Why might wanting great wealth before donating be a financial test?

It can be a test. A test involving money concerns whether you are being led by it, not merely whether you currently have it. If you say you will support the spiritual centre after earning money but keep thinking about making one more profit and repeatedly postponing your practice, that way of thinking deserves careful examination.

On the programme, we discussed someone who wanted divine guidance on investments so that they could donate more after making money. When reminded that they could begin with small donations or offer their effort, the person still wanted to donate a million all at once. Such an intention sounds very reasonable, but if there are already things they can do now, why must they wait until they have that large sum before being willing to begin?

Even without much money, you can fold lotus offerings, clean or give a small amount you can afford. If it is always ‘I will earn this money first and then return to practice,’ followed by another opportunity to make money, the time for practice gradually disappears. What matters is whether you are actually moving in the direction you originally wanted to follow.

However, working to support yourself also involves real circumstances. YOYO shared that, when she first moved north, her income often only just covered rent and living expenses. At the same time, she wanted to do well at work and achieve something. Spending more time working meant less time for classes at the centre. Looking back, YOYO said she did not really seem to regret it and was now catching up with her earlier learning. These were the trade-offs she recognised. We cannot merge that account with wanting to earn a fortune first and donate a million as though they were the same situation.

So discussing a test involving money means looking back at what matters to us and what we cannot let go of. If we want to help people, consider what we can do now. If we want to practise, reserve time to actually do the work. Money is an external resource we can use. Do not let an appealing explanation become an excuse for continually following desire.