Money may have something to do with certain negative mental states, but money is no solution to those mental problems. Although medication is effective to a certain degree in alleviating the symptoms, its side effect should not be underestimated. Then, the safest and the most effective way to overcome difficulties of the mind is spiritual practice.

~Depicted from THE HANDBOOK'S FOR LIFE JOURNEY - On The Three Poisons-How to Handle Desire

Some people believe Buddhism opposes all forms of material enjoyment, enforces complete control over desire, and promotes ascetic practice. Actually, this is a misunderstanding. The Buddha said followers have the right to enjoy, not reject, what they are entitled to -- wealth which is properly acquired or blessings accumulated during a past life from virtuous activity. The Buddha did not deny, to a certain extent, material goods can bring happiness. However, he made it clear not all happiness comes from material goods. He also said the happiness derived from material things is very short-lived and unreliable.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - The Tibetan Buddhist View on Happiness

some people believe that wearing designer clothes, driving an expensive car and living in a luxurious mansion symbolize their high social standing. However, this is in fact what the Buddha meant by self-indulgence because these objects are not necessities. People can never be fully satisfied with their lives if they do not know how to control their desires, as desires can grow and expand endlessly. No matter who you are, there will always be someone who is better than you. If your aim is to get to the top social stratum, your whole life will be spent in the pursuit of such vanity until the end. The consequence of chasing endless desires is never to be happy. Many such cases can be found in our daily life either from our own experience or that of other people. It is therefore important to be content with fewer desires in life.

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - A Buddhist’s Mode of Life

The Buddha’s primary goal of teaching was to communicate precisely the doctrine of the Three Dharma Seals to the listeners. Failing this, the teaching would have been pointless. What made the Three Dharma Seals so important?  The answer is in the sutras.  A disciple once asked the Buddha, “How can the real teachings be distinguished if the non-Buddhists try to deceive with their false version after you, The Blessed One, pass into nirvana?” The Buddha answered, “Any teaching, as long as it espouses the principles of the Three Dharma Seals, can be considered Buddhist teaching; otherwise, it is not Buddhist teaching.” The fact that the Buddha always emphasized the key points in his transmissions should explain why so much importance has been attached to the Three Dharma Seals.

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - Buddhism—the Definition

Some people think Vajrayana Buddhism is very mysterious. This is because they lack an understanding of the Vajrayana system of thought and practice. In fact, it is not at all mysterious; it is just that the methods are very special, very fast, and relatively easy to practice. To comply with the teachings, a Vajrayana practitioner should progress along the path from aspiration to attainment of buddhahood in stages. 

Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA PATH - Entering the Vajrayana Path

Unlike greed and anger which are quite noticeable, ignorance is a latent defilement. When we are angry or being greedy, it is obvious to not only ourselves but also others because our behavior is different, whereas ignorance is hidden deep down and not easily detected. None of the wise and knowledgeable people in the world including scientists, philosophers and psychologists has yet to discover ultimate ignorance. Although various fields of study have helped us clear some delusions and revealed to us many truths about life and the world, ignorance, a defilement entrenched at the deepest level, has never been explored by either science, philosophy or religions. Moreover, as the methods provided by these disciplines are not counteractive to ignorance, they are unable to refute and end ignorance.

~Depicted from THE HANDBOOK FOR LIFE'S JOURNEY - On The Three Poisons-How to Refute Ignorance

In Pure Land, the most important sutra is The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra. This is a scripture that is translated into both Chinese and Tibetan from the same Sanskrit edition. The sutra states: “To take rebirth in Western Pure Land, one must stay clear of two kinds of transgression and possess four conditions.”

The two kinds of transgression are the five actions of immediate consequence and repudiation of the Dharma. Amitabha Buddha also said all sentient beings in the Saha world with absolute faith in him can be born in Western Pure Land, unless they have committed the five actions of immediate consequence and repudiated the Dharma. All other transgressions like taking life, stealing, etc., even actions that are more serious, can be purified through devotion and recitation of the buddha’s name. Only these two transgressions cannot be eradicated, so we must distant ourselves from them.

The four necessary conditions are to visualize Amitabha Buddha and Western Pure Land, accumulate vast merit, develop bodhicitta, and dedicate the aspiration of taking rebirth in Western Pure Land. All sentient beings who possess these conditions and recite the buddha’s name with total concentration can be born in Western Pure Land.

~Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA PATH - Sutra and Tantra: Similarities and Differences

There are others who are pretty secured financially but mistakenly assume that easy life cannot lead one to liberation, only enduring hardship will. The Buddha disagreed with this. In his opinion, liberation would still not be attained even if one were to refuse to eat, drink, or bath in one’s whole lifetime.

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - A Buddhist’s Mode of Life

As we all prefer to think of ourselves as dharma practitioners, perhaps we should just check how we have done so far with our own practice. Mahayana Buddhism has named five paths and ten bhumis (grounds). Where do we stand now?

Among the five paths, the paths of joining and of accumulation are practices for ordinary people. Even so, the two paths can gather significant merit already. The path of accumulation has three levels: superior, average and inferior. Not to mention the average and the inferior levels, even those practicing at the superior level may descend to the animal realm. It is because at this stage they are still susceptible to breaking the bodhisattva vows and the root precepts of Vajrayana. And when they do, they will definitely reincarnate in the three lower realms as karma never fails. If meat eaters were to end up in the hungry ghost or animal realm, they would most certainly be carnivores.

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - Why Vegetarian?