material things of this world. Possessions like wealth and property
do not really belong to us – we lay claim to them in name only.
In doing so, we overlook our true worth. The wealth we accumu-
late in this world can be used wisely to bring us some measure of
happiness. But if we’re very stupid, it can soon become a blazing
fire that completely destroys us.
“The venerable individuals who transcended dukkha in ages
past did so by accumulating virtuous qualities within themselves
until they became an important source of refuge for all of us. Per-
haps you think they had no cherished possessions in those days.
Do you honestly believe that wealth and beauty are something
unique to the present day and age? Is that why you’re so immod-
erate and self-indulgent? Is our country so lacking in cemeter-
ies to cremate or bury the dead that you figure you won’t have to
die? Is that why you’re so rashly overconfident? You are constantly
worried about what you will eat and how you will sleep and how
to keep yourself entertained, as if the world were about to vanish
at any moment and take everything with it. So you rush around
scooping up such a mass of useless stuff that you can hardly lug it
all around. Even animals don’t indulge themselves to that extent,
so you shouldn’t assume that you are so much more exalted and
clever than they are. Such blind ignorance will only make mat-
ters much worse. Should you fall on hard times in the future, who
knows? You may find yourself even more destitute than the ani-
mals you disparage. You should start laying the groundwork for a
proper understanding of this matter right now, while you are still
in a position to do so.
“I must apologize for speaking so harshly, but it is necessary
to use harsh language to persuade people to abandon evil and do
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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