Perhaps not the response you are looking for but: Humans are fickle creatures because of mortality. Ernest Becker has written how our inevitable death has a si

Perhaps not the response you are looking for but: Humans are fickle creatures because of mortality. Ernest Becker has written how our inevitable death has a significant impact on our culture and behavior. Chemicals also have a significant impact. Not drugs or narcotics specifically since a psychedelic experience can be had naturally. In fact, age often changes a person markedly. We have no idea what was going on in Ma's life that may have caused him to do something 'not Ma.' It's simple to say he did something maladaptive, as the effect wouldn't be something one would desire, if just acting from a business standpoint. But from the standpoint of a consciousness that will eventually die, maybe he just did something that brought him closer to the will of his soul.