1. When Shakyamuni Buddha was alive, he lived a life of begging within the entire monastic community, eating one meal a day at noon and sleeping under a tree at night. In our eyes today, such a life appears to be extremely poor. Did Shakyamuni Buddha ask anyone for relief? No. He lived a very free life, which indicates that material poverty does not equate to real hardship; lack of wisdom is true poverty.
2. Let's look again, China is no exception and has good examples too. Yan Hui, a student of Confucius, his material living conditions were probably as meager as those in the monastic community. The Analects records Yan Hui's poverty, with simple meals and drinks. Such a life would make an ordinary person without wisdom feel extremely poor, but Yan Hui had a completely different attitude!
3. Confucius praised him, saying despite such material conditions, "Hui did not change his joy." What was he happy about? A rich spiritual life, because he had wisdom. The sages of the East and West teach us that living in poverty does not mean real hardship. If you are enlightened and see through, even if your life is very poor, you can still be free and happy.
4. A person without wisdom is truly poor! Great Brahma King and Mahesvara King are at the peak of wealth and honor within the three realms. They only have concentration, which is a blessing, allowing them to enjoy heavenly blessings, but they lack wisdom. So they still cannot escape from poverty. Their poverty lies in that their afflictions have not been cut off, and they cannot leave the six realms of cyclic existence. Not being able to transcend birth and death or leave the cycle of rebirth is true poverty. We need to understand this principle.
Related thematic articles: Are there really no beauties in the world? Therefore, often without desire, one observes its marvels. Confucianism as the foundation - people-oriented.