generosity in some ways, because caring for others, is a sign that we are generous enough to care, and to have compassion, for them too.@mlgen1037 (29882)
• Manila, Philippines
10 Apr 18
@innertalks I got it, Steve. I just had another way of interpreting it. Courage for me is more of personal, but I guess it is something more. They are intertwined with each other: Generosity - Courage - Compassion.
That made me thought for a while.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
10 Apr 18
@mlgen1037 Thanks Louise. Everybody has their own unique way of seeing and interpreting things.
Nobody is really wrong about how they see things, but sometimes we can be helped to see things in other ways, from other viewing spots, and these, new ways, might then help us to see a wider linkage of everybody's viewpoint, so that we are all helped then to better be able to see (eventually) then, from this continuing process, and self-growth, from God's point of view then too.
We can understand God better, when we understand how others see him, and combine it with how we see him being too, I think.
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@Shiva49 (28366)
• Singapore
10 Apr 18
I think it takes courage to be really generous to the extent of hurting our pockets by making a real dent in them!
I recall what Pat Rafter's sister told to rein him from going overboard being generous with his tennis winnings.
She reminded him that he may not win again and end up with no savings to fall back upon!
In a way, he was more courageous than stupid to give away to charity and, of course, generous of heart.
The Sufi master would have meant the returns from being generous will offset all fears. Some are insecure when they hold on to immense wealth and lack the courage and conviction to give them to the deserving.
Do what is right and then nothing to fear - siva
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@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
10 Apr 18
Very well summarised and stated, siva.
It is best to be generous with love, than with other things, that is if we put those other things before love, and it takes courage to love before other things. When we love with courage, it is a compassionate love, when we give love purely, it is pure in its giving.
When we are courageous, without love attached, it is usually more a show of our bravado/ego, done to impress others, and our self too, rather than done just for love alone, in the service of God.
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@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
11 Apr 18
@Shiva49 At least they haven't begun to cook the chickens yet though...LOL...Yes, some people have not much decorum regarding these things.
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@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
11 Apr 18
@Shiva49 Good imagery siva. Yes, the vultures circle the victim endlessly.
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@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
15 Apr 18
Yes, if I had to make the choice between the two, I would agree with you too, I think.
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@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
22 Apr 18
@aureliah Yes, I think that is the point the Sufi guy is making here. If we go for generosity in our character first, the rest will then follow.
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