Not Enough to Get By? What Nichiren Daishonin Wrote About Worth That Money Can't Measure

When the month is longer than the money

By the twentieth of the month, the salary is gone. You know the price of everything in the grocery store by heart. You say "next month" to your children more often than you'd like. A small, unexpected bill, like a doctor's visit or a broken phone, can upset the whole month.

Sometimes it feels like everyone around you is moving forward while you are just trying to stay afloat. And at meetings, when others share stories of breakthroughs, a quiet thought creeps in: Is something wrong with me?

The Daishonin called himself "the son of a humble family, born along the shore" (WND-1, 169), and spent his later years in great privation on Mount Minobu. Many of his most sincere followers had very little. What he wrote to them is worth hearing.

What does the Gosho say about not having enough money?

Nichiren Daishonin taught that "the Buddha, being truly worthy of respect, never judges by the size of one's offerings" (WND-1, 1089), praising a poor woman whose small, sincere gift outshone a ruler's riches. He also wrote that "whether one has wealth or not, no treasure exceeds the one called life" (WND-1, 1125). Your worth is not measured by your income.

The lamp no wind could put out

A woman named Onichi-nyo sent the Daishonin a few hundred coins. It was not a large offering, but it was sincere. He wrote back:

> "The Buddha, being truly worthy of respect, never judges by the size of one's offerings. In the past, the boy Virtue Victorious offered a mud pie to the Buddha, and was reborn as King Ashoka and ruled over all of Jambudvipa. A poor woman cut off her hair and sold it to buy oil [for the Buddha], and not even the winds sweeping down from Mount Sumeru could extinguish the flame of the lamp fed by this oil." > — Reply to Onichi-nyo, WND-1, 1089

A mud pie. A lamp bought with a woman's own hair. In the Daishonin's eyes, these outshone the riches of kings.

When you have little, it is easy to feel small. This passage turns that around. What you do with sincerity, however modest, carries a weight no amount of money can buy.

No treasure exceeds life

In another letter, written to thank a believer for a sack of rice, the Daishonin wrote:

> "In accordance with their status, some have wives and children, relatives, fiefs, and gold and silver, while others have no treasure. Whether one has wealth or not, no treasure exceeds the one called life." > — The Gift of Rice, WND-1, 1125

This is not a promise that money doesn't matter. Rent matters. School fees matter. But it is a reminder of what you already have, even on the hardest month: your life, your ability to chant, to work, to grow. That treasure is the foundation from which everything else is built.

One small step for tonight

Write down three things you have that money did not buy: a skill, a relationship, a quality you are proud of. Read them before you chant.

Then chant with a clear, specific prayer: not just "more money," but for the particular change that would make the biggest difference, such as a better-paying role, a new skill or a way to reduce one cost. Then take one action toward it this week.

If you are struggling to afford food, rent or medicine, please reach out: to a trusted member, to family, or to local welfare and support services. Asking for help is not a failure of faith.

From a one-room house to a home of their own

Arjun grew up in a single room with his parents and three siblings, in a neighbourhood where even renting was hard for a family of six. He began supporting the family as a salesman while studying for his degree. When he started chanting sincerely, he was so unsure of himself that he barely spoke at meetings. Then a relative unexpectedly handed him the running of his business. With growing confidence, Arjun's earnings rose steadily. He prayed for his district and visited struggling members whenever he felt low. In time, his brother found a well-paid job, the family sold some land at a good price, and they found a proper house of their own.

His story, and others like it, are below.

Frequently asked questions

Does Nichiren Buddhism say poverty is my karma?

Buddhism teaches that we can transform any circumstance, but never that a person's worth is measured by money. The Daishonin taught that the Buddha "never judges by the size of one's offerings" (WND-1, 1089).

What should I chant for when money is always short?

Chant specifically: for a clear next step, the right opportunity, and the wisdom to use what you have well. Then act on what you chant for. Vague prayers tend to produce vague results.

Is it okay to give small offerings when I don't have much?

Yes. The Daishonin praised a poor woman who sold her own hair to buy lamp oil, and a boy who offered a mud pie, above the riches of kings (WND-1, 1089). Sincerity matters, not size.

How do I stop comparing myself to members who seem better off?

Remember that "no treasure exceeds the one called life" (WND-1, 1125). Everyone's circumstances are different, and everyone is somewhere on their own road. Focus on the next step on yours.

Which Gosho should I read when I'm struggling financially?

Reply to Onichi-nyo (WND-1, 1089–1090) and The Gift of Rice (WND-1, 1125–1127).

Sources

All passages are from The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume I (WND-1):

- Reply to Onichi-nyo, p. 1089 - The Gift of Rice, p. 1125