Valuing Virtue over Money

 
In the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD), there was a scholar named He Yue. He also went by the art name of Weizhai. While he was walking one night, he found more than 200 taels (38 grams) of silver. After returning home, he dared not to mention this discovery to his family members, fearing that they would persuade him to keep the money.
 
On the morning of the second day, He Yue went to the place where he picked up the money and found someone looking for the money. He Yue asked him about the amount and seal mark on the money. Since all of the person's answers matched, He Yue returned the money to him. That person wanted to reward He Yue with part of the money. He Yue said, "Nobody knew I picked up the money, so if I wanted to keep it, all the money could have been mine. However, I did not do that, so how could I ask for a reward?" That person thanked He Yue politely and left.
 
He Yue once worked as a tutor in a eunuch's family. One day, the eunuch left for the capital and entrusted a box to He Yue. There were several hundred gold taels inside. The eunuch told He Yue, "I will pick it up later."
 
Several years passed, yet there was no communication from the eunuch. Later, He Yue heard that the eunuch's nephew was passing by, but it was certainly not for the box. He Yue valued loyalty over money though, so he handed over the box to the nephew and asked him to pass it on to the eunuch.
 
Valuing trustworthiness over money is being moral, just, and following the duty which anyone should keep. Virtue and karma are two kinds of substances that exist in any person. If anyone gains something which does not belonged to them by improper means, he will exchange his valuable virtue, and the situation will create karma as well. Therefore, valuing money over trustworthiness damages one's virtue and fortune. The gain does not make up for the loss.
 
见利重义　拾金不昧
 
明朝时有个秀才叫何岳，号畏斋。有一天，何岳夜间走路时捡到了二百多两银子，他回到家中不敢同家人说起这件事，因为害怕家人劝他留下这些银子。
 
第二天清晨，何岳带着银子来到了拾银子的地方，见到一人正在寻找，便向他询问银子的数目和封存的标记，结果都相符，何岳便将银子还给了此人。这人想拿出部份钱给何岳作为酬谢，何岳说：「我拾到银子没人知道，如果想要的话就都是我的了，我这都不要，怎么会贪图这些钱呢？」失主拜谢离去。
 
何岳曾在一宦官家教书，有一天，宦官有事要进京城，将一个箱子寄放在何岳这里，箱子里有金数百两，宦官对他说：「等到他日我再来取。」
 
一晃数年过去了，宦官依旧杳无音信。何岳后来听说那位宦官的姪子南下而来，并不是来取箱子的，可重义轻利的何岳主动将箱子交给了宦官的姪子，让他交还宦官。
 
见利重义是做人应遵循的道义和本分，德和业是存在于人体周围的两种物质，如果不是自己应得的东西，却用不正当的手段「得到」，这就需要用自己最宝贵的德来交换，还会造下业力，所以见利忘义这可是得不偿失的损德损福之举。