Health is the greatest gain.
Contentment is the greatest wealth.
Trustworthiness is the best of kin.
Unconditional freedom is the highest bliss.
Dhammapada verse 204
Understandably the Buddha holds up perfect liberation as the ultimate state of ease. He also identifies other sources of well-being. Being healthy in body and mind is a blessing. So too is living with a sense of contentment, not being driven by habits of criticising and complaining. And trustworthiness: to be worthy of truth is to feel like you have the very best possible companion. Trust grows to the degree we are honest. Trust diminishes to the degree we are dishonest, with ourselves or others. And the increase or decrease can be incremental. Every small moment of willingness to be true matters. It will have a wholesome result.
With Metta,
Ajahn Munindo
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