Wealth and its impermanence

Many people think “wealth is happiness”. Happiness is a just mental state of mind that we make. A thing may make me happy but may not make others happy and vice versa. So it is complicated to make judgment straight way if wealth is happiness. Cyrus has said, “No good man ever become suddenly rich”. We sweat a lot to bring forth desired result i.e. wealth. All human activities are prompted by desire and we soon believe what we desire, but it is just an illusion. It is also said that all compounded things are impermanent. One day or other, everything on earth decay and disappears.

Wealth is a means of happiness. If wealth were happiness, it would lead to greed for it as we all crave for undying happiness. Naturally the more of it the better we live. But our needs are endless, while our means are limited. So it is not surprising that men desire for more and more wealth which leads to more happiness resulting into a greater wage to have more wealth. Possession of wealth makes people harbor more power, authority and dominance. But keep in mind, that too much of anything is bad. “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed” – remarked Mahatma Gandhi. The crazy wealth hunts and feeds the sin of avarice. It seems it is ever increasing.

TS. Eliot remarked, “Life is made up of little things. I have measured out life with coffee spoons”. So every living thing on this universe is destined to short-lived. These are like “the rose that bloom today, dies tomorrow. The beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes”. All these signify the impermanence of everything. Wealth in real sense causes worries, anxiety and even greed. Labialize said that “he who desires naught will always be free”. Be contented with what you have. The cause for desperation, sorrow and frustration is our desires and emotions. And all emotions and desires make us more emotional ultimately leading towards the sufferings.