Help Others Succeed First – The Success Secret Few Dare to Try

**Summary:** Through a story of a student who received a full scholarship by wholeheartedly helping his friends, Venerable Thích Chân Quang points out that the real secret to success lies not in competition, but in the spirit of helping others succeed first.

At the beginning of the year, once again, we celebrate Tết with the Dharma. Today, Venerable Thích Chân Quang shares a genuine secret to success, proven through a miraculous story from everyday life. The story begins with a young boy who frequently visited Pháp Quang Pagoda from his early childhood...

**The Story of a Vietnamese Student**

That boy grew up to study psychology abroad—a very challenging field. Throughout his university years, he always followed his master's advice: "Always support your friends; always wish for others to succeed." When he found valuable resources, he shared them with his classmates. When friends asked for help, he guided them wholeheartedly. Even for those who didn't ask, he would tactfully offer suggestions. He always hoped his friends would be better than him.

When the time came for the doctoral entrance exam, only five were to be selected from two hundred and fifty candidates. Everyone was competing fiercely, but he remained at peace, continuing to help his friends. Then, a miracle happened: the day before the oral exam, extremely difficult questions suddenly appeared in his mind. On exam day, the professor asked those exact questions, and he answered fluently, confidently, and logically. The result: he received a full four-year scholarship for his doctoral studies.

"The most amazing thing is that the questions the professor would ask appeared in his mind. And those professors also knew that to select from two hundred and fifty students, the questions had to be extremely difficult to eliminate all the others." – Venerable Thích Chân Quang

The young man reflected and realized: It was all because he obeyed his master – sincerely helping others. He never imagined that he himself would succeed.

**The Secret to Success: Help Others Succeed First**

Typically, we think success is limited. Positions are few, and many are fighting for them. Therefore, we want to suppress others to advance. But that is the path to failure. Venerable Chân Quang points out a completely different path:

"How do we seek success? By helping others succeed first. This mindset completely turns conventional life upside down."

To dare walk this path, first we must have absolute faith in the law of cause and effect (karmic law). If there is even a sliver of doubt, we will not choose this path.

**An Allegory: Three People Falling into a Pit**

The Venerable tells an allegory: Three Vietnamese people fall into a pit and starve to death because each wants to climb out first and pulls the others down. In contrast, three Japanese people climb out together: two attack the other to push him up, and once he is out, he finds a rope to pull the remaining two up.

The story criticizes the Vietnamese themselves, but it gives us a great lesson: if we unite to help each other, everyone succeeds; if not, everyone fails. Japan's remarkable success is largely due to that spirit of unity. A young Vietnamese man working in Japan once shared: "The work ethic of us Buddhist youth, which we learned at the temple, far surpasses that of the Japanese youth here."

**Changing Mindset to Succeed**

Many people worry: If I help my friend succeed, what will I get? The Venerable explains: Success is not just the chair of a president. When you wholeheartedly help others, you gain peace and happiness within your heart—that is a great reward. Moreover, the law of cause and effect is always fair. The heavens and earth will take care of the reward.

"Don't worry about it; there are still plenty of places the heavens and earth have set aside for you. At least, you will have accomplished something."

The Venerable affirms: "There is such a rule. If within a group, everyone helps each other, then in turn, the entire group will succeed. And if an entire nation helps each other, the country will achieve success everywhere."

**Conclusion: Dare to Choose the Path of Sacrifice**

This is a spectacular revolution within the soul. It is no small matter. It demands patience and absolute faith in cause and effect. But as the boy in the story proved: when we help others succeed first, we ourselves will succeed afterward—in a miraculous way we never anticipated.

Tonight, lie down and reflect: Do I dare live by this secret? Start with the smallest things: sharing resources, supporting colleagues, wishing for others to succeed. The heavens and earth will take care of the rest.

"Who brought about that miracle? It helped you; you cannot help it because it is far more capable than you. If your friend cannot help it, will the professor help? The professor cannot, for he must be objective. But in the end, who helps? The celestial beings help."