It is said that, once we have suffered enough, we will want to renounce the world and be ordained. A rich man will not want to change his life style, as he is enjoying life now. And he will never think of cultivation. On the other hand, a man who has had a hard time will value spiritual cultivation. This is the first virtue of hardship.

If we have experienced distress before, we would not be very arrogant. A rich man can use his wealth to get things done. He can speak loudly through his nose. Therefore he does not have to be humble . On the other hand, a poor fellow has to be humble, as he does not have any money. This is the second virtue of hardship.

Those who are wealthy can use their money to dine and wine, and indulge in dissipation. A poor soul can ill-afford these luxuries, therefore he does not have the courage to do evil. This is the third virtue of hardship.

Those who have suffered this life know that they must have done a lot of bad deeds in their previous lives, therefore they have the propensity to help others in this life. This is the fourth virtue of hardship.

I have noticed that rich people are quite reluctant to make donations , while the not-so-rich donate more generously towards the purchase of Buddha images. Most of the True Buddha disciples are not well-to-do, but they make great vows, and contribute more than their richer counterparts. They will be blessed in their future lives.

Those who have suffered are more compassionate, as they have personally gone through the hardship themselves. The rich are different; they are enjoying their lives. To them, the poor are destined to be pushed around. Only those who have carried the sedan chairs can tell you how hard that life can be. This is the fifth virtue.

Since the virtues of hardship were mentioned in many Buddhist Sutras, many believers may choose to practise asceticism. You may enjoy yourself, or engage in self-denia,l while you do your spiritual cultivation; True Buddha School believes that all human beings -rich and poor - can be enlightened.

Sakyamuni Buddha himself had experienced both ways of cultivation. He went through a lot of hardship when he practised six years of asceticism in the Snow mountain, as well as carrying out meditation under the Bodhi trees. Later on he lived at Jetavana and Venuvana (bamboo-grove), the most spectacular houses at that era, and he was enjoying during his cultivation. Therefore both ways of cultivation can lead to Buddhahood. It is a matter of our preference.