"My wish is to bring everyone happiness. If those who receive my help go to heaven, I won't mind if I am the one who goes to hell." The old man's sincerity moved the heavenly being and all at once the scene of hell disappeared.

There was a rich old man who was very kind in nature. Rather than enjoying his fortune alone, he preferred to help other people live comfortably, and he devoted himself to relieving those in suffering and pain.

Those who received the old man's help felt sincerely grateful to him, and his kindness and charity became well-known throughout the land and even in neighboring countries. In fact, his good reputation ascended right to the heavens.

When one heavenly being learned of the old man's charitable deeds, he became jealous. "I was once so famous for my willingness to help and give to others that God brought me here to heaven after I died. This old man has done even more than I did. Is he going to have more blessings than me?"

The heavenly being was so jealous that he decided to prevent the old man from continuing to cultivate goodness. He transformed himself into a common person and appeared before the old man. "Don't you feel sorry that you gave away all your precious belongings to the poor? You should keep the fortune you worked so hard to earn for your offspring. Otherwise, you'll end up with nothing for yourself."

The old man smiled. "God creates us all to help and support one another. It would be better if I share my fortune with others rather than keep it only for my family."

The heavenly being then tried to trick him. "As far as I know, one who devotes himself to doing charity is doomed to go to hell."

Puzzled, the old man wondered why people who did good deeds instead of bad deeds would fall into hell. The heavenly being then showed the old man a scene from hell. "See? These people are suffering in hell because they used to do many good deeds when they were alive. If you don't believe me, you can ask them yourself."

The old man walked up to one of the people suffering in hell and asked him, "Why are you here?" The man was actually in cahoots with the heavenly being, and he answered, "It's just as the heavenly being told you--I used to give away my possessions to help others and now I'm here."

"Where are the people you helped?" the elder asked.

"They're in heaven," the man answered.

The old man then cheerfully said, "My wish is to bring everyone happiness. If those who receive my help go to heaven, I won't mind if I am the one who goes to hell."

The elder said this with such great sincerity that the heavenly being was touched and became ashamed. The scene of hell disappeared.

The heavenly being transformed himself back into his real appearance and said to the old man, "What I told you was a lie. Out of jealousy, I wanted to trick you out of your commitment to helping others. Actually, those who do good deeds are truly blessed by God. Since you are willing to sacrifice your own happiness to save other people from suffering, you will not only be blessed by God, but you will even ascend to the state of a sublime bodhisattva."

The journey to becoming a bodhisattva is a long one. During the journey people may respect and appreciate you, but at other times they may reject you and put you down. You must continue to face all difficulties with wisdom and persistence; otherwise, you will easily lose your commitment and stray from the road of spiritual cultivation.

Hold on to the innocent, sincere heart with which you first made your vow. The most important thing in spiritual cultivation is keeping yourself from being troubled by worldly matters and people. True cultivation lies in maintaining one's true, undefiled nature. Do not feel proud when people praise you or shrink back when others criticize you.