1 00:00:00,298 --> 00:00:02,000 Being naturally free of attachment to money 2 00:00:02,258 --> 00:00:03,960 is a blessing cultivated in past lives 3 00:00:04,258 --> 00:00:06,360 You probably know someone like this 4 00:00:06,817 --> 00:00:07,421 When it comes to money 5 00:00:07,857 --> 00:00:09,000 they really feel nothing 6 00:00:09,337 --> 00:00:11,561 Others save desperately for a house or car 7 00:00:11,577 --> 00:00:13,041 calculate investment returns 8 00:00:13,137 --> 00:00:15,361 and feel their pulse race with stock prices 9 00:00:15,497 --> 00:00:17,300 Yet this person watches it all like a game 10 00:00:17,498 --> 00:00:18,600 perfectly at ease 11 00:00:18,937 --> 00:00:20,501 It is not that poverty leaves them no choice 12 00:00:20,937 --> 00:00:21,937 Quite the opposite 13 00:00:21,937 --> 00:00:23,640 Sometimes they earn more than you 14 00:00:23,698 --> 00:00:25,361 Yet spending does not hurt them 15 00:00:25,417 --> 00:00:27,201 And not earning does not make them anxious 16 00:00:27,378 --> 00:00:28,341 Ask them why 17 00:00:28,538 --> 00:00:30,041 and even they cannot explain it 18 00:00:30,097 --> 00:00:32,201 It just never seemed that important 19 00:00:32,690 --> 00:00:34,054 Have you ever envied someone like that 20 00:00:34,650 --> 00:00:35,573 Have you ever wondered 21 00:00:35,890 --> 00:00:37,494 what really sets them apart from you 22 00:00:38,091 --> 00:00:39,954 Today I want to offer a conclusion 23 00:00:40,330 --> 00:00:42,914 This natural freedom from the pull of money 24 00:00:42,930 --> 00:00:45,314 has a specific explanation in Buddhism 25 00:00:45,371 --> 00:00:47,513 It is called innate wisdom and wholesome roots 26 00:00:48,091 --> 00:00:48,814 This is not occult speculation 27 00:00:49,091 --> 00:00:50,113 or fortune telling 28 00:00:50,210 --> 00:00:53,274 It is a carefully developed account of how consciousness works 29 00:00:53,570 --> 00:00:55,414 And I would go further 30 00:00:55,851 --> 00:00:56,833 This state of mind 31 00:00:56,851 --> 00:00:58,234 is a true blessing 32 00:00:58,330 --> 00:01:01,034 A blessing far greater than wealth itself 33 00:01:01,290 --> 00:01:03,833 But perhaps not the kind of blessing you imagine 34 00:01:04,582 --> 00:01:04,905 Hello 35 00:01:05,262 --> 00:01:05,745 everyone 36 00:01:05,982 --> 00:01:07,045 I am Leo Wang 37 00:01:07,382 --> 00:01:08,265 In this video 38 00:01:08,662 --> 00:01:09,924 I do not want to offer feel good platitudes 39 00:01:10,061 --> 00:01:13,245 or empty praise for rising above wealth and fame 40 00:01:13,421 --> 00:01:14,980 I want to explore this seriously with you 41 00:01:14,982 --> 00:01:17,284 and unpack it layer by layer 42 00:01:17,662 --> 00:01:20,064 Why do some people naturally care so little about money 43 00:01:20,542 --> 00:01:22,584 What is really at work beneath that 44 00:01:23,061 --> 00:01:27,304 And why does Buddhism value this more than wealth itself 45 00:01:27,982 --> 00:01:29,809 Let us begin with a question 46 00:01:30,026 --> 00:01:30,549 What do you think 47 00:01:30,826 --> 00:01:32,609 When someone is not attached to money 48 00:01:32,627 --> 00:01:33,309 is that an inborn gift 49 00:01:33,546 --> 00:01:34,389 or something cultivated 50 00:01:34,867 --> 00:01:36,529 Give yourself an answer first 51 00:01:36,906 --> 00:01:38,269 The first reaction most people have is 52 00:01:38,627 --> 00:01:39,490 It must be an inborn gift 53 00:01:39,587 --> 00:01:41,466 Some people simply have that temperament 54 00:01:41,466 --> 00:01:41,909 They take life easily 55 00:01:42,147 --> 00:01:42,549 they do not compete 56 00:01:42,826 --> 00:01:43,850 and they have few desires 57 00:01:44,067 --> 00:01:44,990 Others will say 58 00:01:45,347 --> 00:01:46,106 It is cultivated 59 00:01:46,106 --> 00:01:47,785 Surely they have experienced enough of life 60 00:01:47,787 --> 00:01:48,430 to see through it 61 00:01:48,627 --> 00:01:49,570 and finally let go 62 00:01:49,826 --> 00:01:50,749 Both answers are right 63 00:01:51,067 --> 00:01:52,650 But each tells only half the story 64 00:01:52,987 --> 00:01:54,549 Buddhism offers a simple answer 65 00:01:54,987 --> 00:01:56,210 The gifts of this life 66 00:01:56,266 --> 00:01:57,730 are the practice of past lives 67 00:01:58,024 --> 00:01:59,822 These are not opposites 68 00:01:59,824 --> 00:02:01,726 They are two ends of the same process 69 00:02:01,863 --> 00:02:04,327 What looks like an inborn quality in this life 70 00:02:04,384 --> 00:02:09,166 is itself the result of repeated cultivation over countless past lives 71 00:02:09,303 --> 00:02:11,886 When that result appears in this life 72 00:02:11,903 --> 00:02:13,382 it looks like a gift 73 00:02:13,384 --> 00:02:15,687 It looks like something present from birth 74 00:02:15,703 --> 00:02:18,207 But you have already been cultivating it for a long time 75 00:02:18,824 --> 00:02:21,687 Here we need an important Buddhist concept 76 00:02:21,714 --> 00:02:22,515 Innate wisdom from past lives 77 00:02:22,983 --> 00:02:23,666 The Chinese word su 78 00:02:23,863 --> 00:02:24,666 originally means early 79 00:02:25,064 --> 00:02:26,726 and also points to past lives 80 00:02:27,023 --> 00:02:29,687 So su hui means wisdom cultivated in past lives 81 00:02:29,944 --> 00:02:32,006 It does not mean you read many books in a past life 82 00:02:32,064 --> 00:02:35,487 It means sustained mental and behavioral cultivation 83 00:02:35,504 --> 00:02:38,446 planted certain kinds of seeds deep within consciousness 84 00:02:39,263 --> 00:02:41,286 Those seeds sprout in this life 85 00:02:41,344 --> 00:02:44,542 and appear as a natural disposition 86 00:02:44,839 --> 00:02:45,602 This process 87 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,463 is called the perfuming of seeds in Buddhism 88 00:02:48,679 --> 00:02:50,943 It is a central idea in Yogacara 89 00:02:51,519 --> 00:02:52,523 What is Yogacara 90 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:53,943 Put simply 91 00:02:53,999 --> 00:02:57,982 it is a Buddhist school studying how consciousness works 92 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:00,982 Something like cognitive psychology over a thousand years ago 93 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:03,982 It describes eight kinds of consciousness 94 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,943 The deepest is called alaya consciousness 95 00:03:06,959 --> 00:03:08,374 also known as seed consciousness 96 00:03:08,712 --> 00:03:10,075 What is alaya consciousness 97 00:03:10,511 --> 00:03:12,654 You can picture it as a hard drive 98 00:03:12,992 --> 00:03:15,374 Every thought and intention in your life 99 00:03:15,471 --> 00:03:16,795 every action you take 100 00:03:17,152 --> 00:03:18,774 and every emotional experience 101 00:03:18,872 --> 00:03:21,814 leaves an imprint on that hard drive 102 00:03:22,071 --> 00:03:24,214 That imprint is called a seed 103 00:03:24,511 --> 00:03:27,175 And this hard drive continues across life and death 104 00:03:27,272 --> 00:03:29,895 It does not get erased when the body dies 105 00:03:30,312 --> 00:03:31,214 After your death 106 00:03:31,272 --> 00:03:34,151 this hard drive with all its seeds 107 00:03:34,152 --> 00:03:35,575 is carried into the next life 108 00:03:35,992 --> 00:03:36,795 In that next life 109 00:03:36,992 --> 00:03:38,551 from the moment of conception 110 00:03:38,552 --> 00:03:41,255 you carry this hard drive full of seeds 111 00:03:41,992 --> 00:03:43,515 The seeds that have been repeatedly reinforced 112 00:03:43,911 --> 00:03:45,551 and have grown strongest 113 00:03:45,552 --> 00:03:47,855 are the first to blossom in the new life 114 00:03:47,992 --> 00:03:49,714 They appear as your personality tendencies 115 00:03:50,032 --> 00:03:51,494 your patterns of emotional response 116 00:03:51,511 --> 00:03:52,554 what you are sensitive to 117 00:03:52,751 --> 00:03:53,975 and what leaves you indifferent 118 00:03:54,351 --> 00:03:55,515 You think these qualities are inborn 119 00:03:55,751 --> 00:03:58,050 But they have been carried over 120 00:03:58,427 --> 00:04:02,089 Now think again of the person naturally indifferent to money 121 00:04:02,386 --> 00:04:04,490 They did not become that way for no reason 122 00:04:04,786 --> 00:04:07,209 Through countless choices in the past 123 00:04:07,226 --> 00:04:11,330 again and again when choosing between money and something more important 124 00:04:11,386 --> 00:04:12,610 they chose the latter 125 00:04:13,027 --> 00:04:13,869 Again and again 126 00:04:14,346 --> 00:04:15,850 that pattern became a seed 127 00:04:16,226 --> 00:04:17,510 The seed carried into this life 128 00:04:17,866 --> 00:04:19,250 and grew into an instinct 129 00:04:19,786 --> 00:04:21,810 They are not forcing themselves to resist attachment 130 00:04:22,027 --> 00:04:24,729 The thought of attachment simply does not arise 131 00:04:25,186 --> 00:04:28,065 That is the real meaning of innate wisdom 132 00:04:28,322 --> 00:04:28,964 At this point 133 00:04:29,202 --> 00:04:31,104 I want to tell you about someone 134 00:04:31,402 --> 00:04:34,305 One of the most fascinating lay practitioners in Chinese Buddhist history 135 00:04:34,305 --> 00:04:35,092 Pang Yun 136 00:04:35,442 --> 00:04:36,565 Pang Yun lived during the Tang dynasty 137 00:04:36,921 --> 00:04:38,145 He came from Hengyang in Hunan 138 00:04:38,241 --> 00:04:40,044 and lived when Chan Buddhism was flourishing 139 00:04:40,442 --> 00:04:41,601 He was close to Mazu Daoyi 140 00:04:41,601 --> 00:04:45,104 and other great Chan masters such as Shitou Xiqian 141 00:04:45,361 --> 00:04:46,964 He was a remarkable lay practitioner 142 00:04:47,322 --> 00:04:48,265 He never became a monk 143 00:04:48,322 --> 00:04:49,344 There were four people in his family 144 00:04:49,522 --> 00:04:50,325 He and his wife 145 00:04:50,561 --> 00:04:51,161 their son 146 00:04:51,161 --> 00:04:51,604 and their daughter 147 00:04:51,921 --> 00:04:54,300 All were regarded as awakened practitioners 148 00:04:54,557 --> 00:04:57,021 Pang Yun originally came from a wealthy household 149 00:04:57,117 --> 00:04:58,620 A prosperous family by any measure 150 00:04:58,918 --> 00:05:00,141 But one day 151 00:05:00,237 --> 00:05:02,461 he did something that astonished later generations 152 00:05:02,677 --> 00:05:04,560 He loaded all the family gold and silver 153 00:05:04,877 --> 00:05:06,021 and deeds to their land 154 00:05:06,078 --> 00:05:07,220 onto a boat 155 00:05:07,437 --> 00:05:08,600 rowed to the middle of the Xiang River 156 00:05:09,038 --> 00:05:10,021 and sank it 157 00:05:10,437 --> 00:05:11,901 Everything went to the riverbed 158 00:05:12,278 --> 00:05:13,120 He kept nothing 159 00:05:13,518 --> 00:05:14,726 and donated nothing 160 00:05:15,264 --> 00:05:16,466 Someone asked him 161 00:05:16,704 --> 00:05:17,543 Layman Pang 162 00:05:17,543 --> 00:05:19,206 Even if you no longer want this money 163 00:05:19,223 --> 00:05:21,343 why not give it to the poor 164 00:05:21,343 --> 00:05:23,026 Why sink it all in the river 165 00:05:23,543 --> 00:05:24,627 Pang Yun answered 166 00:05:25,024 --> 00:05:25,927 with words to this effect 167 00:05:25,983 --> 00:05:28,502 If I regard these things as harmful to myself 168 00:05:28,504 --> 00:05:30,627 how could I pass that harm on to others 169 00:05:31,183 --> 00:05:31,986 Do you see what he meant 170 00:05:32,543 --> 00:05:34,166 It was not that he refused to do good 171 00:05:34,223 --> 00:05:36,567 He was cutting through a deeper attachment 172 00:05:36,783 --> 00:05:37,947 Giving money away 173 00:05:38,264 --> 00:05:39,726 looks like a good deed 174 00:05:39,783 --> 00:05:44,166 But that deed can leave the thought that I have done something good 175 00:05:44,303 --> 00:05:47,046 That very trace becomes a new attachment 176 00:05:47,303 --> 00:05:49,247 He wanted to cut off even that possibility 177 00:05:49,303 --> 00:05:51,834 and leave nothing to cling to 178 00:05:52,252 --> 00:05:53,971 After doing this 179 00:05:53,971 --> 00:05:57,115 Pang Yun led his family into a very simple life 180 00:05:57,492 --> 00:06:00,235 He and his daughter earned a living weaving bamboo utensils 181 00:06:00,611 --> 00:06:01,454 As he approached death 182 00:06:01,851 --> 00:06:03,274 he left a verse 183 00:06:03,892 --> 00:06:05,375 May all that you possess be emptied 184 00:06:05,851 --> 00:06:07,634 Never make what is absent into something real 185 00:06:08,051 --> 00:06:10,115 Let everything you hold onto fall away 186 00:06:10,252 --> 00:06:13,568 But never turn absence itself into a new attachment 187 00:06:13,945 --> 00:06:15,527 Think carefully about those words 188 00:06:15,904 --> 00:06:16,948 Most people pursue having 189 00:06:17,304 --> 00:06:18,808 believing that having is good 190 00:06:19,185 --> 00:06:21,688 Those with some understanding begin pursuing emptiness 191 00:06:21,784 --> 00:06:23,368 believing that emptiness is higher 192 00:06:23,904 --> 00:06:24,707 But Pang Yun said 193 00:06:25,104 --> 00:06:27,688 pursuing emptiness is itself another form of having 194 00:06:27,984 --> 00:06:30,488 When you make having nothing into something to pursue 195 00:06:30,664 --> 00:06:33,048 that nothing becomes a new possession 196 00:06:33,224 --> 00:06:34,568 And you are caught again 197 00:06:34,864 --> 00:06:36,167 True nonattachment 198 00:06:36,224 --> 00:06:38,967 does not even contain the thought that I am unattached 199 00:06:39,304 --> 00:06:41,287 That is the depth of innate wisdom 200 00:06:41,625 --> 00:06:42,587 It is not a performance 201 00:06:42,864 --> 00:06:44,812 It is what you have already become 202 00:06:45,110 --> 00:06:46,113 But you may want to ask 203 00:06:46,469 --> 00:06:47,788 This Pang Yun you describe 204 00:06:47,789 --> 00:06:51,053 actually took action to sink his treasures 205 00:06:51,389 --> 00:06:52,512 Surely that was something he cultivated 206 00:06:52,750 --> 00:06:53,892 not something inborn 207 00:06:54,190 --> 00:06:56,712 Did you not say innate wisdom meant natural nonattachment 208 00:06:57,341 --> 00:06:58,141 A good question 209 00:06:58,589 --> 00:07:01,252 Here I want to describe three levels of innate wisdom 210 00:07:01,550 --> 00:07:04,493 Not everyone has it to the same depth 211 00:07:04,870 --> 00:07:06,272 Innate wisdom lies on a spectrum 212 00:07:06,750 --> 00:07:08,053 From shallow to deep 213 00:07:08,149 --> 00:07:09,708 there are at least three levels 214 00:07:10,004 --> 00:07:10,487 The first level 215 00:07:10,845 --> 00:07:11,708 is freedom from greed 216 00:07:12,165 --> 00:07:14,228 It is the state we described at the beginning 217 00:07:14,324 --> 00:07:15,947 A natural indifference to money 218 00:07:16,004 --> 00:07:18,268 without strong cravings for material pleasure 219 00:07:18,485 --> 00:07:19,208 People at this level 220 00:07:19,525 --> 00:07:21,124 seem relaxed in everyday life 221 00:07:21,124 --> 00:07:21,807 and easygoing 222 00:07:22,045 --> 00:07:23,028 They do not fight for things 223 00:07:23,285 --> 00:07:24,364 Their wholesome roots 224 00:07:24,365 --> 00:07:26,747 have grown in the area of freedom from greed for wealth and sensual pleasure 225 00:07:27,045 --> 00:07:28,627 Even this level is rare 226 00:07:29,004 --> 00:07:29,607 But notice 227 00:07:29,845 --> 00:07:32,148 it does not mean they are free from fear of loss 228 00:07:32,405 --> 00:07:34,547 They may have little interest in possessing money 229 00:07:34,605 --> 00:07:36,867 But if they truly fall into poverty 230 00:07:36,925 --> 00:07:37,607 or danger 231 00:07:37,965 --> 00:07:39,632 they may still feel afraid 232 00:07:40,088 --> 00:07:40,572 The second level 233 00:07:41,009 --> 00:07:42,031 is freedom from fear 234 00:07:42,408 --> 00:07:43,091 They are not only free from greed 235 00:07:43,329 --> 00:07:44,391 They are also unafraid 236 00:07:44,809 --> 00:07:46,391 When real hardship arrives 237 00:07:46,569 --> 00:07:48,711 they can still remain inwardly peaceful 238 00:07:49,209 --> 00:07:50,992 People at this level are much rarer 239 00:07:51,329 --> 00:07:52,432 Their wholesome roots 240 00:07:52,449 --> 00:07:56,151 have been cultivated through repeatedly facing loss 241 00:07:56,449 --> 00:07:58,872 They know loss is nothing to fear 242 00:07:58,968 --> 00:08:00,807 because they have long understood 243 00:08:00,809 --> 00:08:03,552 that you never truly possessed anything 244 00:08:04,048 --> 00:08:05,331 The money you think you own 245 00:08:05,769 --> 00:08:06,291 your home 246 00:08:06,569 --> 00:08:07,247 your relationships 247 00:08:07,249 --> 00:08:07,692 your health 248 00:08:08,168 --> 00:08:10,672 are all temporarily lent to you 249 00:08:11,048 --> 00:08:11,692 What is borrowed 250 00:08:12,168 --> 00:08:13,231 must eventually be returned 251 00:08:13,569 --> 00:08:14,492 And if it was borrowed 252 00:08:14,809 --> 00:08:16,531 why grieve when it is returned 253 00:08:17,329 --> 00:08:18,288 People at this level 254 00:08:18,288 --> 00:08:22,312 remain steady through dramatic changes in life 255 00:08:23,048 --> 00:08:23,771 It is not numbness 256 00:08:23,968 --> 00:08:25,606 It is true inner stability 257 00:08:26,024 --> 00:08:26,627 The third level 258 00:08:26,944 --> 00:08:27,887 is nonabiding 259 00:08:28,343 --> 00:08:29,726 This is the deepest level 260 00:08:30,103 --> 00:08:30,947 Even the thought that I am free from greed 261 00:08:31,343 --> 00:08:33,406 or free from fear is absent 262 00:08:33,704 --> 00:08:35,286 In the words of the Diamond Sutra 263 00:08:35,423 --> 00:08:37,807 Let the mind arise without abiding anywhere 264 00:08:38,183 --> 00:08:40,006 Do not settle into any fixed state 265 00:08:40,183 --> 00:08:43,886 including the state of believing you are already unattached 266 00:08:44,264 --> 00:08:45,086 This level 267 00:08:45,183 --> 00:08:49,044 is what Pang Yun meant by not making absence into something real 268 00:08:49,422 --> 00:08:50,465 These three levels of innate wisdom 269 00:08:50,701 --> 00:08:51,585 do not come in disconnected leaps 270 00:08:51,782 --> 00:08:52,805 They build on one another 271 00:08:52,941 --> 00:08:53,664 Those at the first level 272 00:08:53,941 --> 00:08:55,220 can take a few more steps 273 00:08:55,221 --> 00:08:56,565 and reach the second 274 00:08:56,701 --> 00:08:57,424 Those at the second level 275 00:08:57,621 --> 00:08:58,781 can go deeper 276 00:08:58,782 --> 00:09:00,445 and begin to touch the third 277 00:09:00,542 --> 00:09:02,140 Where you stand in this life 278 00:09:02,142 --> 00:09:06,971 depends greatly on how far you traveled along this spectrum in past lives 279 00:09:07,268 --> 00:09:07,870 At this point 280 00:09:08,028 --> 00:09:09,110 I want to introduce a second person 281 00:09:09,347 --> 00:09:10,211 Su Dongpo 282 00:09:10,628 --> 00:09:12,490 Su Dongpo was different from Pang Yun 283 00:09:12,908 --> 00:09:15,171 Pang Yun understood from the beginning 284 00:09:15,268 --> 00:09:17,811 Su Dongpo was shaped by life 285 00:09:18,067 --> 00:09:20,571 They represent two expressions of innate wisdom 286 00:09:20,628 --> 00:09:22,226 One arrives already formed 287 00:09:22,227 --> 00:09:23,931 The other is recovered through practice 288 00:09:24,307 --> 00:09:26,451 You probably know the story of Su Dongpo 289 00:09:26,868 --> 00:09:27,711 He became famous while young 290 00:09:27,988 --> 00:09:29,770 passing the imperial examination at twenty one 291 00:09:29,868 --> 00:09:31,931 After reading his work Ouyang Xiu said 292 00:09:32,067 --> 00:09:33,866 This man truly knows how to read 293 00:09:33,868 --> 00:09:34,510 and how to use what he reads 294 00:09:34,868 --> 00:09:37,291 One day his writing will stand above all others 295 00:09:37,707 --> 00:09:38,870 The young Su Dongpo 296 00:09:39,028 --> 00:09:40,171 was full of confidence 297 00:09:40,187 --> 00:09:41,331 and literary brilliance 298 00:09:41,388 --> 00:09:44,140 He loved the world and was deeply attached to it 299 00:09:44,278 --> 00:09:45,780 Then came the Crow Terrace Poetry Trial 300 00:09:46,197 --> 00:09:47,201 At the age of forty four 301 00:09:47,558 --> 00:09:48,660 because of a few lines of poetry 302 00:09:48,678 --> 00:09:51,140 he spent more than a hundred days in the imperial censorate prison 303 00:09:51,197 --> 00:09:52,420 and was nearly executed 304 00:09:52,638 --> 00:09:53,321 After his release 305 00:09:53,638 --> 00:09:54,900 he was demoted to Huangzhou 306 00:09:54,918 --> 00:09:57,140 as a deputy militia commissioner without real authority 307 00:09:57,398 --> 00:09:58,941 The Su Dongpo who arrived in Huangzhou 308 00:09:58,998 --> 00:10:00,984 was very different from his younger self 309 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,783 There he wrote his famous poem Calming the Waves 310 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,004 Ignore the rain beating through leaves and woods 311 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:09,744 Why not sing and stroll at ease 312 00:10:10,041 --> 00:10:11,884 A bamboo staff and straw sandals are lighter than a horse 313 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:13,024 Who is afraid 314 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:15,344 A straw cloak in mist and rain will see me through life 315 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:17,823 Here he was already beginning to become unafraid 316 00:10:18,041 --> 00:10:19,203 Let the rain come 317 00:10:19,561 --> 00:10:22,222 I can still walk on in my straw cloak 318 00:10:22,599 --> 00:10:24,002 Later he was banished to Huizhou 319 00:10:24,319 --> 00:10:25,343 and then to Danzhou 320 00:10:25,599 --> 00:10:27,439 Danzhou is on what is now Hainan Island 321 00:10:27,439 --> 00:10:30,343 In the Song dynasty it was a remote frontier 322 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,102 Many people exiled there never returned 323 00:10:33,319 --> 00:10:35,758 Su Dongpo was over sixty when he was sent to Danzhou 324 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:36,902 He did not collapse 325 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:38,543 Instead he taught there 326 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:39,163 wrote poetry 327 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:40,043 made wine 328 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:41,463 and explored good food 329 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:43,203 Late in life he wrote a poem 330 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:45,102 looking back on his years 331 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:46,303 It contained these lines 332 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:48,083 My heart is like wood burned to ash 333 00:10:48,479 --> 00:10:50,142 My body like a boat untethered 334 00:10:50,439 --> 00:10:51,843 Ask me what I achieved in life 335 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:54,543 Huangzhou Huizhou Danzhou 336 00:10:54,959 --> 00:10:57,282 You ask what my greatest accomplishments were 337 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:59,478 Not serving as a Hanlin scholar 338 00:10:59,479 --> 00:11:01,303 Not writing all those celebrated works 339 00:11:01,479 --> 00:11:02,703 But Huangzhou 340 00:11:02,799 --> 00:11:03,282 Huizhou 341 00:11:03,599 --> 00:11:04,043 and Danzhou 342 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:06,063 The three places of his exile 343 00:11:06,719 --> 00:11:07,563 Those three places 344 00:11:07,839 --> 00:11:09,785 became his true grounds of practice 345 00:11:10,081 --> 00:11:11,364 Do you see the difference 346 00:11:11,841 --> 00:11:14,624 Pang Yun arrived with innate wisdom from the start 347 00:11:14,681 --> 00:11:16,401 Seeing through attachment came naturally 348 00:11:16,402 --> 00:11:18,065 He already understood 349 00:11:18,161 --> 00:11:19,384 Su Dongpo was different 350 00:11:19,522 --> 00:11:22,281 Through being broken again and again 351 00:11:22,282 --> 00:11:23,120 through exile 352 00:11:23,122 --> 00:11:23,805 and through loss 353 00:11:24,122 --> 00:11:26,945 he peeled away his attachments layer by layer 354 00:11:27,242 --> 00:11:28,665 Pang Yun represents the idea 355 00:11:28,722 --> 00:11:31,464 that the gifts of this life are the practice of past lives 356 00:11:31,801 --> 00:11:32,964 Su Dongpo represents the idea 357 00:11:33,282 --> 00:11:34,480 that practice in this life 358 00:11:34,482 --> 00:11:37,025 awakens seeds planted in past lives 359 00:11:37,362 --> 00:11:39,224 But they traveled the same road 360 00:11:39,242 --> 00:11:40,783 They simply began at different points 361 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,543 And I want to share a deeper observation 362 00:11:43,799 --> 00:11:46,462 That Su Dongpo could endure exile without falling apart 363 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:48,823 and write such poems in desperate circumstances 364 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,462 already suggests that he too possessed innate wisdom 365 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:54,183 His wisdom simply needed to be awakened 366 00:11:54,319 --> 00:11:56,742 It took the suffering of life to bring it forth 367 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:58,762 The difficulties you encounter in this life 368 00:11:58,959 --> 00:11:59,862 at their core 369 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:02,862 are awakening seeds you planted in past lives 370 00:12:03,159 --> 00:12:05,862 So innate wisdom can appear in two ways 371 00:12:06,039 --> 00:12:08,262 One appears directly as an inborn gift 372 00:12:08,279 --> 00:12:09,799 A lifetime without grasping or greed 373 00:12:09,799 --> 00:12:10,862 This is sudden manifestation 374 00:12:11,039 --> 00:12:13,502 The other is gradually awakened through experience 375 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,183 and becomes clearer with each trial 376 00:12:15,199 --> 00:12:16,262 This is gradual manifestation 377 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:18,919 That person you know who cares so little about money 378 00:12:18,919 --> 00:12:20,303 may belong to the first group 379 00:12:21,279 --> 00:12:25,262 The calm you slowly develop through years of ups and downs 380 00:12:25,279 --> 00:12:26,183 belongs to the second 381 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:27,803 Both are blessings 382 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,103 Both are wholesome roots beginning to grow 383 00:12:30,598 --> 00:12:31,398 At this point 384 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,223 I want to return to the question we began with 385 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:37,039 Why does Buddhism value freedom from attachment to money 386 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,922 more highly than wealth itself 387 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:40,762 Because money is a result 388 00:12:41,199 --> 00:12:42,622 while nonattachment is a cause 389 00:12:43,119 --> 00:12:44,542 A result is finite 390 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:46,242 There is a limit to how much money 391 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:47,902 you can earn in this life 392 00:12:48,239 --> 00:12:48,762 However much you earn 393 00:12:49,199 --> 00:12:51,142 you cannot take a penny with you when you die 394 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:53,382 But a cause has no such limit 395 00:12:53,719 --> 00:12:56,159 The seeds of nonattachment you plant in this life 396 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,022 are imprinted in your alaya consciousness 397 00:12:58,119 --> 00:12:59,042 and carried into the next life 398 00:12:59,359 --> 00:13:00,422 and the life after that 399 00:13:00,839 --> 00:13:02,998 The calm you cultivate in this life 400 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,183 can bring you closer to liberation in every future life 401 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:07,282 In other words 402 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:09,343 money is an asset for one lifetime 403 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,812 Innate wisdom is an asset across lifetimes 404 00:13:12,029 --> 00:13:12,952 You work desperately to make money 405 00:13:13,389 --> 00:13:15,373 and gain prosperity for a single life 406 00:13:15,629 --> 00:13:18,668 But each time you choose to let go around money 407 00:13:18,669 --> 00:13:19,592 choose not to be swayed 408 00:13:19,909 --> 00:13:21,092 and choose not to be anxious 409 00:13:21,190 --> 00:13:24,013 you cultivate wholesome roots that continue across life and death 410 00:13:24,429 --> 00:13:27,308 That is why Buddhism speaks of cultivating both merit and wisdom 411 00:13:27,310 --> 00:13:29,293 and places wisdom above merit 412 00:13:29,590 --> 00:13:31,413 Merit brings benefits in this life 413 00:13:31,509 --> 00:13:34,158 Wisdom is an accumulation across life and death 414 00:13:34,575 --> 00:13:36,679 So if after watching this video today 415 00:13:36,935 --> 00:13:39,478 you find that you are still deeply attached to money 416 00:13:39,536 --> 00:13:39,939 do not panic 417 00:13:40,455 --> 00:13:41,719 That is not a bad thing 418 00:13:42,055 --> 00:13:44,238 It is precisely the lesson of this lifetime 419 00:13:44,575 --> 00:13:46,919 In every moment of anxiety about money 420 00:13:47,055 --> 00:13:49,199 in every fear of loss 421 00:13:49,296 --> 00:13:51,559 and in every craving to gain 422 00:13:51,656 --> 00:13:53,118 you have a chance to choose 423 00:13:53,256 --> 00:13:55,018 Will I let this thought carry me away 424 00:13:55,575 --> 00:13:57,638 Every time you choose not to be carried away 425 00:13:57,695 --> 00:14:00,679 you plant a seed of wholesome roots 426 00:14:00,896 --> 00:14:04,520 And if you find that money really has little hold over you 427 00:14:04,697 --> 00:14:05,959 then you can feel fortunate 428 00:14:06,136 --> 00:14:08,360 You are already at the first level of innate wisdom 429 00:14:08,656 --> 00:14:09,780 But do not stop here 430 00:14:10,097 --> 00:14:11,039 Keep going 431 00:14:11,097 --> 00:14:11,980 Move toward freedom from fear 432 00:14:12,297 --> 00:14:13,679 and then toward nonabiding 433 00:14:13,977 --> 00:14:15,380 Freedom from greed alone is not enough 434 00:14:15,817 --> 00:14:17,000 The true blessing 435 00:14:17,057 --> 00:14:18,526 lies deeper still 436 00:14:18,944 --> 00:14:19,306 All right 437 00:14:19,583 --> 00:14:21,286 That is all for this episode 438 00:14:21,623 --> 00:14:23,526 I would love to hear your thoughts 439 00:14:23,944 --> 00:14:26,987 Do you know someone who seems completely indifferent to money 440 00:14:27,664 --> 00:14:30,806 Do you think they simply come from a comfortable family 441 00:14:30,863 --> 00:14:32,546 or do they truly have innate wisdom 442 00:14:33,304 --> 00:14:34,827 As for yourself among freedom from greed 443 00:14:35,304 --> 00:14:36,006 freedom from fear 444 00:14:36,103 --> 00:14:38,022 and nonabiding 445 00:14:38,024 --> 00:14:39,827 which level do you feel you have reached 446 00:14:40,384 --> 00:14:42,006 Share your thoughts in the comments 447 00:14:42,184 --> 00:14:44,183 And if there is something you want me to discuss next time 448 00:14:44,184 --> 00:14:45,621 let me know that too 449 00:14:46,209 --> 00:14:48,105 I will leave you with one final question 450 00:14:48,278 --> 00:14:51,306 If the gifts of this life really come from practice in past lives 451 00:14:51,441 --> 00:14:53,767 then every thought and intention you have today 452 00:14:53,782 --> 00:14:56,030 and every choice to let go or cling 453 00:14:56,164 --> 00:14:58,255 is preparing the way for who you will be in your next life 454 00:14:58,468 --> 00:14:59,368 So who you are today 455 00:14:59,638 --> 00:15:01,199 is planting seeds for your future self 456 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:02,412 What kinds of seeds are you planting 457 00:15:03,073 --> 00:15:03,739 I am Leo Wang 458 00:15:04,049 --> 00:15:04,864 See you next time