Grandma Guilty of stealing but ......

[Rihanna]

What a refreshing news; When justice is tempered with mercy. How often do we hear such just yet compassionate judgement? Good to know there are still good people in this world. That judge deserves the respect of us all. On the other hand, the plantation owner needs to be given a kick in his butt! To take an elderly lady to court for stealing tapioca? I do not endorse stealing but when there are lives at stake, and I am sure Grandma did not rejoice in her actions, I would have done the same as what the judge did.

[lotus1]

It is said to hear the story of this old Grandma. In this world, there are so many people are not born with condition that is good for them to practice Dharma. If someone that is pressed by hunger and bad living conditions, they will have a hard time just to fulfill their basic needs and most probably would not even think of learning or practicing Dharma. Their condition is just like in the hungry ghost realm.

This story just reminds me again to be generous and compassion and help more people whenever I can. If not, I would not sure if I am so fortunate like the Grandma to have the good karma to meet the good judge. Besides, so many people are in hunger or bad conditions. I should do more to support those and introduce Dorje Shugden to them as lord Shugden is the great Dharma Protector that will help to reduce one’s obstacle to practice Dharma.

[Aurore]

Being devil's advocate... I find stealing is stealing regardless the reasons. The plantation manager is right in the sense, if one does not put one's foot down with regards to stealing. If the message is sent out that it is right to steal when you are hungry or poor, there will be pandemonium!

If one sets one's ego aside and really think about the karma one is going through being poor and hungry, one would realize that stealing to feed those "delusions" does not make it any better. In fact one adds to the negative karma. However if one accepts one's "condition" and acts upon it... working harder or going out to beg for food even. That in itself is lowering of one'e ego in order to help others. That would be a better thing to do than to steal and create more negative karma.

Hence, the reason why we feel bad for the grandma is because of our own guilt and that is why the judge did what she did and nobody in the courtroom disagreed with her decision. If we all practiced compassion, there would not be a hungry or poor person on this planet. Unfortunately, we are far from that goal and thus our spiritual practice is the only saving grace for this degenerate age. And for those of us who are blessed enough to have our King's practice... think of it as a gold nugget in the middle of a desert!

I thought what the judge did was heartwarming and compassionate. The merits is his to gain and granny's to lose.
I do hope that granny truly realise what she did was wrong and not do it again. As what Positive Change says here, there are other methods during desperate situations such as this like begging or perhaps borrowing. I also agree with what Positive Change says about adding on to the negative karma of experiencing poverty.

Negative action performed from previous times multiplies daily. This is exactly one good example of how negative karma can multiply and the only way to stop it from escalating further is to stop committing them.