The Bottomless Pit of Greed

That afternoon, I sat on the veranda, watching the last rays of sunlight fall through the gaps between the leaves, golden like honey. A gentle breeze carried the pungent scent of dry straw from the field behind the garden. I had just turned seventeen, the age when people usually dream big dreams, but in my mind at that moment there was only one question repeating itself over and over: "Why do human beings keep being born and dying, being born and dying? It all seems so meaningless."

I grew up in an ordinary family; my parents were farmers who toiled all year round. From a young age, I watched them rise early and sleep late, worrying about every meal and every piece of clothing. Then I saw the elderly people of my village pass away, one after another. They lived, they worked, and then they died, leaving something behind for their children and grandchildren, and then nothing remained at all. I asked myself: "If everyone must die in the end, then what is the point of living?"

Only much later, when I came to learn about the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), did I understand that death is not the end. People are reborn into samsara (cycle of rebirth) according to their karma. Birth follows death, and death follows birth, with no escape. That endless cycle made life seem even more meaningless to me. But I also knew that death was not a solution, because after death one is still reborn. So I had no choice but to live—but to live in a way that had meaning.

After much reflection, I concluded that a meaningful life must be a happy life. But what is happiness? I did not yet understand the deeper teachings, so I simply assumed that happiness meant eating one's fill, dressing warmly, having a beautiful house, a fine car, and every comfort one could wish for. I thought that if I could bring those things to others, my life would have value. I brought this thought to share with one of my teachers.

My teacher sat quietly, his kind eyes resting on me for a long moment, and then he said:

"You will never be able to fill up the greed of human beings."

Those words struck me like a hammer splitting my head open. I froze, feeling as though a beam of light had pierced through the fog in my mind. Suddenly I understood that for all those years, I had been chasing an illusion. Every person carries greed within, and for some, that greed is bottomless. Even if you gave them the whole earth, they would still ask for the moon. Such greed never has a stopping point.

I remembered the promises I had made to myself when I was young. Back then, I often said: "If only I could build a house, I would die content." But once I had a house, my eyes wandered to the neighbor's home, and seeing their new car, I longed for one too. Once I had a car, I noticed others had bigger houses and finer cars. And so it went on, one desire after another, never ceasing. I realized I had been like this myself, and that so many people were the same. It was precisely this bottomless greed that pushed people into suffering (dukkha).

From that point on, my way of seeing changed. I no longer thought about becoming rich to satisfy my own greed or anyone else's. I understood that true happiness does not lie in material things, but in the peace of the heart. I began learning to live simply, to be content with what I had, and to find joy in ordinary things. I spent my time studying the Dharma, chanting sutras, sitting in meditation, and helping those around me. My heart gradually grew lighter, no longer tormented by material desires.

Many years have passed, and I still remember my teacher's words: "You will never be able to fill up the greed of human beings." Those words awakened me, freeing me from futile pursuits so that I could live a more meaningful and more peaceful life.

## The Meaning of the Story

This story reminds us that human greed is bottomless and can never be satisfied by material things. Chasing after greed only leads us to suffering (dukkha). True happiness does not lie in having great wealth, houses, or cars, but in knowing contentment, in a peaceful spiritual life, and in loving and sharing with others.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang