The poor man asked the Buddha why he was poor, and the Buddha responded that he did not learn to give. When the poor man said he had nothing to give, the Buddha explained that he could give a smile with his face, comfort others with his words, open his heart to others, look at others with compassionate eyes, and help others with his body.

1. A POOR MAN ASKED
THE BUDDHA
A poor man asked the Buddha,
"Why am I so poor?"
The Buddha said, "You did not learn
to give."
So the poor man said, "But, if I don't
have anything to give?"
The Buddha said, "You have a few
things:
The Face, which can give a smile;
The Mouth, you can praise or
comfort others;
The Heart, it can open up to others;
The Eyes, they can look at the other
with the eyes of compassion;
The Body, which can be used to help
others."
Askthelama.com

2. About Lama Surya Das
Lama Surya Das is one of the foremost Western Buddhist meditation
teachers and scholars, one of the main interpreters of Tibetan Buddhism in
the West, and a leading spokesperson for the emerging American
Buddhism. The Dalai Lama affectionately calls him “The Western Lama.”
Today, he lectures and teaches around the world. With the Dalai Lama, he
founded the Western Buddhist Teachers Network, and is the founder of the
Dzogchen Center and Foundation in Massachusetts and California.
For more information about Lama Surya Das, or about his workshops,
books, and classes, please visit his website at Surya.org.