Just Like That Is Enough

In this dharma talk, Venerable Thích Chân Quang offers workers and staff a simple yet profound message: a little health, a stable job, and a heart that knows how to love are enough to live a whole life in peace and joy.

What do we truly need in this life to live happily? Have you ever wondered why, even when food, clothing, and daily necessities are all provided, you still feel uneasy? This is a question many business owners seek to answer. On one occasion, when he returned to speak with the employees of the An Phú seafood company, Venerable Thích Chân Quang began with the story of a very special owner: Ms. Non. Unlike owners who think only of profit and loss, she was deeply devoted to finding spiritual value for her employees.

"Ms. Non is an outstanding Buddhist entrepreneur, a devoted Buddhist entrepreneur, an entrepreneur deeply steeped in the Dharma."

The Venerable emphasized that the ethics of a businessperson lie not only in creating jobs, but also in knowing how to love and to uplift the spiritual values of the people who pour their sweat into the enterprise day and night. And today's lesson is as simple as its very title: Just Like That Is Enough.

## Just a Little Health

The first thing the Venerable touched upon was health. Without health, we lie in one place and become a burden to our whole family. We need only a little health to stand up, to work, and to provide for our loved ones. He told a story: an elderly customer with white hair, who upon questioning turned out to be only three years older than the Venerable, yet looked far more aged. When asked, he sadly confessed, "In the past, I lived too wildly." A life of indulgence had made his body age quickly.

"Do not drink alcohol, it harms the liver. Do not smoke, it harms the lungs. Do not stay up late playing games. Do not live carelessly and recklessly."

The Venerable advised us to care for our health not only by staying away from bad habits, but also by practicing gentle exercises such as a few qigong movements. Because when we return home, the loving eyes of our spouse and children are the most precious reward for one who has taken care of his own health.

## Just a Stable Job

The second thing is work. The Venerable taught that we should cherish the work that heaven and earth have brought to us. Do not be picky, do not betray the gifts of the earth. Many people complain that they do not like their current job, but the Venerable reminded them:

"Love the work you do, rather than only doing the work you love."

He recounted that in his early days as a monk, he was assigned to clean the toilets and carry urine out to the fields. He did this work with total dedication and with all his joy. It was precisely from this that he learned the attitude of living in harmony with heaven and earth. When heaven and earth entrust us with a job, we should love it as we love ourselves. And in this company, we are fortunate to have an owner who does not see employees as pieces in a business equation. Ms. Non always regarded each person as a noble human value, and was ready to share through the rises and falls of the enterprise.

## Just a Little Love in the Heart

The third thing the Venerable spoke of was the heart. "To live without loving is very sad." True love is not something grand; it is loving your family, loving your friends, and loving even the flowers, the sunlight, and the breeze. He said he loved every falling leaf, every stalk of water spinach, every glint of sunlight through the leaves.

"I love the little boat drifting on the river in the afternoon. I love the birds singing in the early morning. I love all living beings."

But he did not ask his listeners to attain such a vast love right away. He asked only for a little love, enough that we do no evil, do no wrong. Think of your family before making any decision, so that no one has to suffer because of you. The story of the murderer in Bình Phước brought heartbreak to an entire region, driving his own parents to beat their heads against the wall. A little love, a little thought for one's homeland, will keep us from ever being reckless, from ever trampling upon human dignity.

## From Worker to Owner — Sowing Seeds of Loving-Kindness

The Venerable also told a Zen story: a poor young boy who sold steamed buns offered three buns to the master every day, but the master kept two and made the boy eat one. The boy was surprised, and later decided to become a monk. In time, he became a renowned Zen master. Life is unpredictable. Today you sit here as a worker; who knows, in the future you may become a business owner. If one day you become an owner, remember the lesson of Ms. Non: do not treat people as objects; respect them and uplift their spiritual values.

Just like that is enough. In this life, we do not need too much. A little health, a stable job, and a heart that knows how to love — that is enough to live a life of peace and joy. Let us begin today, cherishing what we already have, and nurturing love for ourselves and for everyone around us.