(Photo by Chen Ya Yin)
(In the Buddha’s time,) there was a businessman who single-mindedly pursued wealth. He desired to have a successful business and earn all the money in the world. Having heard from others that money would come rolling in if one could worship the fire god with the best quality wood every night, he sent people to the mountains for wood, and for three years, worshipped the fire god in this manner. However, his business did not improve and became worse instead.
Then, someone told him: “Every day, before the sun and moon rise, if you lay out abundant offerings and pray sincerely, your money will come in quickly.” So the businessman made daily offerings of chickens and goats continuously for three years, yet his business worsened still, and eventually, he lost all of his family fortune and even fell ill.
After many years of praying for wealth, not only did the businessman fail to amass the fortune he had wished for, but his heart had also become heavy with troubles. Hearing how others had praised the Buddha as the Awakened One, he decided to make his way to Jetavana Grove and request advice from the Buddha.
On seeing the Buddha, the businessman lamented how he had worked so hard to make money but ended up suffering great losses.
The Buddha said to him: “In order to acquire more wealth, you cut down many trees for wood to burn and killed many animals for sacrificial offerings. Your negative karma is as heavy as the ocean is deep. How can you hope to be rewarded with good fortune? From now on, you must seek to do good and be filial to your parents. You must also get rid of the afflictions of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt in your heart. Only when you have faith in the right teachings and diligently work to take them to heart will your body and mind be at ease.”
After hearing the Buddha’s words, the businessman’s heart was awakened. He came to realise his past folly and repented for the wrongs he did, and all his inner afflictions were thus eliminated. With renewed confidence, he decided to focus on doing business in an honest manner and contribute to society as best as he could.
Is it a blessing or misfortune if one leads a worldly life preoccupied with doing business and making a profit? No one knows the answer. But if we do not cultivate wisdom, we will not be able to develop the right faith and right thinking to break free from our delusions and desires. When we give rise to a deluded thought, we may make mistakes throughout our entire life. Then life after life, we may lose our way and take the wrong path.
I hope that everyone can make great vows grounded in right faith and live them out. Only then will we be successful in all our undertakings and gain great wisdom.
Extracted from Tzu Chi Monthly, Vol. 546
Translated by the Tzu Chi Singapore translation team
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