The Blessed One taught that there are two kinds of wealthy people, and likewise two kinds of poor people.
The first kind of poor person is poor because of having nothing — destitute through lack of material means. Such a person may, in the course of time, come to acquire wealth.
The second kind of poor person is poor because nothing is ever enough — no matter how much is possessed, it never suffices. Such a person remains poor across lifetimes.
As for the wealthy, there are likewise two kinds. The first is wealthy through abundance — rich by virtue of possessing great material surplus. The second is wealthy through knowing contentment — not possessing mountains of gold and silver, yet finding satisfaction in whatever wealth one has, and managing that wealth wisely: setting a portion aside for daily use, a portion for savings, and a portion for meritorious giving — never spending beyond one’s means in a wasteful or reckless manner. This, too, is a form of genuine wealth.
January 16th, 2018
