Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
श्रेष्ठ पुरुषको दिया हुआ दान और श्रेष्ठ पुरुषसे प्राप्त हुआ प्रतिग्रह--इन दोनोंका महत्त्व बराबर है तो भी इन दोनोंमेंसे ब्राह्मणके लिये प्रतिग्रह स्वीकार करनेकी अपेक्षा दान देना अधिक पुण्यमय माना गया है ।।
śreṣṭha-puruṣa-kṛtaṃ dānaṃ śreṣṭha-puruṣāt prāptaḥ pratigrahaś ca—ubhayor api mahattvaṃ samānam; tathāpi brāhmaṇasya pratigraha-grahaṇāt dānaṃ kartum adhikaṃ puṇyam iti manyate. nyāyāgataṃ dhanaṃ caiva nyāyenaiva vivardhitam | saṃrakṣyaṃ yatnam āsthāya dharmārtham iti niścayaḥ ||
帕罗娑罗教示:贤者所施之财,与自贤者所受之财,意义相等;然而对婆罗门而言,施与之功德仍被视为胜于受取。凡以正当之道所得、又以正当之道增长之财富,当勤加守护,并坚决认定“此为奉行法(dharma)之用”——此乃诸《法论》(dharmaśāstra)所定之结论。
पराशर उवाच
Even if giving and receiving from the virtuous are both weighty, a brāhmaṇa is praised more for giving than for accepting; and wealth should be earned and grown by just means, then carefully preserved and directed toward dharma.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Parāśara speaks as a teacher, laying down ethical guidance about gifts, the propriety of accepting them, and the righteous acquisition and use of wealth.