“Rather Than Love, Than Money, Give Me Truth”

There is a story about a person pursuing fame and money, but ending up with nothing.

Zou Ziyin of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), practised Buddhism and did good deeds for people.

He would not hesitate to do anything to save people, treat illnesses, or help others, even if it was challenging and brought suffering to him. People called him “The Great Good Man.”

Towards the end of his life, Zou was very ill and went into a coma.

After he woke up from the coma, he said that he met Yamaraja, the god of death, in Hell.

Yamaraja showed him the record of his actions in the human world. He’d noted that every good deed he did was either for fame or for money.

“Whoever wants to do good deeds must use his true heart,” Zou said with great regret.

“Purge bad things from your mind before you start. Don’t be like me and do things for the sake of fame and money.”

He died five days later.

The moral of the story is that we should not pursue fame or money. But, being in the human world, we also are members of society, and cannot live without money.

Thus, we must watch each and every thought in this regard.