Overview
Worldly wealth—gold, silver, property—can be stolen by thieves, confiscated by kings, destroyed by fire, or lost in a flood. Furthermore, it is entirely abandoned at death. The Buddha taught his disciples to accumulate a different kind of wealth: the Seven Noble Treasures (Ariyadhana), which follow the being to the next life and lead to Nibbāna.
The List
- Saddhādhana - The Treasure of Faith: Deep, unshakeable confidence in the enlightenment of the Buddha.
- Sīladhana - The Treasure of Virtue: Strict adherence to the moral precepts (not killing, stealing, etc.).
- Hiridhana - The Treasure of Moral Shame: An internal sense of dignity that recoils from unwholesome actions.
- Ottappadhana - The Treasure of Moral Dread: A healthy fear of the kammic consequences of doing evil.
- Sutadhana - The Treasure of Learning: Deep knowledge and memorization of the Dhamma.
- Cāgadhana - The Treasure of Generosity: A heart free from stinginess, delighting in giving and sharing.
- Paññādhana - The Treasure of Wisdom: The penetrative insight into the arising and passing away of all conditioned things.
Textual References
- Canonical: Dhana Sutta (AN 7.6) – The Buddha explicitly states that whoever possesses these seven treasures, whether man or woman, is not poor, and their life is not lived in vain.