Commentary:
The ascetic monks or nuns may be financially deficient. They may be poor materialistically. However, they are rich spiritually all the way. They put on only the simple robes but their liberating knowledge of Truth realized or their Perfection of Wisdom developed is an invaluable treasure. The treasure of Wisdom and great compassion is an enormous gift to the world. The first greatest spiritual wealth of a liberated Buddhist monk or Chan master is the Perfection of Wisdom.
The Perfection of Wisdom dispels ignorance. It annihilates the illusive self or ego. The destruction of self or ego superimposed by false mental constructs or imagination leads to the complete eradication of cankers. The delivered One is no more deluded by the illusion and unreality of the multiplicity. The wise now functions with the precious Dharmabody manifested as a fruit of Perfection of Wisdom. All their activities are karmaless or cankerless. In short, their minds have been fully purified by the complete extinction of self or ego and penetrative insight into the cosmic illusion of multiplicity. The enlightened monk or nun has entered into the door of Non-duality with the penetrative non-discriminative wisdom. They become Chan masters or patriarchs.
The second greatest spiritual wealth of the liberated monk, nun or Chan master is the great compassion orientated towards liberating all sentient beings from suffering or vexation. Such a monk, nun or Chan master is a wisely and ethically superior man. He is an exemplar to be emulated by all sentient beings. The Buddhist saint emerges as a messenger of the Buddha. He has fruitfully reached and entered the door of Non-duality transcending duality between the perceiver and the perceived. He discerns intuitively the eternal Truth of Unity popularly expounded as the Dependent Co-arising. He enters Nirvāṇa and merges with all the Tathāgatas or Buddhas in the Dharma Realm of Unity. He is like the recycled water drop which finally remerges and enters into the profound depth of the sea.
The sentient beings of the three worlds of Desire, Form and Formless still remain as waves blown and flung about continually by the winds of greed, hatred and delusion. Those, struck by violent winds, such as cyclones, hurricanes, or even tsunami, experience the giant waves of anguish or distress. Those, assailed by gentle winds are relatively fortunate. They are merely small or minor waves unharmful to the sea travellers or fishermen seeking livelihood in the sea. The violent cyclones, hurricanes or tsunami are metaphors employed to illustrate the violent emotions of the untamed human beings in their social intercourses with others and intense anguish in life. Their uncontrollable, agitated, or upset emotions cause enormous sufferings to others and to himself too. Religious wisdom is sought and developed to tame or appease the minds of the ordinary worldlings. Only when there is inner peace, can external peace and harmony prevail.
In the ancient monastic life, the cultivating monks led a strict ascetic life. They were more concerned about beautifying (rectifying) their inner hearts rather than putting on beautiful attires. Externally, they appeared to be materialistically deficient but internally they live a rich interior life of wisdom in an abundance of happiness.
It is important that to realize that living a life of material depletion does not really help in one’s cultivation. It is the non-grasping upon the life of materialism that helps in self-actualizing the discernment of Truth.
Anāthapiṇ̣ḍ̣ika, a millionaire, was the foremost Dharma protector of Gotama Buddha who attained the first stage sainthood before his demise. The Buddha had a high veneration for him.
