Wise Old Sage

Follow the Wise Old Sage on his journey to Hanyang

How Can I Stop Being Poor? Scroll

One day a farmer was in the field trying to clear his land so he could plant a new crop. As he looked toward the road in the distance he saw a tall figure on the road to Hanyang. As the figure came closer he saw that it was the great Wise Old Sage who was renowned for his wisdom for living everyday life.

He ran across the field and beckoned the Sage to please stop because he had an important question to ask which had puzzled him for years.

When the Sage stopped the farmer did a deep bow to show his respect to the Sage and the Sage bowed in return. The farmer said to the Sage “O great Sage I start work before the sun comes up and I don’t quit until after the sun goes down. I have always been very poor and unable to save one mum (coin). Will you please tell me how to accumulate wealth for my hard work?”

As the Sage looked at the withered old farmer he thought what should I tell this poor farmer who has worked hard all his life eking out a subsistence living off this poor land. The Sage asked “when you sell your grain in the town market what do you do with the mum you receive? The farmer answered “I pay the seed merchant, fertilizer merchant, shoe maker, clothes maker, buy sweet bread I like, visit the kisaeng house and see the fortune teller to know my future.

The Sage asked “when do you pay yourself? The farmer looked puzzled and said what do you mean pay myself? Everything I receive from selling my grain is my pay. The Sage answer NO you pay the seed merchant, fertilizer merchant, shoe maker, ate sweet bread, entertained yourself at the kisaeng house and visited the fortune teller but didn’t pay yourself. The farmer said I don’t understand what you mean would you please explain so I will understand.

The Sage said the enemy of all poor people is the accumulation of debt which keeps everyone in financial bondage as well as it limits their ability to accumulate the wealth that you seek. Listen closely if you want to change your financial circumstances. As the buyer counts out the coins to pay you for the grain that you sold them set aside the first coin (10%) out of every 10 because they will become your friend. The remaining nine are to be used to pay everyone else. The first coins (friends) that you set aside cannot be spent but are used to work for you. When you have save 100 coins then it is time to put the coins to work for you.

In the market place there are merchants who want to increase their sales but need money to purchase raw materials to make their goods. They will be willing to pay for the use of your coins.

Seek out successful merchants who need to put your 100 friends to work and are willing to pay you rent of their use. Once you receive repayment of your 100 coins plus rent then add them to together and put them to work again. The gain you receive in rent is never to be spent but always is to be put to work in the accumulation of your wealth.

The farmer finally understood what the Sage was telling him as he had a great desire to follow the wise council the Sage had shared with him. He was tired of struggling with poverty as he saw others gain wealth. He bowed again and thanked the Wise Old Sage.

Several years later when the Wise Old Sage passed through the town where the farmer lived he was told that the farmer was no longer a farmer but had become a money lender and was the wealthiest person in town.

The Wise Old Sage says: To create wealth always pay yourself 10% first then become a lender and not a borrower”