| Well, a survey was taken of places where people are most happy and it was found that Nigerians were happiest followed by Mexicans. It seems to me that people with lots of material possessions are often unhappy.
My mother in law studdied Buddism and she told me that when you enter a Buddist community, you give up everything to the community as a whole. Nobody competes for what they want or need. All is provided. All individuals share work. And the community celibrates joy together. Every day is a celibration. She said that she was never as happy as when she was there.
Mother Theresa once said that Poverty is something beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of. Monks of all faiths take oaths of poverty. Jesus told his followers to renounce their possessions and follow him. What does it profit a man to gain the world and loose his soul?
I see it all as the asian view of poverty is that it is a virtue. We westerners have forgotten the virtues of being poor. We want to have the best of everything. The best job, the coolest toys, the fastest car the biggest house etc. But what will it profit you when you die? |