We believe that Accumulating Wealth without hurting oneself or others, is not a bad thing at all. However, we come back to this eternal question: how much is enough?
'Enough' can be open to may interpretations. Rather than theorize, it's better to tell a story. So here it goes....
Once there was a rich farmer called Khusrau in ancient Persia. He lived in a village called Basuki. He, along with his wife Umrao and Daughter Jannat used to live on a big farmhouse spread over 10 acres. From Morning to evening, several beggars, Sufis, needy people used to visit his farmhouse for alms. Khusrau, being of pious nature, always tried to help, in cash or kind, to the extent possible.
Rains were about to start. Khusrau started to prepare the fields for the sowing season. It involved ploughing the land, removing the weeds, and making the land even. After That, Flooding the field 1 or 2days before sowing and allowing water to soak in. Khusrau would also keep surface of the field covered with water to ensure good moisture retention. All this was back breaking work.
Umrao saw Khusrau working hard along with his servants. She could not bear the sight of Khusrau toiling day and night without proper rest. She thought it was time to speak to Khusrau.
" My Dear, Why do you have to toil so hard. We are rich. We have enough wealth to take care of ourselves and than some more. Just quit this back breaking work and do something else", said Umrao to Khusrau.
Khusrau quietly heard what Umrao had to say.
Of course his work was very hard. He had done this for twenty years now..He was already in his forties. Soon, his body will not allow him to continue with this schedule. And he did not like to leave the work to his servants. He thought one had to teach the servants how to do it properly. Otherwise, the crop would not be good.
That night Khusrau could not sleep. He woke up and went to his garden. It was pitch dark so he lit up a lantern. Right in the middle of his garden was a big wooden chair. He moved the chair around and start digging. Roughly four feet below the ground, the shovel hit a big brass pot. He took the brass pot out. There in that brass pot were 562 gold coins; Khusrau's life savings.
Khusrau looked at those coins with a lot of satisfaction and counted again. They were 562
He needed 15-20 gold coins to take care of himself and his family every year. So this money was enough for over 30 years of expenses... But was it enough? What if he or Umrao fell sick or if there was an emergency in family. Worse, what if Jannat fell sick? Will this be enough.
He did not know the answer. Khusrau buried the pot back in the ground, put this wooden chair back on top and came back to bed. He had to find the answer to this question. So he decided to visit the learned Sufi at the village mosque the next day.
Early next day, Khusrau reached the village mosque to meet the Sufi
To be continued......
You can find more such stories @ 'Atmachintan'
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