The Three Days of Tet and the Handful of Rice of the Solitary Monk

**SUMMARY:** A story about a monk who lived in solitude during the Tet holiday, illustrating the law of cause and effect (karmic law): indifference and a lack of warmth in human interaction lead to a lonely fate where no one cares to visit.

The atmosphere of the early New Year is often filled with joyful laughter, the rich scent of incense, and the vibrant colors of fresh flowers. Yet, in a quiet corner of a large pagoda, there is a story that weighs upon the heart, evoking a poignant sense of solitude amidst a crowd.

Imagine that the three days of Tet have passed. While families gathered for reunion meals and children gathered around their parents, in a distant hermitage, a dim oil lamp flickered in the deep of the night. There were no sounds at the door, no greetings, only an eerie silence blanketing the space. This was the situation of a young monk, whose haunting account we will encounter through the words of Venerable Thích Chân Quang.

This monk lived in seclusion, devoted to his practice, but seemed to have forgotten the most important part of community life: connecting with others from the heart. When the festival days began, people from all over would visit various pagodas to offer incense and pray for peace. They would go from large temples to small hermitages, bringing some rice, a bunch of bananas, or a few coins as offerings with sincere hearts. However, when their footsteps paused before the gate of this monk's hermitage, the door remained shut and silent. No one knocked, no one inquired. The three days of Tet passed quickly, and the monk found himself facing a harsh reality: not a single person had visited, not a single stick of incense had been lit on his altar.

Sadness and humiliation surged within him, not due to a lack of material things, but from the feeling of being forgotten, of being separated from the circle of human love. Finally, having exhausted his stored provisions, the monk had to travel a long distance to the main pagoda to seek help. The image of a monk, traditionally seen as a spiritual anchor, now stood before everyone with a tear-streaked face, his eyes red from lack of sleep and hidden pain:

"Venerable, please give me some rice to take back. Since Tet until now, for three days, not a single person has come to light even one stick of incense for me."

His words were gentle yet heavy as a boulder, making all who heard them feel a pang of deep sympathy. Why would a monastic, who should be a center of reverence, become so desolate? The answer lies deep within the law of cause and effect (karmic law) governing our interactions.

The Venerable explained that this solitude was not by chance. It was the karmic consequence of "secret thoughts" and past attitudes of indifference. Perhaps in the past, when visitors came, the monk had harbored critical thoughts, discriminating between the rich and poor, or simply showed apathy and coldness. He might have thought, "This person probably only comes to beg," or "I am busy with my practice, do not disturb me." These thoughts, even if never spoken aloud and unheard by anyone, created a field of energy that pushed people away. The karmic law operates precisely: if we betray another's heartfelt gesture by showing we do not care, then in the future, no one will want to come near us.

Conversely, consider the crowded temples filled with devotees. Their prosperity comes not from grand physical structures, but from the mind and heart of the resident monks and nuns. They cherish every person who sets foot there, regardless of wealth or status. If a poor old woman, walking with a bamboo stick and a conical hat, comes to ask for a bit of rice, and is received with a warm smile and respect, that is the moment the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara manifests to test one's compassion. If that monk had known how to open his heart, viewing each visitor as a blessed condition to cultivate blessings from merit, today his hermitage would surely be filled with visitors, bustling with conversation instead of a deathly silence.

The story closes with a valuable lesson about how we interact with our community. Humans fear solitude, and our brains and personalities develop through interaction. But flawed interaction—interaction laced with calculation, hidden criticism, or indifference—leads to isolation. Every word, every gesture, and even every secret thought is a seed. If we sow the seed of coldness, we will harvest the crop of loneliness. If we sow the seed of equal love, we will gather the fruit of joyful reunion.

**The Meaning of the Story** The story highlights the law of cause and effect (karmic law) in social interaction: Solitude and desolation in life (as in the case of the monk no one visited during Tet) are the karmic consequences of secret thoughts of criticism, discrimination, or indifference toward others. Conversely, a vibrant and joyful gathering results from cultivating a mind of compassion, love, and respect for all people, regardless of their status or circumstances. To avoid falling into the karma of loneliness, one must practice cultivating loving intentions from the very depths of one's mind upon meeting anyone, transforming every encounter into an opportunity to plant a seed of goodness.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang.