Seeking a happiness that no money or wealth can buy

“…The Dhamma that allows our mind to be calm and peaceful is mindfulness. But before we can arouse mindfulness, we first need virtue (sīla). And before are able to have virtue, we first must be generous in giving donations (dāna). Being unable to be charitable shows that people still have greed, that they desire to accumulate wealth, are still possessive of their assets and property, and thus they are ones who will not be able to maintain their virtue.

They desire possessions and want to obtain them quickly and easily, even if requires immoral actions. For instance, salespeople always complain that it is too difficult to maintain their virtue because they cannot always speak the truth and must tell lies. They fear that by speaking the truth they may not be able to sell their goods. They are seeing things wrongly.

People who always make merit and give donations do not feel any tension between maintaining the precepts and making a living because they are not so concerned about how much money they make. They uphold a proper standard of behaviour by taking virtue as the basis of their action.

If they have anything to say, they say it in line with the truth. If they cannot speak the truth, then it is better not to say anything at all. That’s what they do. Whether the customers buy the goods or not is their decision. There is no need to get upset. The profit may not be quite as good, but their income is still enough to support the basic necessities of life.

A modest livelihood is good enough; it is not necessary to have excessive wealth or flaunt our status. Make merit by giving things away. This causes our mind to be content and happy, making it loving, kind and compassionate, making it unnecessary to accumulate demerit or do evil actions, and enabling it to have the time to develop mindfulness and to practise meditation so as to build up samādhi.

It is not necessary to work around the clock; just work enough to lead a modest life supported by the four basic requisites of clothes, food, shelter, and medicine. Isn’t it more worthwhile to use our time seeking a happiness that no money or wealth can buy?

Even a multi-billionaire cannot have the happiness that comes from making the mind peaceful. They don’t have the time to develop mindfulness because doing so requires them to be away from all their worldly activities and responsibilities…”

By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto