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The world is filled with a myriad of material objects, which constantly lead people to temptations and confusion. Hence, it is not easy to resist worldly desires and sensual pleasures. This is why the Buddha said, “It is difficult to see fine things and not seek them.”
A greedy person is someone who is always dissatisfied with what he has; such a person always feels unhappy and empty within. Due to his dissatisfaction with life, he keeps seeking outwardly and often ends up losing himself in the process. There are too many who lose their way due to their desire to seek worldly pleasures.
How do we settle our mind in our mundane life?
During the Buddha’s time, there was a wealthy king who ruled over a small kingdom. He firmly believed that the high status he enjoyed in this life was a result of the good deeds he had done and accumulated in his past lives; so, he loved to do good to sow blessings.
One day, he opened his treasure trove of valuables and declared a seven-day period during which people from near or far, irrespective of race, might come to him and take the treasures they wished for. He separated his treasures into numerous piles. Each pile was about the size of 60 dates, and each person who came to him was given a pile. After many people had come forth to collect the treasures, there were still plenty left.
The Buddha was aware of what the king was doing and his intention for doing so. But he knew that “sowing blessings” in such a way would not lead to true liberation from suffering, as the king’s motive was to create blessings for his future lives. To help the king realise this truth, the Buddha disguised himself as a beggar and went to see him in his palace.
“Let me know what difficulties you have in life, and I will fulfill all your needs,” the king said to the “beggar”.
“I know that your majesty is fond of sowing blessings by giving to help others, so I have come for the treasures.”
“Very well, just go ahead and grab a pile of it!”
So the “beggar” took a pile of treasures and left. But after walking seven steps, he returned and put the treasures back.
The king asked, “Why are you returning the treasures?”
The “beggar” replied, “At first, I thought that I would be satisfied with just having three meals a day, but after possessing these treasures, I will still remain homeless. So I wish to build a house of my own.”
The king thought that his words sounded reasonable, so he said, “Then you can take one more pile of the treasures.”
The “beggar” really took another pile of treasures, but after walking just a few steps, he returned again and placed all the treasures back.
Puzzled, the king asked, “What now?”
The “beggar” replied, “I’m thinking that the proceeds from the sale of these treasures will just be sufficient for me to build a house. But they won’t be enough for me to find myself a wife and get married!”
The king said, “Alright then, you can take three piles of treasures. That should be enough for you to get married and build a house.”
The “beggar” then took three piles of treasures and left. But he returned once again and put all the treasures back.
The king was shocked. “You are so weird. Why are you still not satisfied with three piles of treasures?” he asked.
The “beggar” explained, “After doing some calculations, these are still not enough. Because even after I have built my house and got married with kids, I still need to hire a few slaves to serve my wife and children, or to renovate my house to make it look nicer. So, three piles are really not enough!”
The king remained generous despite encountering such a fickle-minded and greedy “beggar”. “Then take seven piles of the treasures!” he said.
And the “beggar” really took seven piles of treasures and left. However, after some time, he came back again to return all the treasures to the king.
The king started to get frustrated this time. “You are truly a weird person! These treasures are enough for you to build your house, get married, and hire slaves. They are enough for you to enjoy the rest of your life, yet you are still not satisfied?”
The “beggar” sighed and said, “No matter how I do the math, I still find it insufficient! Even after I have everything I want, my son will need to get married
when he becomes an adult. We really have endless things to pursue and do in just one lifetime! Besides, life is impermanent. So I would rather carry on with my current simple life. I shall spare myself of family and mental burdens, in order to lead a more peaceful life. I feel that my current way of life is the most ideal lifestyle that gives me the most freedom and ease.
After hearing what the beggar had said, the king came to a sudden realisation and thought: "You are right! There is no end to what we want to pursue in life. I am already living a very good life, and yet I’m still eager to seek blessings for my future lives. If I pursue worldly blessings life after life, then I will never be liberated from suffering. As a king, I have to worry about my people and state affairs. I must also guard against attacks from other countries. Is it a blessing to have all these worries and vexations? I should instead pursue more transcendent blessings that will lead to ultimate liberation!"
Abandoning greed and desire brings ultimate bliss
Most people have endless pursuits in life, which is why “it is difficult to see fine things and not seek them”. Take the king for example. He was the head of a nation with boundless material wealth, but he still felt the need to seek blessings for his future lives. The “beggar” wanted a house, a wife and slaves, and he was even thinking about the needs and wants of his children. How tiring our lives would be if we kept pursuing endless wants like them!
The act of pursuit is not entirely bad. We must also seek to be diligent in practising Buddhism. However, this is for the sake of liberating our minds and surpassing sensual pleasures and worldly desires. Therefore, we must pursue spiritual purification with a transcendent spirit, then we will be able to reach a peaceful and blissful state that is free of greed and desires.
Source: Tzu Chi Taiwan website
Translated by the Tzu Chi Singapore translation team
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