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Wealth
Wealth refers to material prosperity and abundance across world spiritual traditions. Many traditions converge on the idea that true wealth encompasses more than just financial riches. They diverge on the role of wealth in spiritual growth, with some viewing it as a means to an end and others as a hindrance.
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Quotes
A person, O king, who makes charitable donations, attains wealth.
One who lacks wealth is not truly poor, but one who lacks good manners and conduct is indeed poor.
It is futile to be egotistic. Neither body nor wealth will last.
Pride, whether based on caste, state, language, or the strength of one's body, mind, or wealth, always gives rise to feelings of hatred and jealousy.
Saints know that wealth, body, and soul are gifts from God and belong to Him.
Then Janashruti the great-grandson took six hundred cows, a gold necklace, and a chariot drawn by she-mules, and went to him. He said to him:
तदु ह जानश्रुतिः पौत्रायणः षट्शतानि गवां निष्कमश्वतरीरथं तदादाय प्रतिचक्रमे तꣳ हाभ्युवाद
Maitreyi said: 'Sir, if this whole earth full of wealth were mine, would I become immortal by it, or not?' — 'No,' said Yajnavalkya; 'your life would be like the life of the wealthy. But there is no hope of immortality through wealth.'
सा होवाच मैत्रेयी यन्नु म इयं भगोः सर्वा पृथिवी वित्तेन पूर्णा स्यात् स्यां न्वहं तेनामृताऽऽहो३ नेति नेति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यो यथैवोपकरणवतां जीवितं तथैव ते जीवितꣳ स्यादमृतत्वस्य तु नाऽऽशाऽस्ति वित्तेनेति ॥ ३॥
Maitreyi said, 'Sir, if this whole earth full of wealth were mine, would I become immortal by it?' 'No,' said Yajnavalkya. 'Your life would be like that of the wealthy; but there is no hope of immortality through wealth.'
सा होवाच मैत्रेयी यन्नु म इयं भगोः सर्वा पृथिवी वित्तेन पूर्णा स्यात् कथं तेनामृता स्यामिति । नेति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यो यथैवोपकरणवतां जीवितं तथैव ते जीवितꣳ स्यादमृतत्वस्य तु नाऽऽशाऽस्ति वित्तेनेति ॥ २॥
'A person is not to be satisfied with wealth. Shall we get wealth once we have seen you? We shall live only as long as you rule. But the boon I choose is that one alone.'
न वित्तेन तर्पणीयो मनुष्यो लप्स्यामहे वित्तमद्राक्ष्म चेत्त्वा । जीविष्यामो यावदीशिष्यसि त्वं वरस्तु मे वरणीयः स एव ॥ २७॥
There is no wealth more valuable than what is given away.
'Maitreyi,' said Yajnavalkya, 'I am about to go forth from this householder's state. Come, let me make a settlement between you and Katyayani.'
मैत्रेयीति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्य उद्यास्यन्वा अरेऽहमस्मात्स्थानादस्मि । हन्त तेऽनया कात्यायन्याऽन्तं करवाणीति ॥ १॥
'In this world people call cattle and horses, elephants and gold, servants and wives, fields and dwellings "greatness." But I do not speak of it in that way,' he said, 'for in such a case one thing rests upon another.'
गोअश्वमिह महिमेत्याचक्षते हस्तिहिरण्यं दासभार्यं क्षेत्राण्यायतनानीति नाहमेवं ब्रवीमि ब्रवीमीति होवाचान्योह्यन्यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति
and to no one else whatever—even if one were to give him this whole earth, encircled by the waters and filled with wealth, [he should hold that] this teaching is worth more than that, this is worth more than that.
नान्यस्मै कस्मैचन यद्यप्यस्मा इमामद्भिः परिगृहीतां धनस्य पूर्णां दद्यादेतदेव ततो भूय इत्येतदेव ततो भूय इति
The worldly wealth is bound to decay, but wealth of God-knowledge or the Name of God is everlasting. This wealth stands by you in this world. It will also stay with you when this body is no more. Nobody can steal the wealth of the Name of God, nobody can burn it.
After all, what are you being proud of? The body? If this was under your control, man would have never become old or died. If you are proud of your wealth, if you are using it for oppressing others, if you think you can purchase or win over anybody else with it, all your pride is meaningless. A small incident may snatch away the wealth and cause pain.
So Gautama went to the king's place. When he arrived, [the king] paid him honor. In the morning he rose and went to the assembly. [The king] said to him: "Venerable Gautama, choose a boon of human wealth." He replied: "Keep your human wealth to yourself, O king. Tell me only that teaching which you spoke to the boy." And [the king] was troubled.
स ह गौतमो राज्ञोऽर्धमेयाय तस्मै ह प्राप्तायार्हां चकार स ह प्रातः सभाग उदेयाय तꣳ होवाच मानुषस्य भगवन्गौतम वित्तस्य वरं वृणीथा इति स होवाच तवैव राजन्मानुषं वित्तं यामेव कुमारस्यान्ते वाचमभाषथास्तामेव मे ब्रूहीति स ह कृच्छ्री बभूव
Often we think that the world is made happy by wealth and riches alone. Go and ask the wealthy how much happiness falls to their share. They will say only this: wealth there certainly is, but happiness there is not.
When the wealth of contentment arises in the heart, all other riches become like dust. Then love comes to dwell in the heart, and humility comes to dwell there.
Worldly wealth can fall into the flames of fire, and worldly wealth can also be stolen. But no one can steal this wealth of the Name, no one can burn it. Whoever receives this wealth of the Name in their share, only they are truly happy in the world.