Why Accumulating Wealth can Lead you Astray? 為什麼積財會喪道

(English subtitles) Buddhist Master Chin-Kung (淨空法師), 1927-2022, talks dharma.
Subtitles: When I became a monk, the old monk told me: preaching is not good. You cannot live on preaching, and now people don’t know to make offerings. The buddhist service of sutra and repentance are regarded as business. With a price, you have an income. I don't believe it. I said that I will follow the path of Sakyamuni Buddha and preach dharma all my life to see if I would starve to death or freeze to death. Although I have had no habitat for so many years, I have never been hungry or frozen, and I am joyful and carefree every day.
When I was young, some masters of our generation were worried about me taking this path. What should I do in the future? Especially what to do when I'm old? I'm old now, and I have people to take care of me, I don't know where they come from.
Master Janggya told me that if you are really devoted, Buddhas will take care of you throughout your life, I believe. Buddhas never lie.
2:00
So I never think about myself, just let nature take its course, I live my life as it comes and never climb the ladder. I have never asked anyone for money in my life. My students must keep this in mind, if anyone asks for alms in my name, it must be fake. That's what they do, and I have no idea at all.
I do services for people in my life. If you make an offerings to me and wish I do charity for you, just tell me a number, and I don't want to see this money.
Our biggest payment is at the middle of 2005. A layman in Singapore whose family is in Indonesia. His father ran a small shipping company in Hong Kong. When he passed away, the siblings did not want to run it, so they sold it for a share. He was the elder brother and got a share of the money, came to me that he didn't need the money and wanted me to help him with his education charity.
4:00
It just so happens that we are building this cultural center in Tangchi, and I say that is great. How much is it? 9 million US$. Did I see the money? No, I didn't. While they are doing the engineering, they have a bank account, and he remits there. I used the money for him and didn't see it. This is at ease, I don't worry about it. I did many charitable causes in this way. I have a bank account. I never disclose it. A few people knew it and sent me money. I have accumulated over the years. I went check the bank account. I'm surprised why there are so much.
How much? 10 million US$. A book store happened to print the Complete Library in 4 Sections. One set of the books costs 50 thousand. I said: Good, I will order 100 sets from you. Then the 5 million US$ is gone.
6:00
This is also the case with World Book Store. I ordered another 20,000 sets of ancient books. It costs also 5 million US$, So I've spent 10 million fees. After these books were printed, I gave them to the world. I give them to university libraries around the world for collection. Our traditional Chinese culture will not be lost. No matter how many disasters there are, they cannot all be destroyed. There will be some left, which is our intention, I hope to preserve the traditional valuable things.
Money is useless and will depreciate. It is very worrying to have this thing. I don't care if I have it or not, having is the same as not having. When I need to use it, I'll check again how much. Really, if I really need it, someone will send to me. The numbers sent to me are interesting, no more, no less. Just enough to cover the expenses, that's good. What do you need money for? It's said in the sutras that accumulating wealth will lead you astray. Why do you stray from the way? Because you are concern with this thing. That creates obstacles to your heart of purity, and creates obstacles to your heart of equality.
8:00
So this is not a good thing. Wealth, sex, fame, food and sleep must be cut off. Buddha said those are the 5 roots of hell. Even one root is critical, not to mention 5 roots are complete. If you don't fall into hell, who will fall into hell? If you don't study Buddhism, you don't know. After studying Buddhism, you must pull out these 5 roots. If you really let go, life becomes simple. Though you eat every day, eat very little. Now that I'm older, I found that I only ate half of what I used to eat. Now I eat little food and feel full, I never feel hungry, this is very normal. I never feel hungry, this is normal. Let everything go with the flow of nature, you will feel at ease. No fussy; everything is fine; how happy am I;. Nothing matters. If you hope there will be no disasters in this world, let me tell you, how you think or do, there will be no disasters. If you treat all people and things with equality, respect and love, there will be no more disasters. What is the most fearful thing? I can't get along with this person, and I have problem with that person, that is awful. As ancient Chinese said: If a family is harmonious, everything will be prosperous.