Deep Commentary

This verse was taught at Jetavana Monastery regarding a monk who became dissatisfied with monastic life. After his father passed away, leaving him a small sum of money, the monk considered returning to lay life, mistakenly believing this wealth could secure his happiness. The Buddha used this incident to illustrate the insatiable nature of greed. He explained that even great rulers of the past, who possessed immense wealth, could not find true fulfillment. The story highlights the perilous allure of material gain and the power of attachment. Whether monastic or lay, the practitioner's core task is the eradication of greed, hatred, and delusion. If a small amount of money can disrupt a monk's practice, how much more vulnerable is one to the myriad temptations of the modern world? True happiness is not found in fulfilling material desires—as evidenced by the many monarchs, including the Buddha himself, who abandoned kingdoms to seek enlightenment—but rather in the systematic transformation of ignorance and the cessation of craving.