Manifestations of Cashing Out Blessings

Question: If a person earns a lot of money in their lifetime but keeps it all in the bank without spending a single penny until death, has this person cashed out their blessings or not, having earned so much yet never enjoying it?

Answer: If a person's blessings have not manifested from the Tathagatagarbha, they will not manifest in any form within worldly life. Being respected, admired, revered, having high recognition, great authority, good appearance, physical health, smooth circumstances, mental well-being, family harmony, filial children, and so on—all these are manifestations of enjoying blessings.

A person earning a lot of money in their lifetime is itself a blessing, flowing forth from the Tathagatagarbha. Not spending the money does not mean there is no money; the mere possession of money signifies the manifestation of blessings. It means the karmic seeds of blessings have flowed out from the Tathagatagarbha in the form of money. Although this person did not spend the money to enjoy material pleasures, the money itself provided psychological comfort, peace of mind, a sense of security and reliance, feelings of happiness, wealth, pride, and superiority—all these sensations are the result of enjoying blessings. Otherwise, one would be perpetually anxious, fearful, feeling life is unsettled and insecure, feeling inferior—this is a sign of lacking blessings.

Although this person did not spend the money in their lifetime, keeping it in the bank allowed their family and relatives to benefit from it. This too is a manifestation of blessings. If they owed their family, this repaid the debt, which is likewise an expression of enjoying blessings. If even the family did not benefit, then the bank profited. They either repaid a debt owed to the bank from a past life, thus clearing the debt; or they made an offering to the bank, benefiting it, and will receive blessings a thousand or ten thousandfold in future lives.

When a person manifests blessings, they can then make offerings, using blessings to generate more blessings. This is the greatest business in the world, the most profitable investment. Whoever receives the investment becomes indebted and will repay it a thousand or ten thousandfold later—akin to usury. Yet some people prefer to incur such usurious debt for immediate gain.