The Trap Of Success

Spoken By The Supreme Master Ching Hai At Tien Shan Center In Satin, Hong Kong (Originally in Chinese) Apr. 20, 1994

The meaning of this story is greed for life! Some people like to die, are not afraid of death. This person is afraid of death -- is greedy for life and fears death. So he is greedy for life.

Once, there was a king who came from the country Hsi-li and he went to war with another country. Everyday he noticed one particular army soldier who was very, very courageous. He was very enthusiastic in fighting at any moment, and was basically not afraid of death, volunteering to go to the most dangerous places. Any place that no one dared to go, he would go and this won the king's great admiration.

So, one day the king summoned him in order to reward him. When the king saw him, he felt very strange and wondered why this soldier was so skinny, his face was so green, the skin was not good and his body was very weak. The king was very surprised and asked, "Why you have become like this?" Then the soldier told the king, "I have an incurable disease, so my health is not good." The king pitied him and ordered his personal doctor to take care of him daily until his illness was cured. He was brought the best medicine and the highest quality food for his consumption because he was the national hero, a very courageous person, and needed to be taken very good care of. Of course the king's doctor also admired him very much and took very good care of him. Money was no problem because he was the national hero and also it was the command of the king.

After a while, this person recovered and became very strong, and healthy looking. Everything was fine, he was totally cured. But at that moment, he lost his courage completely (Everyone laughs). Now he dared not go anywhere, dared not rush to dangerous places, he always hid in the back, his courage was all gone. The king was very disappointed and also felt strange. He summoned the person over and asked, "Why you were so courageous before but now after I have taken good care of you, have fed you well, have cured your illness, you have betrayed my grace, not sacrificing yourself for the country like before? Also, you hide and refuse to fight in battle. Why? Huh! We have all been so nice to you, have trusted you so much yet you have betrayed our good intention and have betrayed our trust in you. Why?"

The soldier told the king honestly, "It is because you have treated me so nice that I have become this way." The king said with surprise, "Why is it that because we are too nice to you that you have become this way?" He said, "Because you have been so nice to me, have cured my illness, have fed my body well and made it beautiful that I have now become very greedy for life and dare not die." (Master and everyone laugh). He was near death before, thus death was nothing. The pain of the illness made him uncomfortable so maybe death was better. Therefore, he had charged forward in the battlefield not because of courage. (Master and everyone laugh). Now because he had a good and strong body, he became greedy for life and dared not sacrifice his life anymore (Master laughs).

Sometimes it is the same with our practice. If we have met with difficulties or undesirable situations, we would practice with all our devotion. But after being too rich, too free, too comfortable, perhaps we would become somewhat lacking in diligence. Thus, Shakyamuni Buddha also said, "Rich people, people with money or with high position, will find it difficult to practice! If a certain person who has a high position, with a very comfortable life and with a lot of money and leads a very smooth life still likes to practice, we should know that he is a Bodhisattva coming to this world to help the beings." How much he helps would depend more or less on his mission. It is not that he helps the beings a lot then he is a real Bodhisattva.

Then Jesus Christ also said, "It would be very difficult for the rich to go to Heaven! It would be as difficult as a camel passing through the needle hole." Because we are too comfortable, too happy, we would be reluctant to leave. Drowning there in enjoyment of the happy, comfortable and rich conditions, then we would not think anything about practice.

The ordinary people would practice because of having a little pain and thus would think of liberation. That is the reason why it is no good if life is too comfortable. Sometimes a person in a high position such as a public official, a reporter or any other position, would become proud if he was too successful. So, sometimes it is all right if we have a little of nonsuccess! Of course we have to do things successfully, but we still have to know the trap of success.