Spirituality Cannot Be Bought: The Limitations of Material Wealth in SPiritual Growth
In a world where almost anything can be purchased, there are still realms that money simply cannot touch. Let’s explore one such area: spiritual growth and development.
Many of the things we claim as ours come in exchange for money. Take the knowledge and information gathered from schools and colleges, for example. We trade monthly or yearly fees for an education, a transaction that equips us to earn money and survive in the material world. Money, thus, buys us the means to lead a comfortable life, at least on the surface.
It’s also noteworthy that there are people who, despite having little formal education, manage to support themselves and their families through skill-oriented labor. It seems, then, whether you’re educated or not, you can fend for yourself and provide for your basic needs—as long as you have money.
In our pursuit of material comfort, we often forget about our spiritual needs. But money, which takes care of our physical and even some mental and emotional needs, cannot buy spiritual growth. This begs the question: how much can you pay the creator for the very elements of life—earth, water, air, fire, and ether—that money cannot possibly procure?
Let’s take the example of a seed sprouting from the earth. Can you put a price on that? The answer is, of course, no. The thought of monetizing such a fundamental process of life is, in itself, incomprehensible.
Delving deeper into the annals of spiritual history, we find that many of our spiritual ancestors—those who offered humanity glimpses of divine life and the afterlife—were simple people. They were weavers, tailors, accountants, cowherds, and shepherds. Rarely do we find a spiritually enlightened master who was affluent. The likes of Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavira were exceptions rather than the rule.
This brings us to the crucial realization: spirituality cannot be bought, and true spiritual masters never charge for their blessings. Just as parental love for their children is spontaneous and unconditional, so too are the blessings of spiritual bliss that flow incessantly from an enlightened soul.
Consider Gautama Buddha, a rich prince who had all the resources to ‘buy’ spiritual guidance. Yet, he chose not to because spirituality cannot be purchased—it must be earned through karma.
The soul, a perennial entity, has been collecting the wisdom of numerous births to eventually manifest its divine nature, known as Sat-Chit-Anand (Truth-Consciousness-Bliss). The ultimate spiritual goal is to draw closer to the creator, merge into the divine essence, and attain Nirvana.
To conclude, while money can ensure a certain level of material comfort, it is unable to buy spiritual growth. Our spiritual journey is a path we must tread ourselves, a journey of self-discovery and personal growth that no amount of money can procure. Only through sincere commitment, mindfulness, and good karma can one hope to attain spiritual enlightenment.
And the same karma will lead you to your True Spiritual Master – When the student is ready, the teacher will come. So just add this little prayer in your list of other affirmations – God, please send me my Spiritual Master, Please make me ready to receive higher spiritual wisdom – Please make me worthy of your divine attention.
