The First Three Seeds

**Summary:** A story about a starving traveler who receives help, reflecting on the three foundational mindsets of a practitioner: reverence for the Buddha, compassion, and humility.

The asphalt road stretched endlessly under a blazing, scorching heat. Dust clung to his clothes, and his feet ached with exhaustion. The traveler wiped away the salty sweat dripping down his cheek. He had been walking since dawn, and now, in the midday sun, his stomach gnawed with hunger, his pockets completely empty. Not a single coin, not a morsel of food, not even a sip of water. He stood in the middle of the road, looking around in utter despair.

It all began with a long journey. He was an honest merchant, but misfortune struck—thieves stole all his money and belongings. Now, in a strange land, he was left with nothing. He thought about asking for help, but his pride would not allow it. He was a able-bodied man with all his limbs intact; how could he beg like a beggar? He told himself, “No, I cannot humiliate myself like this. People will look down on me, think I am lazy and dependent.”

But hunger tormented him. His legs trembled, his head spun. He approached a house by the roadside and politely explained his situation. The owner glanced at him from head to toe and said coldly, “You have healthy hands and feet. Why not work hard for your food instead of begging shamefully?” He hung his head, unable to speak. He knew he could not explain; any attempt would only deepen his humiliation. He quietly turned and walked on. Five houses, ten houses—all slammed their doors in his face. One person even mocked, “How can a strong, healthy person like you beg? You must be a scammer!”

At the last house, he was nearly collapsed from exhaustion. He leaned against the gate post, gasping for air, all hope gone. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a middle-aged woman stepped out. She looked at him with a different gaze—not one of scrutiny or contempt, but of understanding. She said gently, “You must be tired from your long walk. Come in for some water.” He looked up, his eyes stinging with tears. She led him inside, offered him a seat, poured him a cool glass of water, and served a steaming bowl of rice. He ate through tears, his heart overwhelmed with an indescribable feeling. As he prepared to leave, she pressed some money into his hand. “Take this. It’s enough for a bus fare home. Travel safely.” Unable to contain himself, he knelt before her, choked with emotion, “Madam, you have saved my life. I have nothing to repay you with!” She quickly helped him up and said kindly, “Go on now, get home safely. In times of hardship, helping each other is only natural.”

That traveler was me. I will never forget the kindness of that woman. She did not judge me or look at me with prejudice. She simply saw a person in difficulty and opened her heart with compassion and help. From that, I understood that in this world, there are people who carry a miraculous light within them—the light of compassion. And I thought, if the goodness of an ordinary person moved me so deeply, the compassion of the Buddhas and the noble ones must be millions of times greater. They have used countless lifetimes to accumulate boundless love, to rescue all beings, without ever expecting anything in return.

From that small story, I realized one thing: a practitioner, before thinking of advanced methods or seeking liberation, must begin with three foundational mindsets. These are reverence for the Buddha, compassion for all beings, and humility towards oneself. Reverence for the Buddha is the foundation, the root of all virtuous deeds. It is through reverence for the Buddha that we gain the spiritual strength to overcome all obstacles. Compassion is the heart of a practitioner, an unconditional love for all living beings. Humility is seeing oneself as small and flawed, so that one always strives to improve, never becoming arrogant or conceited.

People often say, “Revere the teacher to become the teacher.” When we revere a noble being, we gradually acquire the qualities of that being. Just as I, by revering my benefactor, learned a lesson about compassion. If we only listen to teachings that say, “You are a Buddha,” and become arrogant, thinking ourselves superior, that very arrogance will drag us down into many defilements: attachment, desire, anger, material greed, and obsession with appearances. All of these will lead us to an uncontrollable decline.

Therefore, whenever I sit in meditation or pay respect to the Buddha, I remind myself to cultivate reverence for the Buddha, radiate compassion towards all beings, and maintain humility. If these three seeds are planted and nurtured every day, they will blossom into liberation for us in this life and in lives to come.

**The Meaning of the Story** The lesson that the Venerable Thích Chân Quang wishes to convey: A practitioner must begin with three foundational mindsets—reverence for the Buddha, compassion for all beings, and humility towards oneself. This is the foundation of all virtuous deeds and the root of liberation. Without these three mindsets, no matter what method one practices, it is difficult to avoid stumbling.

*Compiled from a dharma talk by the Venerable Thích Chân Quang*