The text uses the story of the wealthy merchant Ratanji to illustrate that material prosperity is not the source of true happiness. As Chapter 14 explains, despite his vast riches, Ratanji was constantly distressed because he lacked a son, rendering his worldly joy 'entirely fruitless.' In contrast, the chapter defines a higher state of being as the real treasure. It describes perfected ones who, by abandoning attributes like name and form, achieve a state of pure knowledge where illusion, or Maya, cannot affect them. This state is characterized as being 'always engrossed in self-bliss.' Therefore, the narrative suggests that real wealth is not money or property, but inner peace, spiritual realization, and detachment from worldly sorrows.
The story of Ratanji suggests that material possessions aren't true wealth. According to the teachings presented, what constitutes real wealth or happiness?
๐ Chapter 14