White Tara said:
“Spiritual practitioners should avoid attachment to worldly things. Craving and attachment to worldly things will cause one to regress rather than progress. Worldly things include both tangible and intangible matters, such as fame and status, money and possessions, beauty, and sensual pleasures.”
White Tara said:
“A spiritual practitioner’s sense of renunciation is very important. Without genuine renunciation, spiritual cultivation brings no benefit. As the words suggest, a mind of renunciation means not clinging to worldly things.”
White Tara said:
“Being unwilling to give, envying other people’s wealth, craving beauty and sensual pleasures, coveting what belongs to others, and becoming attached to fine and beautiful objects — these are all forms of worldly attachment.”
I have said:
Money.
Gold.
Jewelry.
Stocks.
Luxury homes.
Luxury cars.
These are all fine and beautiful worldly things. There is nothing wrong with possessing them, but one should not become too attached to them or crave them excessively. Do not keep chasing more and more expensive possessions when you already have enough. In truth, the accumulation of wealth and possessions is itself worldly attachment.
We all know that we are born into this world with nothing, and when we die, we cannot take anything with us. Worldly things are impermanent. Wealth, honor, fame, and beauty last only for a time.
Therefore, White Tara urges us not to cling to money, possessions, reputation, status, or beauty.
Spiritual practitioners are clearly aware that everything is impermanent.
They do not crave or cling.
They are not reluctant to give.
Let things come and go naturally. Let what comes, come, and let what goes, go. Do not let fine and beautiful worldly things dwell in your heart. This is the practice of a quiet mind, and the practice of a quiet mind is the practice of prajna.
***
There are three forms of karmic retribution that result from craving and attachment to worldly things:
- Rebirth in the three lower realms.
- If reborn as a human, one will be born in a land afflicted by famine, drought, and poverty.
- One’s conduct will be miserly and petty.
It is very important for spiritual practitioners to abandon craving and attachment to worldly things.
***
I remember a dharma teacher who once competed with me in wealth.
I had one Mercedes-Benz, so he bought three.
I had one residence, so he bought ten houses.
Later, I had the Rainbow Villa, which is now the True Buddha Rainbow Temple, so he also built a villa in central Taiwan.
He said to everyone he met, “I want to outdo Grandmaster Lu!”
People called me “Living Buddha Lian-sheng.”
So he printed “Living Buddha Lian-XXX” on his business card.
Later, he passed away.
I felt deep sorrow in my heart.
***
Another dharma teacher made a living trading stocks, and he often asked me whether the stock market would rise or fall.
I said:
“Stocks either rise or fall. If the pattern is not an ‘M,’ then it is a ‘W.’ It is all temporary!”
I said:
“Spiritual practitioners should not play the stock market. When involved in stocks, you are happy when you see gains and depressed when you see losses. Your mind becomes affected by the ups and downs of the market. A Buddhist practitioner should not be like this.”
Later, he left the True Buddha School.
He was too attached to worldly things!
Those who are attached to worldly things are not spiritual practitioners. A real practitioner would not keep worldly concerns in his or her heart.
Craving. Craving. Endless craving will cause one to fall into the three lower realms!