Don't worry if you suffer a loss

 

Don't worry if you suffer a loss

 

Chu Sanxing and Agudengba were drinking tea and chatting about "Is it a blessing to suffer a loss?" when a wandering monk came to ask for a drink of water.

Chu Sanxing invited the traveling monk to sit at the table and poured him a cup of bitter tea, which is a famous tea from Myanmar.

The wandering monk was very grateful. While drinking bitter tea, he asked: What are the two donors discussing?

Chu Sanxing said:

Burmese people like to drink bitter tea, but foreigners don’t understand why people seek bitter tea. Most people still prefer to seek benefits rather than "endure hardship." Since no one wants to suffer, those who regularly take advantage of others are undoubtedly unpopular. Because no one is willing to suffer the loss of interests in life. But some people say: "To suffer a loss is to take advantage." I wonder what the monk has to say?

The monk smiled and said: Thanks to the benefactor's kindness, I can rest here and enjoy a cup of bitter tea for free. Has the benefactor suffered a loss?

Chu Sanxing smiled: Giving passers-by a glass of water, how can this be said to be a loss?

The monk smiled and said: Giving free cups of water to passers-by is probably a material loss, but this kind of loss is often the most endearing way to deal with others, and it is also a good way to achieve interpersonal communication and success in life. What is missing is a cup of tea, but what is gained is the respect and praise of all living beings. This can also be regarded as "taking a small loss but taking a big advantage."

The monk said to Agudengba: Sir, you are Chinese. You must have heard about the "touching porcelain" thing. Nowadays, it often happens that people are blackmailed by porcelain gangs. In fact, those who create "touching porcelain" and defraud people just want to illegally possess other people's money. Those who are greedy for small profits and hope for unexpected gains will end up being despised by everyone. But on the other hand, some people who seem to "suffer" will actually turn out to be the ones who actually take advantage. For example: There is a story in China about Dayu's flood control. In order to control the floods, Dayu refused to enter his house three times because he was dedicated to the welfare of the people and would rather suffer a loss himself. Eventually everyone elected him emperor. This is a typical example of "taking a small loss but taking a big advantage".

This wandering monk actually connected Dayu's flood control with "taking a small loss but taking a big advantage", and Agudengba laughed.

Agudengba asked: There is a proverb in Taiwan called "Buddha loves fools". I don’t know how the eminent monk interprets it?

The wandering monk said:

Let me tell you another Chinese story, about two little ghosts A and B who are about to be reincarnated into the human world. King Yama asked them to choose to "give" or "receive" life in the earthly world.

As a result, A, who chose "pay", was reincarnated into a poor family and became a hard-working farmer. Yi Yuan is a kid from a rich family who hopes to live an accepted life, but he is reincarnated into a beggar and can only make begging his career.

The wandering monk explained:

This story illustrates: If a person knows how to give and does not care about "pain", he can have a rich life; on the contrary, if a person just wants to get something for nothing and only knows how to accept, then his life will be as bad as a beggar. Therefore, people who are afraid of losing money often actually suffer losses. As the saying goes: "A blessing in disguise." As long as a person has righteous thoughts, follows his destiny, and is willing to give, even if he "suffers" temporarily, his "karma" will never let him "suffer" in the end. Therefore, if you suffer a loss, it is not a loss, but your contribution. The interests that should belong to you, even if you suffer some losses, are still yours. There is a saying in China: "Suffering a loss is a blessing." It can be said that there is a certain truth.

The wandering monk sang a Buddhist song "Don't be troubled when you suffer a loss":

 

There are often times in life when you suffer losses,

Don't care too much about everything.

Don't compete with others for gains and losses,

The trouble will be eradicated.

Don't do anything wrong to others,

Wealth and poverty are fate.

All things follow heaven and cannot help themselves,

Don't worry about small profits.

Just have an open heart and an open belly,

Suffering a loss is a priceless blessing.