The various religions throughout the world have preached poverty. The monk assumes a robe, changes his name, shaves his head, enters a cell and takes a vow of poverty and chastity; in the East he has one loin cloth, one robe, one meal a day - and we all respect such poverty. But those men who have assumed the robe of poverty are still inwardly, psychologically, rich with the things of society because they are still seeking position and prestige; they belong to this order or that order, this religion or that religion; they still live in the divisions of a culture, a tradition.

That is not poverty. Poverty it to it completely free of society, though one may have a few more clothes, a few more meals - good God, who cares? But unfortunately in most people there is this urge for exhibitionism. Poverty becomes a marvelously beautiful thing when the mind is free of society. One must become poor inwardly for then there is no seeking, no asking, no desire, nothing! It is only this inward poverty that can see the truth of a life in which there is no conflict at all."

Freedom From the Known, p.60