Poverty
One day a young man came to Tolstoy, the famous social thinker and Laureate of Russia. Asking for some help the young man said, "Sir, I am a very poor man. I have no money or means for my livelihood. My life has become very miserable."
Tolstoy looked at him, was surprised and said, "Young man! What do you speak? You appear to be very rich and lucky. Why do you call yourself poor and unfortunate?"
The young man said, "Sir, why are you mocking at my tragic condition and adding salt to my injury? Please be kind to me."
Tolstoy - "No young man! I am not joking, but telling you the truth. You have wealth of millions' worth on your body."
Young man - "Where is that wealth of millions' worth? I hardly have a few pennies in my pocket."
Tolstoy - "Well, you have two eyes. I have a friend who will buy them for seventy thousand rubles (Russian currency). Tell me, are you willing to part with them?"
Young man - "Oh sir! What are you talking about? If I give you my eyes, I will be fully blind. The whole world will become empty for me. I will not be able to enjoy anything. Therefore, I can't even imagine giving up my eyes."
Tolstoy - Well, if not the eyes, then give both your ears to my friend, and he will give you sixty thousand rubles. Is it acceptable to you?"
Young man - "I cannot part with my ears. If I give up my ears, how will I hear anything?"
Tolstoy - "Then I have a brother, he will be pleased to buy both your hands for eighty thousand rubles. So, you will give your hands to him. Is it right?"
Young man - "Sir! You must be joking! How can I give my hands? Without hands, how will I work and conduct myself? How will I lift the things, even my food and drinks? My two hands alone are the means of existence and subsistence for me. How can I do away with them? Should I make myself a handicap and become worthless forever?"
Tolstoy - "It seems that you are not aware of your other precious possessions. OK, let alone your hands, sell away both your legs. I will buy them myself for ninety thousand rubles. Are you willing?"
Young man - "Sir, if I sell my both legs, I will become totally crippled. I am already a destitute. If I don't have legs, I will become more worthless and totally dependent on others. Therefore, I will definitely not be able to sell my legs."
Tolstoy - "Right, even now you have many valuables, like nose, head etc. and all together, they will be worth millions, yet you seem not willing to sell them. But by now you have understood that you are not really poor. You have limbs worth millions, but due to ignorance and poverty of right thinking you consider yourself to be poor. Tell me from your heart, are you not having millions upon you?"
Young man - "Yes sir, now I realise that I was myself worth millions, but was mis-judging myself to be poor. You have kindly opened my eyes. Tell me, what should I do now, in order to get rid of my apparent poverty?"
Tolstoy said, "Young man you are indeed very fortunate. You have the valuable capital of labour. Take this axe of mine, and earn your fortune by hard work."
The young man paid respects to Tolstoy and went away happily with the axe.
That is how the person suffers from his mental poverty, till he resolves to endeavour for his betterment, through hard work and sincerity.
