It is natural for children to have many questions when they first learn of the term "inheritance". When we were children and we came across this word at school, we asked our teacher what it meant. As is typical of modern day education her explanation was very shallow. She explained about property, wills etc. Some kids were happy but some whose parents had acquired little material wealth or had brothers and sisters were disappointed. After returning home, that day, I asked my grandfather what I would inherit from him. I wanted to know if he had already prepared a will.
My grandfather explained that we inherit many things and not just material wealth from our ancestors. We inherit wisdom acquired over many generations, we inherit volitions, habits, traditions, human values, skills etc. Let us say that a father who has two daughters owns a library. One of them studies the books in this library and goes on to use the wisdom acquired to achieve great success, the other inherits this library and sells the books at "discounted rates". A potter has two sons. One inherits the skill of pottery, the other inherits the pots that the potter had produced. When we inherit material wealth, it appears more at the beginning but over a period of time, thanks to desires and impermanence, we will end up with nothing.
If you don't let go of your material wealth, death will take it away from you. In the long run everyone loses all their money irrespective of what their approach to investment was. The only Warren Buffet signal we need to know is that Warren Buffet will lose all his wealth irrespective of which stocks he invests in.
After the Prince of Kapilavastu, Siddhartha Gautama became a Buddha and started his "Order of Enlightenment", he returned to his family in Kapilavastu. A palace attendant saw that Buddha had arrived and informed his wife, Yashodhara and Queen Gautami. Prince Rahula holding his mother, Yashodhara's hand watched his grandfather greet his father. Then mother Yashodhara told son Rahula, "Run down and greet your father. He has a very special inheritance to pass on to you. Ask him about it." Excited that he was going to get something very special, Rahula ran down to his father, hugged him and asked him about the special inheritance.
In Samsara, there is suffering. This is the first noble truth. There is the suffering of death and separation. If we meet, we must part. There is the suffering of having what we don't want, like sickness and old age. There is the suffering of not having what we want, like we may want a ship or a private jet or a limousine but not have the means to acquire these. Buddha is one who is free from these sufferings. Having attained Buddhahood, Siddhartha Gautama, taught others the path to get there. Some benefited greatly, some sold the books at "discounted rates". Some became enlightened, some inherited temples and monasteries and titles (of their respective lineages).
Over a period of time, there emerged many texts, schools, lineages etc. So to make it even simpler for us, our ancestors prepared condensed versions of the texts. Ancestor Vasubandhu put the entire roadmap to the path of practice that leads to Buddhahood in just fifty verses (two hundred lines). This is one of our most precious inheritances and over the course of the next fifty days we will read, discuss and meditate upon these fifty verses as taught by our Guru-Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh.
We should approach such inheritances with great excitement. Like a child about to set off on an adventurous journey. We must look upon our life as the practical side of our practice. We should live the teachings every moment. Our Guru-Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh, had to study many texts over a period of many years to make sure that he has correctly understood everything so he could help us. He has had to go through so many difficulties, including having to experience war and mass destruction, so we can benefit. He has meditated for countless hours so we can be free from sufferings. We must make the most of this opportunity.
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