Contentment is the
highest Treasure!
The Blessed Buddha often noted contentment as the highest
treasure:
There is the case where a Bhikkhu is
quite content
with whatever old robe,
quite
content
with whatever old alms-food,
quite content
with whatever hut,
and quite
content
with whatever
bitter medicine for curing sickness.
This Dhamma is for one,
who is content, not for one who is discontent!
Thus was it said. And with
reference to exactly this salient contentment
with whatever little
one has, was this simple, serene modesty well spoken...
AN VIII 30
Contentment
with whatever little one has!
How is a Bhikkhu
content?
Just as a bird, wherever it goes, flies with its wings as its only burden,
even so is he content with a
single set of robes to protect his body and
begged alms-food
to pacify his hunger. Wherever he goes, he takes only
these few simple necessities
as robes, belt, bowl, and razor along with him.
This is how a Bhikkhu is
content...
DN 2
There is the case where a Bhikkhu is content with whatever old robe at all,
with whatever old alms-food at all, with whatever old hut at all. He speaks
in
praise of being
content with any old requisite at all. He does not, for the
sake
of any requisite, do anything unsuitable or inappropriate. When not
getting any
requisites, he is not troubled. When getting requisites, he just uses it without
being attached to it. He is not obsessed,
but blameless, and seeing the drawbacks
and dangers of possessions,
he realizes the escape from them. He does not, on
account of his
contentment
with any old requisite at all, exalt himself or disparage
others. Thus is he
modest, clever, energetic, alert, and always acutely aware!
This, Bhikkhus, is called a Bhikkhu standing quite
firm in the ancient,
original lineage of the Noble Ones (Ariyavamsa)...
AN IV 28
See also: About Forest Monks:
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Wheels/wh083.pdf
Good are friends, when
a need
arises.
Good is
contentment
with just what one has.
Good is merit done well, when life is at the end.
Good is the elimination of all Suffering!
Dhammapada 331
Solitude is happiness for one who is
content,
Who
has heard, and clearly understands The Dhamma.
Harmlessness is happiness
in all worlds!
Harmlessness held towards all breathing beings.
Udana 10
Therefore be capable, upright, and straight, easy to instruct, gentle,
and not proud,
content,
and easy to support, with few daily duties,
living simply and lightly,
with peaceful abilities, mastering all qualities,
modest,
and with no greed for support. Do not do even a minor thing
that the wise
and noble would later criticize.
Sutta Nipāta I,
8
More on
Contentment
(santutthi),
which is
caused by rejoicing
mutual
joy:
Cause of Contentment,
Calm and Content!,
Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita
Mutual Joy Audio Dhamma-Talk: Rejoicing evaporates
Envy and Jealousy..
https://soundcloud.com/bhikkhu-samahita/mutual-joy-causes-contentment
