A Desire to possess

Sometimes people could suffer from a too much greed or excessive desire to possess. I have never noticed about it, before this happening occur to me.
This story is from when I was a president of business club in university. Our members and I were making plan to establish our testing company which was kind of distribution.

At that time, I was energetic and struggled to accomplish our goal and the other members were too. Nevertheless, we could not find someone to invest to our project. So we were frustrated. Then a majority of club numbers broke with our club. Continuously, a few misfortunes came to me like a proverb that misfortunes never come alone. My father’s business had big troubles.

I could not appoint direction of my leadership to that club. I also broke up with my girlfriend

at that time. I really underwent a hard time, so I decided to have own vacation.

So I just left Seoul. When I was approaching to Taegu city, I looked for some temple

because it‘s easy for anyone to get food and shelter in temple. Finally, I found small temple which was composed of five monks. Fortunately I got the chance to talk with the monk, who was called Ji-an about my problems. He said to me “Can you see the full moon? What are you thinking about?” So I responded “Um … It is a beautiful! and bright!” He said to me again “Do you want to get it?” So I said “No I cannot get it. How can I get the moon, who can get it?” He said “Why don’t you try to get it and what’s different between the moon and your stuffs?” “Should not try to possess something, such mind will be hurt you.”

“All nature will be gone, there is no which can exist permanently. Look at your pants and shirt. After a few years, you will not anymore wear these.”

Now I never forget this conversation. Actually I‘m not a Buddhist like my mother, but when I try to get something, I always think about it. Because I don’t want to hurt my mind from desire of possession although I want to be rich.