The dust of greed is to steal, cheat, deceive, or to take unfair advantage to gain something for oneself. Greediness is also indulging in carnal desires. The avarice of constantly taking what is not one's own is the dust of greed.

To desire more things than what ordinary people have, to desire unreasonably as many things as possible even though others do not permit, to desire undue profit, constantly to want more when one has enough already, to want to indulge in carnal desires--all are the dust of greed. One's use of the mind, which generally makes others remark that he is a man of greed, is the dust of greed. When one bears greed, he is not satisfied with what is average, or with what he has, however much.

It is said that one will come across something that he cannot but complain about if he has a mind of complaint. Likewise, one cannot feel satisfied at all times if he, bearing the mind of greed, is dissatisfied.

With such a mind, one might take more when sharing things with others or demand more commission than the average in business dealings. He might pick up what he has found on the street and keep it. Then he might temper with measurements; indulge in gambling, carnal desires and drinking; and make undue profits, thereby causing many people to suffer.

Oyasama once asked to Denjiro Tomita: "What is your occupation?" "I am a konnyaku seller," answered Denjiro. Then Oyasama said: "You are a konnyaku seller, then you are a merchant, aren't you? A merchant must buy dearly and sell cheaply." She further instructed: "Faith in God is to believe in God just as you do in your own parent who gave you birth. Then your faith will become genuine."

Denjiro did not understand what was meant by "to buy dearly and sell cheaply." It seemed to him that he would suffer losses and could not help but go bankrupt if he ever followed Her words. Therefore he asked one of the seniors at the Residence, who explained as follows. "When one lays in a stock of goods from wholesale dealers, one should buy somewhat more dearly than others to avoid risk of their going bankrupt or having some other trouble; when one sells goods one should sell somewhat cheaper than others, making only a small profit; then, one's wholesale dealers will prosper and one's customers will be happy; one's shop will also prosper, This is the principle of mutual prosperity with no suffering of losses in return." Now Denjiro understood.

(Anecdotes of Oyasama, the Foundress of Tenrikyo, p.88)

(The above is an excerpt from Dust and Innen, first published in September 1982. Quotations from the Ofudesaki and the Kakisage have been replaced by the revised, current translations.)