We have all heard it since childhood that money cannot buy happiness. Yet most of us spend most parts of our lives chasing it anyway, convincing ourselves that the next raise, the bigger house, or the newer phone will finally make us feel complete. And honestly, for a little while, it does.But what happens when the feeling fades?We are right back where we started, wanting a little more. It is one of the oldest puzzles of human life, that if money matters so little to our joy, why does the lack of it cause so much misery, and why does having it never feel actually enough?Spiritual guide, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has a simple answer to this riddle.
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Quote of the day
Money cannot buy you happiness. It’s knowledge or wisdom that brings you happiness.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What does the quote mean?
Gurudev’s wise words draw a line between two kinds of wealth. One is material – where money, possessions and status have a role to play.The other is inner, meaning what we understand about ourselves and the world around us. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s point is that lasting happiness grows from the second kind, not the first.Money can buy comfort, security, and pleasure, but these tend to be temporary. The thrill of a new purchase fades after a certain span of time, which psychologists call the “hedonic treadmill.”According to this pattern, we adapt to each gain, and soon want more, but knowledge and wisdom work differently.Knowledge helps us understand life better, and wisdom helps us live it well, as a wise person can remain stable in hard times and find meaning in ordinary moments.The quote does not tell us that money is unimportant or that being poor is somehow noble. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has himself spoken about honouring wealth rather than rejecting it. The real message is about priority, that it is better to take money as a tool, not the destination.
How is it relevant today?
We live in an age that quietly measures a person’s worth by their income, job title, or their stature in society. But that is exactly where wisdom comes in. Money can solve the problems money creates. It cannot answer the harder questions, like how to handle loss, how to stay calm under pressure, and how to find purpose. Those answers come from understanding and inner growth.