Thanissaro Bhikkhu
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Once we know the truth
and can let it go, we can be at our ease.
We won't be poor, because the truth, the Dharma, will still be there with us.
We won't be left empty-handed,
Instead of lugging it around with us, we keep it piled up at home.
We may not have anything in our pockets, but we're still not poor.
This is why the minds of the noble ones aren't left adrift.
They let things go, but not in a wasteful or irresponsible way.
They let go like rich people, even though they let go.
They've still got piles of wealth.
As for people who let things go like paupers, they don't know what's worthwhile and what's not.
When they throw things away that are worthwhile, they are simply heading for disaster.
For instance, they may see that there's no truth to anything, no truth to the khandhas or aggregates, no truth to the body,
No truth to stress, its cause, its disbanding, or the path to its disbanding.
No truth to liberation.
They don't use their brains at all.
They're too lazy to do anything.
So they let go of everything, throw it all away.
This is called letting go like a pauper.
Like a lot of modern day gurus, when they come back after they die, they're going to be poor all over again.