Why you're not RichFind out how you may be unknowingly preventing yourself from becoming a millionaire.
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"There are, O householder, five desirable, pleasant, and agreeable things that are rare in the world. What are those five? They are long life, beauty, happiness, fame, and (rebirth in) a heaven. But of those five things, O householder, I do no teach that they are to be obtained by prayer or by vows. If one could obtain them by prayer or vows, who would not do it?
"For a noble disciple, O householder, who wishes to have long life, it is not befitting that one should pray for long life or take delight in so doing. One should rather follow a path of life that is conducive to longevity. By following such a path one will obtain long life, be it divine or human.
"For a noble disciple, O householder, who wishes to have beauty... happiness... fame...[or] (rebirth in) a heaven, it is not befitting that one should pray for them or take delight in so doing. One should rather follow a path of life that is conducive to beauty... happiness... fame... (rebirth in) a heaven. By following such a path one will obtain beauty, happiness, fame, and (rebirth in) a heaven."
(AN 5.43)
Riches
"Householder, there are five reasons for getting rich. What five?
"...A noble disciple with riches gotten by work and zeal, gathered by the strength of the arm, earned by the sweat of the brow, justly obtained in a lawful way, makes oneself happy, glad, and keeps that happiness; one makes parents happy, glad, and keeps them so; so likewise one's spouse and children and servants.
"...When riches are thus gotten, one makes friends and companions happy, glad, and keeps them so.
"...When riches are thus gotten, ill-luck...is warded off, and one keeps goods in safety.
"... When riches are thus gotten, one makes the five oblations to kin, guests, spirit-beings, kings, and deities.
"...When riches are thus gotten, the noble disciple institutes offerings of lofty aim, celestial, ripening in happiness, leading heavenward, for all those recluses and brahmins who abstain from pride and indolence, who bear all things in patience and humility, each mastering self, each calming self, each perfecting self.
"Now if the riches of that noble disciple, heeding these five reasons, come to destruction, let one consider: 'At least I've heeded those reasons for getting rich, but my wealth has gone!' — thus one is not upset. And if one's wealth increases, let one think: 'Truly, I've heeded those reasons and my wealth has grown!' — thus one is not upset in either case."
(AN 5.41)
The importance of the preceding discourses is further emphasized by the fact that the Buddha impressed them again on the multi-millionaire on another occasion in a slightly different form. On that occasion the Buddha said to him:
"Householder, there are these four conditions (to realize which is) desirable, dear, delightful, hard to win in the world. What four?
"(The wish:) 'Oh may wealth by lawful means come to me!'
"'Wealth being gotten by lawful means, may good report attend me along with my kin and teachers!'
"'...May I live long and reach great age!'
"'...When the body breaks up, on the other side of death, may I attain a heavenly world!'
"Now, householder, to the winning of these four conditions, four conditions conduce. What four?
"Perfection of faith, perfection of virtue, perfection of generosity, and perfection of wisdom."
(AN 4.61)
Many of the occasions when the Buddha gave instructions to the millionaire have been recorded in the Pali canon. They constitute a comprehensive code of conduct for the conscientious lay follower of the Buddha, so that a single multi-millionaire has also become a benefactor to all those in future times who are trying to follow the Teaching. These discourses, which are contained in the Numerical Discourses (Anguttara Nikaya) range from the simplest message to the most profound. A few are mentioned here, beginning with the most basic advice to the laypeople:
"Householder, possessed of four things, the noble disciple has entered on the householder's path of duty, a path which brings good repute and leads to the heavenly worlds. What are the four?
"Herein, householder, the noble disciple waits upon the Order of monastics with the offer of a robe, almsfood, lodging...and medicines for use in sickness. These are the four things."
(AN 4.60)
"Householder, there are these four kinds of bliss to be won by the householder: ...the bliss of ownership, the bliss of wealth, the bliss of debtlessness, the bliss of blamelessness.
"...A person has wealth acquired by energetic striving, amassed by strength of arm, won by sweat, lawful and lawfully gotten. At the thought: 'Wealth is mine acquired by energetic striving...,' bliss comes to one, satisfaction comes to one. This, householder, is called, 'the bliss of ownership.'
"...A person by means of wealth acquired by energetic striving...both enjoys wealth and does meritorious deeds therewith. At the thought: 'By means of wealth acquired...I both enjoy my wealth and do meritorious deeds,' bliss comes to one, satisfaction comes to one. This, householder, is called 'the bliss of wealth.'
"...A person owes no debt great or small to anyone. At the thought: 'I owe no debt, great or small, to anyone,' bliss comes to one, satisfaction comes to one. This, householder, is called 'the bliss of debtlessness.'
"...The noble disciple is blessed with blameless action of body, blameless action of speech, blameless action of mind. At the thought: 'I am blessed with blameless action of body, speech, and mind,' bliss comes to one, satisfaction comes to one. This is called 'the bliss of blamelessness.'
"Such, householder, are the four kinds of bliss to be won by the householder..."
(AN 4.62)
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