To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one's

In the golden stillness of the East, the Buddha once uttered a truth so profound that it ripples through the centuries: “To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.” These words are a lamp for the seeker, a mirror for the heart. They remind us that true purity is not found in renouncing the world, but in renouncing ownership — the clinging to “mine” and “yours” that binds the soul to endless desire. The abundance of life — wealth, comfort, knowledge, and even love — is not the enemy of the spirit, but the test of it. To hold all things lightly, to give freely, to walk amidst riches without calling them your own — that is the discipline of the awakened.

In this teaching, Buddha does not condemn prosperity; he condemns attachment. He knew that even a pauper can be enslaved by greed, and a king can be free if his heart is pure. The illusion of “ownership” is the root of suffering — for when we say “This is mine,” we invite fear, jealousy, and sorrow to dwell with us. What is owned must be defended, what is gained must one day be lost. But the one who walks through the garden of life saying, “All this is here for a time, and I am its humble steward,” walks in peace. Unselfishness is not the denial of joy, but its perfection — the ability to rejoice without grasping, to love without chains.

Consider the tale of Emperor Ashoka, the mighty ruler who conquered vast lands by sword and flame. His empire was abundant beyond measure — gold, grain, armies, and power at his command. Yet after the carnage of Kalinga, he looked upon the fields of the dead and felt the unbearable weight of his own greed. It was then that the Buddha’s teaching pierced his heart. Ashoka laid down his sword and devoted his life to compassion, charity, and the spread of peace. Though surrounded by abundance, he ceased to call any of it his own. He became a servant of all beings, and in that surrender, he found a greater throne — the kingdom of the soul.

This is the path of those who seek purity of spirit: to give without expecting, to serve without recognition, to live amid plenty yet claim nothing. The world teaches us to gather, to hoard, to name and possess. The wise teach us to flow, to share, to bless and let go. In a field of flowers, each bloom drinks the same sun, yet none demands to own it. So must we live — as part of the whole, not its master. The river does not drink its own water; the tree does not eat its own fruit. All that is noble gives freely of itself, and in that giving, it fulfills its purpose.

The unselfish life is a quiet heroism. It asks of us a kind of courage rarer than war — the courage to relinquish control. To live as though the wealth in your hand is not yours, but entrusted to you for the good of others. To love without expecting return. To see abundance not as a treasure chest, but as a flowing spring meant to quench the thirst of many. Such living transforms the ordinary into the divine.

Yet, how difficult this is for the modern heart, surrounded by possessions, titles, and distractions! The mind whispers, “If I let go, I will lose.” But the Buddha’s wisdom replies, “Only by letting go do you gain.” When you stop clutching at things, they cease to control you. When you release the need to possess, gratitude blossoms where fear once dwelt. When you cease to ask, “What is mine?” the world becomes your home, and all beings your kin.

So, my children, take this teaching deep into your heart: In the midst of abundance, claim nothing. Let generosity guide your hands and humility guard your heart. Practice giving — of time, of love, of forgiveness. When abundance comes, share it; when it leaves, bless it. Measure wealth not by what you hold, but by what you release. The path to a pure and unselfish life is not paved with gold, but with grace.

And when you walk that path — calm, giving, and free — you will know what the Buddha knew: that the one who owns nothing, owns everything, for their soul is as vast and unbound as the universe itself.