The Billionaire and the Monk Read online

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2022 by Vibhor K. Singh

  Cover design by Jarrod Taylor. Cover illustration by Patrick Morgan.

  Cover copyright © 2022 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  Hachette Book Group supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact . Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  Balance

  Hachette Book Group

  1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104

  grandcentralpublishing.com

  twitter.com/grandcentralpub

  Originally published in India by Notion Press Publishing

  First U.S. Edition: May 2022

  Balance is an imprint of Grand Central Publishing. The Balance name and logo is a trademark of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  The Hachette Speakers Bureau provides a wide range of authors for speaking events. To find out more, go to www.hachettespeakersbureau.com or call (866) 376-6591.

  LCCN: 2021950104

  ISBNs: 978-1-5387-0941-2 (paper over board), 978-1-5387-0942-9 (ebook)

  E3-20220408-JV-NF-ORI

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Epigraph

  Prologue

  1. The Road to Shangri-La

  2. It Starts with the Mind

  3. Simplicity of Happiness

  4. The don’t Blame Game

  5. Budge the Grudge

  6. Healthy Body, Happy Body

  7. Buying Happiness

  8. Homecoming: The Monk’s Story

  9. Choosing the Path: The Billionaire’s Story

  10. Farewell

  Epilogue

  Knowledge Points

  Letter from the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Discover More

  About the Author

  For my father,

  the late Kunwar Onkar Singh (1950–2013),

  who taught me to maintain a sense of humor even in the most difficult of times.

  Life has been beautiful because of this teaching.

  Explore book giveaways, sneak peeks, deals, and more.

  Tap here to learn more.

  “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.

  The second-best time is now.”

  —ANCIENT CHINESE PROVERB

  PROLOGUE

  “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

  —ALBERT SCHWEITZER

  Sitting in the presidential suite facing Central Park in New York, the Billionaire was preparing for the interview. He was among the 2,153 people in the world called Dollar Billionaires, a sincere acknowledgment of human achievement and perseverance. He had not inherited the title, and that had made him more special in the eyes of the world. In a single lifetime, he had achieved wealth that some countries took generations to accumulate. He was proud of his achievements.

  The interview was along expected lines. The public relations agency he had hired was the best in the world, and it had left no stone unturned to project him as a humble yet ambitious man—an ordinary man with big dreams. Some called him the Deal Bull. Blessed with a sharp mind that effortlessly understood the stock market and persevering entrepreneurial deal-making acumen, he had pioneered a business style that was unmatched and unbeatable.

  However, the last question by the interview host had unsettled him. Though he had answered the question confidently, in his signature style, something had pricked him within. The question was not part of the script that had been handed to him earlier. Probably, the question was considered a mere formality or an insignificant last comment. However, for him, this last question had made every other aspect of the evening, in fact his entire life, irrelevant.

  “Are you happy?” the girl had asked.

  As the day drew to an end, the Monk settled in his dining seat, lost in thought as he stared at the steam from his momo soup bowl rise, dance in curls, and vanish into the air. Non-permanency is also the nature of human existence. We are born of the Supreme Soul and have only some time to make our presence felt in the world before we vanish again into the Supreme Soul.

  Even though it had been 30 years since he had walked out of the monastic order and surrendered his monkhood, he was a highly respected and knowledgeable man. People still honored him with the title of Monk.

  After dinner, the Monk felt the urge to go and meet his guruji—the Chief Lama—to clear his mind. Something was troubling him. It was a bright moonlit night, and the golden roof of the monastery was reflecting silver. It only proved to him that perspective was more important than substance. A gentle breeze brought with it the chill of the mountains. As he walked alone through the stone-cobbled streets of the sleepy old town, he imagined that it was probably on a night like this a prince had left behind all his material possessions, earthly relations, and a magnificent palace to walk the path of knowledge. The prince never returned; instead, the Great Buddha was born.

  It was probably a sin to compare himself with the Buddha, but his heart had been agitated for the past few weeks and he was unable to control his emotions of late. The Chief Lama had once explained that all journeys of self-discovery and inner peace start by asking the right questions. Today was probably that day in his life where more than answers he needed the right question.

  As he turned into the street opposite the Chief Lama’s house, he came face to face with graffiti on the wall. He read it and froze. Was it his heart that was playing a trick, or was it divine intervention? The Monk turned back and returned to his room without meeting the Chief Lama.

  He had found his question. Written on the wall were three words:

  Are you happy?

  CHAPTER 1

  THE ROAD TO SHANGRI-LA

  “You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.”

  —MARK TWAIN

  “If happiness is a journey, minimalism is the first step,” the Monk said to the Billionaire. Even though the statement had been made without any context, the Billionaire shut his eyes in agreement.

  His mind went back to when they had first decided to partner together. The first meeting in the hotel in Kathmandu had done the trick for both of them. The Billionaire had seen an opportunity to do something genuinely different from his regular deals—a hotel in Shangri-La was the ultimate trophy asset to have. The Monk had seen the partnership as a bridge to reconnect with the materialist world. Both knew the mutual benefit of the collaboration and had respected it. And today, two years later, the Billionaire knew he had made a profitable decision. Even though this was his first visit to the hotel, his team and the Monk had executed a capital-efficient project and the Billionaire was happy with the accolades that the hotel was receiving in the travel industry.

  He’d initially worried that having a Buddhist monk as a partner was going to be difficult. What did a monk know about business? However, now, holding the balance sheet of the hotel project, the Billionaire was pleased to have been proved wrong.

  Retracing his thoughts back to the Monk’s statement, the Billionaire reflected that as a child, the first thought that had been implanted in the Billionaire’s mind was to associate happiness with hoarding and accumulating material goods. Showcasing abundance was regarded as the key to happiness in his society. Shunning abundance was viewed as a failure. However, somewhere in his heart, he needed to discover how this habit of hoarding and accumulation was nothing but clutter and one of the hindrances in pursuing happiness in his life. Maybe the Monk could help?

  “Minimalism is not the absence of ambition. It is not sainthood. It is a life choice in which you decide to live with minimum possessions but with maximum focus. The idea is that through physical unclutter, you also unclutter your mental cupboards, which remain loaded with unnecessary and meaningless objects and emotions,” the Monk said as if he had read the Billionaire’s mind.

  “I guess having less stuff to carry makes it easier to take on the road of life,” responded the Billionaire sarcastically.

  The drive through the rugged yet peaceful Tibetan landscape was beginning to calm the Billionaire’s nerves. It had been a hectic 24 hours with both jet-lagged intercontinental travel and some bad news accompanying him on this trip. The telecom deal in Kazakhstan was not shaping up as required. The bureaucracy was stalling the final sign-off on the license. Some palms had to be greased, but the Billionaire had refused to oblige.

  Getting his thoughts back to the present, the Billionaire knew the meaning of modern minimalism; after all, it was the latest fad globally. The billionaire Nicolas Berggruen was a vocal follower of modern minimalism. On the face of it, minimalism was a lifestyle that advocated having few physical possessions. It merely encouraged yo
u to identify what was essential for you to survive and throw away everything else. Every material possession had to justify its existence in your daily life. The only problem was that he thought of minimalism as a hippie lifestyle.

  “Much easier,” smiled the Monk, bringing the Billionaire back into the discussion. “But you see, once you decide to go minimalistic in your life, you in effect start dropping all unnecessary pieces of baggage; you begin to see the real goals and experience the energy to achieve them effectively. It is not an excuse to run away from your responsibilities. It is not an ambition-free life. It is certainly not an excuse for being lazy! You are merely deciding to focus on a few but essential things and shun distractions. By focusing your energy on few but essential things, you can cut out distractions and attain happiness in a far more efficient manner.”

  To think of it, the Monk was correct, the Billionaire mused. Some of the most significant achievers of the present times, like Jeff Bezos, the richest man on the planet, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and the prodigy Mark Zuckerberg, are famous for their ability to live a simple, focused life. They even attribute their success to the fact that they can cut out distractions and focus only on essential aspects; this, in effect, helps them concentrate on the big picture.

  “So, minimalism supports your ambition?” questioned the Billionaire in a curious tone. The sky was beginning to turn gray with threatening clouds. It seldom rained in this part of the world, but the dance of the clouds was always theatrical.

  “Yes, as we move from the physical aspect of minimalism to the mental acceptance of minimalism, it gives us the freedom to pursue what is essential. The truth is that the only reason we continue to live with a lot of clutter is that we are afraid to let go. We think we may need what is useless today, someday. Our fear and insecurity are the most significant reasons we are reluctant to embrace minimalism. We feel society will look down on us, our social standing will get dented, and our ambition and dreams will die if we embrace minimalism.” The last sentences of the Monk were meant to help the Billionaire make the right choice. The Billionaire understood, and it brought a faint smile.

  Surprisingly, a drizzle had started by now. The Monk wound down the car windows, and the earthy fragrance of rain hitting parched soil filled the car. It was intoxicating. “Funny, we may differentiate among ourselves based on countries and race, but everywhere, petrichor smells just the same,” the Billionaire mumbled to himself.

  The Monk heard it. “Yes, humans differentiate; nature doesn’t.”

  “So, tell me, how would you want me to practice minimalism without having to give up my bank balance?” asked the Billionaire. Philanthropy was not his forte, and he had no intention of donating his hard-earned fortune to charity.

  “Minimalism is not about giving up your bank balance, partner; it can add to it!” said the Monk with a wink and smile. “Let me run you through the main components of minimalism as I understand them: I believe that the road to happiness starts with shedding some luggage. However, unlike the Great Buddha, we don’t always have to renounce the world. This is where my guruji at the monastery and I often quarrel. I am against total renunciation and want to find happiness in the world, not away from the world. I see minimalism as the first step to my goal of happiness.” The Monk was serious now. “I have been studying and trying to find the answers to happiness via minimalism. I may have reached somewhere, but I am not sure. Maybe, we can bring our thoughts together? Why don’t you take out the pocket diary from the glove box; I have been scribbling my thoughts on it,” the Monk said, pointing toward the glove box.

  The Billionaire found the diary and opened it. On the first page was the photo of the Dalai Lama. Since it is forbidden to carry the picture, most Tibetans hide the image of His Holiness among their daily use items. On the third page was scribbled the following:

  1. Minimalism is both for physical and emotional baggage.

  2. Physical minimalism is the first step toward mental and emotional happiness.

  3. Humans are resourceful and can innovate to live without and within.

  4. Minimalism boosts ambition by helping us focus.

  5. The greatest gift of minimalism is the free time that gets generated and can be used to pursue what is meaningful.

  6. Minimalism is gentle on the planet. Practicing minimalism is our way of contributing.

  7. Don’t carry the load of the world on your shoulders.

  The Billionaire reread the page and, after giving it a thought, added the following:

  8. Money saved is money earned.

  9. Remember, we are not becoming saints by pursuing minimalism; we are only becoming selective in our pursuits and goals.

  10. Don’t participate in consumerism and bankrupt your wallet and happiness.

  The Billionaire could not stop his smile as he noticed that he had written the words with his latest Montblanc pen; irony just died.

  “Let’s do one thing. I am here for three weeks. Since I will not be submerged with work here, I think I will have time to think about matters beyond work. Let’s decide to make a list of things that bring happiness to our lives and share those between ourselves on the last day of this trip. What say you?” the Billionaire asked excitedly.

  “This sounds brilliant; I will finally be able to share my views on happiness and learn about happiness from someone who is a hard-core capitalist.” Both burst into laughter.

  CHAPTER 2

  IT STARTS WITH THE MIND

  “To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s mind. If a man can control his mind, he can find the way to enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”

  —THE BUDDHA

  The Government of China, in 2001, had renamed the sleepy village of Zhongdian to the mythical Shangri-La of Lost Horizon fame. It was a brilliant marketing plan to build a tourism destination from scratch and let the Western world experience the serenity and tranquility of Tibet. Zhongdian was chosen because it had all the three critical elements mentioned in the story—a breathtaking beautiful Tibetan landscape, relics of a World War II warplane that had been discovered near the village border, and the presence of the enchanting Songtsen Ling Monastery. To think of it, maybe Zhongdian was the Shangri-La that James Hilton imagined.

  The Billionaire had read about the development at Shangri-La and grabbed the first opportunity to start a joint venture with the Monk. The latter had been highly recommended for his resourcefulness by the Billionaire’s contacts in the Government of China. It was a small hotel, but the idea of beating all his peers to the destination was a significant boost to the Billionaire’s ego.

  The Billionaire loved his morning chai. Sweet masala chai was his preferred drink. Drinkers of coffee are always the “pretenders” and not to be trusted. Chai drinkers, on the other hand, are the ones who are grounded and can be trusted.

  This morning was different. Now that he had started to look at the world through the lens of minimalism, the beauty in the lightness of life was evident to him.

  He believed that the human mind is the most powerful tool that is within our control. The Billionaire knew that scientifically speaking, the brain controls our emotional well-being through the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are responsible for the “happiness” emotion that we experience. Furthermore, all feelings, like fear, anxiety, pain, and depression, are born in the mind and can be killed in the mind itself. The power to think, imagine, decide, and act all lies within the gambit of the mind. Given this essential physiological role, our happiness quotient is related to our state of mind. But all knowledge is not easy to follow.

  After yesterday’s discussion, he saw the importance of uncluttering his mental storage and replacing the clutter with a happiness resort to attain everlasting joy and happiness—a resort as serene as the one he had built in Shangri-La.

  “Did you sleep well?” The Monk’s question startled the Billionaire from his thoughts. “Hope the room was warm?”