The purpose of the diamond-like wisdom of prajna is to allow us not to hold on to notions of phenomena or notions of non-phenomena. Thus we can know that the Buddha genuinely wishes us to attain enlightenment, and employs skillful means to teach us, just as when trying to cross a river we may borrow a small boat to reach the other side. The following gongan illustrates this point: It was a bitterly cold day in winter and snow had already been falling for three days. On that day a beggar came knocking on Chan Master Myoan Eisai’s door. The Chan master opened the door revealing the beggar, shivering in the cold, who said, “Chan master, my family and I have not had a grain of rice for many days now, and the heavy snowfall day after day has also caused my old illness to return. I beg you sir, please help us!”

But the monastery had no surplus food or money, so how could Eisai help them? Suddenly he remembered that they had some gold foil on hand for gilding the Buddha statue. And so without the slightest hesitation, he gave the gold foil to the beggar to meet his desperate need. The Chan master’s disciples were not very happy with him, and objected by saying, “Master, that gold foil was for gilding the Buddha statue. How could you give it away so carelessly?”

The Chan master answered calmly, “I only did so to pay homage to the Buddha.” One disciple countered, “Master, you took the gold foil intended for the sacred statue of the Buddha and gave it away. How can that be considered paying homage to the Buddha?”

Chan Master Eisai raised his voice to rebuke them, “The Buddha cultivated the Way for many kalpas, and did not care if he gave away his very blood, flesh, and marrow! How did the Buddha treat all living beings? You only see the gilded Buddha statue, but how do you not see the Buddha’s heart?”

The Diamond Sutra teaches us that by giving without notions, we can be granted limitless merit. It also states that the gift of Dharma is superior to material gifts. It is easy to give material things once one’s needs have been met, but making it possible for living beings to develop their own wisdom from within is not something that can be done by relying upon money and material goods alone. Even so, gifts of wealth and property can off er temporary help and survival to living beings. When the Buddha advises us to not give with notions, it does not mean that the Buddha is negating giving wealth altogether.

What steps can we take to ensure that when we give the kind of material support that is needed in our modern world that we do so without notions? For example, material support can be used to establish schools in remote and backward regions. By approaching projects like this, the material gifts can be used for more than just relieving the temporary needs of the body, like warmth and sustenance.

One day King Prasenajit had an audience with the Buddha and gave him the following report: “Lord Buddha, within the kingdom of Sravasti there is a certain elder named Mahanaman. He possesses vast treasuries of gold and silver, and millions of billions of precious stones such that it would be impossible to count them all. He also owns an unaccountably large number of houses and estates. Mahanaman possesses thousands of bushels of money and other valuables and tens of thousands of acres of farmland, yet he cannot find any enjoyment in all this wealth. Every day he eats coarse bran, rice crumbs, and other leftover and rotting food. He wears cheap and shoddy clothes and rides in a dilapidated, old cart. He has never made offerings to Buddhist monastics or brahman priests, nor has he ever given alms to poor and destitute beggars. Whenever he takes his meals, he is sure to lock the doors and windows tightly in fear that someone might come to his door and ask him for alms. Lord Buddha, the rich and affluent Mahanaman lives such an impoverished and fearful life. How should we use wealth in a way that is in accordance with the right path?”

The Buddha answered, “Great King, people like Mahanaman have minds that are crammed with ignorant and wicked ideas. Though they possess abundant material wealth, they cannot make use of it. They do not know about caring for their parents or supporting their family and relatives. They neither aid their slaves and servants nor share their wealth with their friends and comrades. They do not know that making offerings to Buddhist monastics or brahman priests is planting seeds in a field of merit to secure the blessings of happiness. Mahanaman does not understand how to broadly make use of his wealth to obtain worldly joy or transcendent merit.”

“Great King, greedy, miserly people are like land with hard, alkaline soil. Though the land may have some pools of water, no one is willing to drink from them because of their bitter, salty taste. In the end, these pools will dry up and disappear. Generous people are like a country hamlet with a pure spring that produces good water. The pure water allows nearby trees to grow and prosper, and it engenders soft fragrant grasses and all kinds of fresh flowers and fruits. All living beings are able to bathe in its pool of water, and when tired and thirsty, they can partake of the pure spring waters and fine fruits. The animals of the forest can frolic about happily without fear. Great King, those who have wealth should be like the crystal-clear spring, for they use their wealth to make people happy and satisfied. Such people are carefree and affluent in this life, and will be reborn in the heavenly realms after death, where they will enjoy the blessings of happiness.”

How long is a person’s life, really? It passes as quickly as the morning dew, a bolt of lightning in the sky, froth upon the water, or a flickering flame. Our wealth is very limited, so how can we use it to fulfill our spiritual nature and continually build our lives around the principles of the wise, so that we can give without abiding in anything? I would recommend the following:

1. Organize around human feeling, not profits.
2. Organize around community, not individuals.
3. Organize around good friendship, not money.
4. Organize around contentment, not the five desires.

Material wealth will eventually be exhausted and turn to ruin one day, but not immaterial wealth. Such immaterial wealth as the relationships between people, the sharing of accomplishments, the guidance and care of good friends, the peace of hearing the Dharma, and others can enable us to organize ourselves around our internal wealth.

Source: Hsing Yun. Four Insights for Finding Fulfillment: A Practical Guide to the Buddha’s Diamond Sutra. Los Angeles: Buddha’s Light Publishing, 2012.