At Peace With Myself

The air in the private room was thick with the smell of hard liquor and whispered schemes. Pale yellow light fell across the oak table, where two crystal glasses sat half empty. On one side sat the famous journalist, dapper in an expensive suit, a diamond ring glittering on his finger in the dim glow. On the other sat the intelligence colonel, a soldier faithful to his country, sitting with a straight back, though his eyes still carried a trace of weariness from long nights on duty.

The journalist, who had long been a close friend, poured more liquor into the colonel's glass and gave a faint smirk, his voice carrying a mix of pity and mockery:

"My friend, just look at yourself. You are a colonel with real power in your hands, and yet your life is... so bare. What do you have? A tiny apartment, not even a luxury car to drive, clothes that barely cover your back. Meanwhile, thanks to being more 'flexible,' thanks to my wide connections, I have it all. Money in abundance, a grand house. Why do you keep binding yourself to that rigid ideal? It is time for letting go—join our side, or at least stop resisting. The rewards are right in front of you."

Those words were like sharp arrows, aimed straight at the greed and the comparing of gains and losses that always lie hidden in human nature. They painted a picture of a dazzling life of indulgence, where money could buy everything, even safety and fame. The journalist waited, confident that the gap between "poverty" and "wealth" would shake the resolve of his old friend. Who, he thought, would not want to escape hardship? Who would not want to taste the sweetness of luxury?

The colonel was silent for a long moment. He looked into the bottom of his glass and saw the reflection of his own face—no makeup, no jewels, yet his eyes still shone with a steadfast faith. Then he lifted his head, looked his friend straight in the eye, and spoke in a warm, low voice, firm and without a trace of hesitation or excuse:

"You are right—in material things, I am far behind you. I have no luxury car, no mansion. But you know, every night when I lay my head on the pillow, I sleep deeply. I do not startle awake in fear of prosecution, or lie anxious under the weight of dark secrets. When I look in the mirror, I see an honest person. I have kept millions of innocent people safe. And most important of all..."

He paused, took a deep breath, and smiled gently:

"I am at peace with myself. That is the greatest treasure your money can never buy."

That answer was like a bucket of cold water thrown on the flame of greed burning in the journalist's eyes. The colonel's steadfastness did not come from ignorance or from any lack of ability to make money. It came from a firm moral standing. He understood that true happiness does not lie in things outside ourselves, but in the tranquility of a clear conscience. When a person holds firm to right view, unmoved by temptations of selfish indulgence, they attain a state of peace that the material world cannot touch.

The Meaning of the Story

The lesson of this story emphasizes the importance of steadfastly upholding right view and a firm moral standing. In life, we constantly face temptations of material gain and personal pleasure, as well as persuasive words meant to shake our good beliefs. Like the colonel, if we know how to be "at peace with ourselves" by living with care for others, staying loyal to noble ideals, and holding firm to our ethics, we will find a happiness more lasting than any superficial success. This steadfastness helps us rise above selfishness, nurtures a loving heart, and builds a solid spiritual foundation for facing every turn of life.

Compiled from a dharma talk by the Venerable Thích Chân Quang