THE MODE OF GOODNESS
A devotee is not interested in this material world. He has no personal desires to fulfill. Rising to the mode of goodness, the platform of knowledge, he sees the many troubles that come along with the acquisition of wealth for personal happiness. He is reluctant, therefore, to struggle for more than what is absolutely necessary for his survival. He realizes that when wealth increases, there comes increasing responsibility, maintenance and stress. Comparable to honey, it is often plundered by another, including ones own uncontrolled senses and mind. It becomes more challenging to remain simple. Worse is how wealth can corrupt family members who neither earned it nor need to earn it in the future. Also there are cases of children who abandoned their families ordinarily, but when a parent suddenly became very wealthy, they reappeared. It is difficult to know who one's real friends are.
The Srimad Bhagavatam confirms: "Theft, violence, speaking lies, duplicity, lust, anger, perplexity, pride, quarreling, enmity, faithlessness, envy and the dangers caused by women, gambling and intoxication are the fifteen undesirable qualities that contaminate men because of greed for wealth. Although these qualities are undesirable, men falsely ascribe value to them. One desiring to achieve the real benefit of life should therefore remain aloof from undesirable material wealth.' SB 11.23.18-19
Similarly, when Sanätana Gosvämi felt his life threatened because of the eight gold coins his servant was secretly carrying, he said to an innkeeper, "If you do not accept these coins, someone else will kill me for them. It is better that you save me from the danger by accepting the coins.'” Madya 7.24-32
Thus a devotee is not very interested in acquiring wealth more than his actual needs. Yet, at the same time, he does not wish to waste or unnecessarily renounce things either. Since they may be used to serve Krishna, His devotees, and to keep one's family members positively engaged in various ways, he is careful to utilize acquired wealth for proper purposes. A balance can be maintained provided the devotee is strongly determined to personally remain very simple and honest in his dealings. He is cautious to accept things only that are favorable towards his devotional service to Krishna and rejects anything else.
"An intelligent man in human society should make his own program very simple. If there are suggestions from his friends, children, parents, brothers or anyone else, he should externally agree, saying, 'Yes, that is all right,' but internally he should be determined not to create a cumbersome life in which the purpose of life will not be fulfilled. " SB 7.14.6
For many of us, however, material entanglement takes time to recover from, so patience is also required. It may take much time to get to the point where pure devotional service to Krishna takes priority in one's life. Cultivating transcendental knowledge strengthens our resolve.
KRISHNA'S PLAN AND PROVISION
If one studies the natural arrangement of the world, he will see how all the necessities of life are being provided. Nothing has been overlooked. By a perfect arrangement, for example, trees drop their dead branches which may be gathered by human beings to provide kindling for fire. Produce such as pumpkins and squashes can be stored for quite some time without refrigeration during the cold season when other fruits and vegetables grow scarce. Wool provides naturally waterproof clothing. Cream floats to the top of milk for easy separation. And Krishna designed the first convenience food - breast milk. Glaciers store water in the mountains that later melts and comes down in rivers. Perfect systems created by the Lord are always going on.
"Everything is going on perfectly, under the control of the Supreme. Sun and moon rise exactly at same time, etc. We simply must cooperate with the plan that is already there. Actually nothing is wanting. We simply have to act according to the directions of the Supreme" --4/19/66 NY lecture
Everything that is needed for living healthy lives has been arranged by the Lord along with the knowledge He gives by which human society can live peacefully and progress spiritually. By following His advice, one can understand that ultimately there is no need for an industrial society producing unnecessary things that separate its citizens from spiritual life. A devotee, therefore, doesn't endeavor much for luxuries that can lead him to forgetting the primary duty of life- recovering his lost relationship with Krishna.
“A Krishna conscious person does not make much endeavor even to maintain his body. He is satisfied with gains which are obtained of their own accord. He neither begs nor borrows, but he labors honestly as far as is in his power, and is satisfied with whatever is obtained by his own honest labor.”--Bg 4.22 purport
"The pure devotee does not have to worry about the material necessities of life; he need not be anxious, because when he removes the darkness from his heart, everything is provided automatically by the Supreme Lord, who is pleased by the loving devotional service of the devotee. This is the essence of the teachings of Bhagavad-gitä. " --Bg 10.11p
“The enlightened person should endeavor only for the minimum necessities of life while in the world of names. He should be intelligently fixed and never endeavor for unwanted things, being competent to perceive practically that all such endeavors are merely hard labor for nothing.” -SB 2.2.3
"With only these two things, cows and grain, humanity can solve its eating problem. Human society needs only sufficient grain and sufficient cows to solve its economic problems. All other things but these two are artificial necessities created by man to kill his valuable life at the human level and waste his time in things which are not needed." -Bg 3.2.29p
THE MODES OF PASSION AND IGNORANCE
But until a human being rises to the platform of knowledge, the mode of passion and ignorance takes precedence along with their symptoms of discontentment and unnecessary cravings. In other words, development of goodness, via devotional service, is prerequisite for feeling contentment with God's provision.
"By God's arrangement there is sufficient scope for the production of milk and grains for human beings all over the world, but instead of using his higher intelligence to cultivate God consciousness, so-called intelligent men misuse their intelligence to produce many unnecessary and unwanted things. Thus factories, slaughterhouses, brothels and liquor shops are opened. If people are advised not to collect too many goods, eat too much or work unnecessarily to possess artificial amenities, they think they are being advised to return to a primitive way of life. Generally people do not like to accept plain living and high thinking. That is their unfortunate position."
"The necessities of life for the protection and comfort of the body must not be unnecessarily increased. Human energy is spoiled in a vain search after such illusory happiness. If one is able to lie down on the floor, then why should one endeavor to get a good bedstead or soft cushion to lie on? If one can rest without any pillow and make use of the soft arms endowed by nature, there is no necessity of searching after a pillow. If we make a study of the general life of the animals, we can see that they have no intelligence for building big houses, furniture, and other household paraphernalia, and yet they maintain a healthy life by lying down on the open land. They do not know how to cook or prepare foodstuff, yet they still live healthy lives more easily than the human being. ...But...the reserve energy of human life, which is far superior to that of animals, should simply he utilized for self-realization." -SB 2.2.4p
"Asteyam means 'to refrain from theft.' In the broader sense, everyone who accumulates more than he needs is a thief. According to spiritual communism, one cannot possess more than he needs for his personal maintenance. That is the law of nature. Anyone who accumulates more money or more possessions than he needs is called a thief, and one who simply accumulates wealth without spending for sacrifice or for worship of the Personality of Godhead is a great thief."- SB 3.28.4
THE HUT AND PALACE ARE THE SAME
Materialists are mad after wealth, yet what is the use of so much endeavor for wealth? What is the use of a big palatial home when the same business of eating and sleeping done there can be accomplished in a small hut? If one can learn to be satisfied simply by hearing and chanting the Lord's holy name and pastimes in the company of devotees, serving the deity, taking enough prasadam and having a place to lie down at night, what more is needed? Without the desire to serve Krishna, it is lust and greed only that drives the human being to think otherwise.
"One who earns millions of dollars cannot really eat much more than a man who makes ten dollars. A man who earns millions of dollars cannot mate with millions of women. That is not within his power. His mating power is the same as one who earns ten dollars, just as his power of eating is the same. This is to say that our power of enjoyment is limited. One should therefore think, 'My enjoyment is the same as that of the man who is earning ten dollars daily. So why am I working so hard to earn millions of dollars? Why am I wasting my energy? I should engage my time and energy in understanding God. That is the purpose of life.'" -Srila Prabhupada
"One should also not accumulate money to become puffed up in the material world. One should earn his livelihood easily and honestly, for it is better to become a coolie for an honest livelihood than to become a great man in society by hook and crook. There is no harm if one becomes the richest man in the world by honest dealings, but one should not sacrifice the honest means of livelihood simply to accumulate wealth. Such an endeavor is harmful to devotional service." --2.8.21
JOYFUL FREEDOM
Srila Prabhupada has shown us practically how to be happy without meat, sex life, intoxication and so on. Conditioned people think they can’t live without this stuff, just like Mrgrari thought he could not live without his bow, but he surrendered to Narada and discovered he could!
"Just like these boys, they are practiced to sit down. We have kept two chairs for the visitors. (laughter) We don’t require. We can lie down on the floor. We can use only one or two cloths, that’s all, throughout the whole year. We have no demands, only bare necessities. We don’t smoke, don’t drink. There is no expenditure. Don’t go to cinema, don’t read newspaper or ordinary magazines, nothing. We have got reading matter. Practically we are noncooperating."
LAXMI BELONGS TO KRISHNA
A devotee understands that Laksmi belongs with Krishna. A devotee is careful, therefore, to protect Laxmi from falling into the wrong hands. It is better to spend Laxmi for the spreading of Krishna consciousness in the shape of transcendental knowledge, chanting Hare Krishna and prasadam. Both within the family sphere and the Hare Krishna movement, this is the best charity and highest welfare work.
Furthermore, Laxmi dwells where not a grain of rice is wasted. This makes sense, because if one does not like to waste one grain, then what to speak of everything else. With the desire to utilize all one's possessions for Krishna's service, one will want to take good care of everything, and where there is no waste, there is no want either. Also, simply by its connection with Krishna, things are cared for by a devotee in a loving way.
NATURALLY WEALTHY
This thrifty consciousness is automatic for one in Krishna consciousness. A devotee who loves Krishna, being naturally attracted to goodness due to his godly nature, possesses all good qualities. Thus, seeing everything as the Lord's property, he is careful to utilize it properly for the Lord. Krishna in turn is attracted by such affection, and wherever there is Krishna, Laxmi is also present.
“Think always that the money which is accumulated is the wealth of the Lord. Wealth is considered to be the goddess of fortune (Laksmi), and the Lord is Narayana, or the husband of Laksmi. Try to engage Laksmi in the service of Lord Narayana and be happy. That is the way to realize the Lord in every sphere of life. “ SB 1.5.32 purport
In this way, wealth follows a devotee even though he does not strive personally to attain it. He is conservative, hard working, sense controlled, reliable, steady, peaceful and happy, wherever he may be. Employment, therefore, will be easy to find if necessary, since every employer wants to hire such a person. His are the qualities that make a person invaluable.
"Unto one who has transcendental qualities due to friendly behavior with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all living entities offer honor, just as water automatically flows down by nature."-SB 4.9.48p
INNER WEALTH
Krishna consciousness clears the clutter in the heart. We become aware of what we have and value it so much more. We are grateful for whatever Krishna provides and care for it, because of its relation to Krishna and Krishna's service. Due to this inner satisfaction gained from a relationship Krishna, whatever is easily available becomes enough.
Even if less than the modern man, there's the saying that "less is more"; the more we have the less we care about it, but the less we have, the more significant things become. For example, where I live, plastic bags are hard to come by. So when I get one, I don't just toss it out after using it. No, I wash it and dry it and use it again and again. We value more when we have less.
This mood of appreciation helps us to slow down and value what we have rather than hankering for more. We can slow down and relish our prasadam or slow down enough to notice whether the sky is blue, how the road looks and the people we pass by while walking. It is a whole awareness in which things are not taken for granted.
SOBRIETY
Sometimes one is forced to live without even basic necessities or such things are harder to acquire. Those times, however, can teach us how to deal with reality and disappointment. Character develops best from life's trials rather than abundance.
CREATIVITY
If one eats something and it goes down the wrong tube, immediately there is some reaction to set things back in balance. Survival is a law of nature. Similarly, when there is a need, intelligence comes along how to fulfill it. "Necessity is the mother of invention", thus creative juices will start flowing.
EMPLOYMENT
The more human society can learn the real value of life, gradually weaning from the inventions that can be best used to propagate a return to simpler living in the meantime, the more replacing all those machines and impersonal conveniences translates into employment for many people who currently have none. There will be the return of quality in workmanship as well. And although modern man may balk at the thought of hard work, history has proven that the more people there are who become involved this way, the more will many hands make that work light.
Every devotee should visit rural India at least once to see these things in real life. To cut grass, several men are seen with sickles instead of one man and a lawn mower. Several men work together in many ways compared to one man working and leaving ten idle as in the modern cities.Instead of a wash machine, there's a washer man. Instead of a sewing machine, a tailor. They may use old fashioned tools, but they often work together in large numbers. They also have big families that all work and pull together. They utilize whatever is easily available and are very careful not to waste anything.
Living in India is conducive to simple living, helping us by increasing our tolerance and austerity and spiritual realization. One can learn gradually to do without a great many things and still remain healthy and very happy.
BETTER HEALTH
When one works hard for a living, a lot more exercise is going on and simple food may be there also, but this can be very healthy on the system as well. Too little exercise and too much sugar and fat and unnecessary foods can do the opposite. Also from hard, honest work can follow good, solid rest.
BETTER RELATIONSHIPS
When there's no TV or movie theatres or libraries full of useless books to occupy our time, there's a simple thing to do called visiting and talking with the neighbors or just watching life around us. Prabhupada came to save human society from voidism and impersonalism. So instead of phoning a neighbor, why not stop by in person? Instead of only reading books, why not hear from a living person or a storyteller? Simple living nourishes relationships.
COMPASSION
Satisfaction with one's allotted quota in life means cutting down on the vast amount of natural resources used to currently supply man's greed instead of his need. This in turn helps save the earth from environmental disaster and protects cows from becoming unnecessary foodstuffs. We can "Live simply so others may simply live".
PEACE
Most importantly, simple living gives time for high thinking, time for spiritual cultivation which is the real aim of this human form of life.
Better than grandeur, better than gold,
Than rank and titles a thousandfold,
Is a healthy body and a mind at ease,
And simple pleasures that always please.
A heart that can feel for another’s woe,
And share his joys with a genial glow,
With sympathies large enough to enfold,
All beings as brothers, is better than gold.
Better than gold is a conscience clear,
Though toiling for bread in an humble sphere,
Doubly bless with content and health,
Untried by the lusts and cares of wealth.
Lowly living and lofty thought,
Adorn and ennoble a poor man’s cot;
For mind and morals, in nature’s plan,
Are the genuine tests of an earnest man.”
--author unknown
"No shame in poverty if the heart is gay...
He who accepts his poverty unhurt
I'd say is rich although he lacked a shirt.
But truly poor are they who whine and fret
And covet what they cannot hope to get.
And he that, having nothing, covets not,
Is rich, though you may think he is a sot...
The poor can dance and sing in the relief,
Of having nothing that will tempt a thief.
Though it be hateful, poverty is good,
A great incentive to a livelihood,
And a great help tour capacity
For wisdom, if accepted patiently.
Poverty is, though wanting in estate,
A kind of wealth that none calumniate.
Poverty often, when the heart is lowly,
Brings one to God and teaches what is holy,
Gives knowledge of oneself and even lends
A glass by which to see one's truest friends.
And since its no offense, let me be plain,
Do not rebuke my poverty again."
-- Geoffrey Chauncer, Canterbury Tales