The seeker's bargain with God

There was once a seeker who was praying to God for years and years. In the beginning he was sincere, but he could not maintain his sincerity and purity. So after a while he started praying to God only for money, money and more money. Finally God came to him.

The seeker said, “God, why have You taken such a long time to come to me? Could You not have come earlier to make me rich? I have been praying and meditating for twelve long years!

God said to him, “You say that you have been praying for material wealth for twelve years. But in My Vision your twelve years is no more than one minute.”

The seeker said, “O God, You are really cruel! But since You have come, are You going to make me rich?”

God said, “Definitely! What do you want?”

The seeker said, “You know that on earth we have rupees. Do You have rupees in Heaven also?”

“Yes,” answered God.

The seeker said, “With an earthly rupee I know how much I can buy. Will You tell me how much I can buy with a Heavenly rupee?”

God said, “With an earthly rupee you can buy only one tiny little thing, but with a Heavenly rupee you can get hundreds of things.”

The seeker said, “God, You say that my twelve years of prayer are equal to only one minute in Your Vision. Therefore, if I pray to You for one minute, will You not give me Heavenly wealth for twelve years? True, for twelve years I prayed for earthly wealth, but now I am changing my mind. Can You not change the reward? Can You not give me a Heavenly rupee instead of earthly rupees? If You give me just one Heavenly rupee, will it not last for twelve years?”

God said, “Certainly it will last for at least twelve years. If I give you one Heavenly rupee, you will be able to buy whatever you want for twelve years.”

The seeker said, “Can You not give me the Heavenly rupee now?”

God said, “Just wait a minute. I am going to Heaven to get it. Since you will be able to use it for twelve years, can you not wait one minute?” The seeker said, “O God, have You taken down my address?”

God said, “Don’t worry! I never make a mistake. I will come back to your house. Even if I am a little delayed, don’t worry. I will definitely come back to give the rupee to your children or grandchildren.”

God left, but He did not come back.

Here the seeker was arguing with God and trying to deceive God. Perhaps the seeker could have got earthly, material wealth since he had prayed so long for it. But he started bargaining with God. He tried to trick God into giving him Heavenly wealth. He felt that since he was definitely going to get earthly wealth, he could trick God into giving him the equivalent in Heavenly wealth instead. But if one tries to trick God, God will trick him first.