One man - very rich, the richest in his country - became disturbed, became frustrated. He felt that life was meaningless. He had everything that could be purchased, but all that could be purchased proved meaningless. Only something that could not be purchased could have real meaning. He had everything he could purchase; he could have purchased the whole world. But what to do now? He was frustrated and deep discontent was within, so he gathered all his valuables, ornaments, gold, jewels, everything, into a big bag, and he started on a travel just to find a man who could give him something valuable, a glimpse of happiness. Then he would present his whole life's earnings to him. He went from one teacher to another, travelled and travelled, but no one was able to give him even a glimpse. And he was ready to give everything - his whole kingdom.

Then he reached a village and asked for Mulla Nasruddin (he was a fakir living there). A village man told him. " Mulla Nasruddin is sitting outside the town, meditating under a tree. You go there, and if he cannot give you a glimpse of happiness then forget it. You can go to all the corners of the world, but you will never get it. If this man cannot give you a glimpse, then there is no possibility."

The man was very excited. He came to Nasruddin who was sitting under a tree. The sun was setting. The man said, "I have come for this purpose. My whole life's earnings are here in this bag, and I will give them to you if you can give me a glimpse of happiness." Mulla Nasruddin listened. The evening was descending; it was becoming dark. Without answering him, Mulla Nasruddin snatched the bag from the rich man and ran away. Of course, the rich man followed him crying, weeping and screaming. The village streets were known to Mulla Nasruddin. They were not known to the rich man as he was a stranger, so he couldn't find him. From all over the village, people from the whole village started following them. Nasruddin was just running round. The man was mad. He was crying, "I have been robbed of all my life's riches. I am a poor man! I have become a beggar!" He was weeping - weeping like anything.

Then Nasruddin reached the same tree, and he put the bag before the tree and went behind the tree to hide there. The man came there. He fell on the bag and started weeping in happiness. Nasruddin looked from behind the tree and said, " you are happy as anyone can be on this earth.

" What happened? To have a peak, a valley is needed. To feel happiness, unhappiness is needed. To know the Divine, the world is needed. The world is just a valley. The man was the same, the bag was the same. Nothing new had happened, but now he said that he was happy - as happy as anyone can be on this earth - and just a few minutes before he was miserable. Nothing had changed.