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Non-possessiveness and charity
and practical in the affairs of the state. Therefore, the second boy is worthy of being the minister's son."
In this story, the king and the minister are analogous to a saint and an aspirant. The message of the holy man is that the temptations of this world are like the pieces of bread. If you relinquish them completely, you will get the saint's throne. If you relinquish even half your desires, you will at least get to be an aspirant, if not a saint.
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The spiritual aspirant should be watchful of two factors. First, one must set a limit on material accumulation and secondly, one must nurture the spirit of sharing. One's wealth should be spent in the development of society. Only such an attitude can bring about peace and contentment not just at an individual level, but at a universal level as well.
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