Inner Detachment is the sign of Spiritual Progress
A Rich merchant was acquainted with the Mahant (The head of a monastery). Occasionally he would visit the math and listen to the spiritual talks of the mahant. He would however, wonder if there was any difference between himself and the manat. Both possessed land, walth and jewels; so he concluded that both were wordly persons.
One day he went up to the mahant and told him, "Do not assume such a dignified attitude. There is no difference between you and me, I have wealth and so have you. After all, we are both worldly minded."
The mahant smiled and replied, "One day you will realize the difference."
Days passed and then one day, the merchant sent one of his men to a foreign land to purchase and bring home some goods. However, soon news came that all the money was finished in buying the goods and no money was left for shipment. Money had to be sent immediately, but the merchant had no more money with him.
He went to the mahant to borrow some money from him. The mahant readily lent him 5000 Rupees. The merchant offered him 50% of the profit and the profit, he assured the mahant, would not be less than 15000-20000 rupees. The merchant sent the money and after a few days the happy news came that the ship was coming with the goods.
However three days later news came, "The ship has sunk." The merchant was beside himself with grief. He ran to the mahant and cried anxiously, "Oh what a mishap has fallen upon me! The ship has sunk!"
The mahant just looked up at the sky once and said quietly, "If it the will of God, be it so."
The merchant was furious at this calm response and shouted angrily, "There, you have no worries! Even if you lose everything, it is nothing to to you; you can very well live in your loin cloth! I cannot do that!" He then went away a sad and angry man and then on he spent his days in misery; neither being able to sleep nor eat.
However, soon after this, again news came "Our ship has not sunk. It was another ship." Dancing with joy the merchant ran to the mahant and told him, "Maharaj, the ship has not sunk. It was another ship!"
The mahant said in a quiet voice, "It is the will of God that the ship has not sunk." He then added, again in a quiet voice, "See now the difference between you and me?"
Moral of the story:
This is the difference between a wealthy sannyasi and an ordinary wealthy man. The sannyasi does not have any attachment to his wealth but the worldly man has a strong attachment. Even a man living an ordinary family life can be like a sannyasi if he learns to free himself from this sense of attachment and is ready to spend his wealth for a good cause.
Source
- Story told by Maharshi Nagendranath Bhaduri, excerpt from the book "One Hundred and Eight Messages from Maharshi Nagendranath"; Story 8, Page # 58, 2012 print