The Sweet Trap of Praise and Wealth

The fading evening sun cast pale golden streaks upon the mossy walls of a small temple. The last ring of the evening bell faded into silence, leaving a profound stillness that settled over the courtyard. In the deepening twilight, two figures sat facing each other, each carrying their own burden, yet sharing a common blind spot: they had lost their way in the labyrinth of cause and effect.

The first was Minh, a young Buddhist practitioner who had recently received heartfelt praise from everyone in his village after three years of strictly observing the precepts and performing good deeds. His face beamed, his eyes sparkling with pride as he recalled the applause and admiring glances from his neighbors. He thought to himself, "I have succeeded. I have earned a good reputation."

The second was Hùng, a businessman made wealthy through a decade of diligent work and frugality. Now, sitting in his luxurious car, he believed he had unlocked the secret to prosperity: cultivating useful relationships to secure favors.

Minh stood up, brushed the dust from his robes, and turned to speak with the old abbot who was sweeping leaves nearby.

"Venerable Sir, I feel I have been on the right path. Now everyone respects and trusts me. I only need to maintain this good reputation, don't I?"

The abbot paused his sweeping and looked at Minh with gentle eyes filled with concern. He replied slowly, "My child, you are making a grave mistake. That praise, that reputation, is the 'effect'. It appeared because you planted the 'cause' of goodness over the past three years: diligent practice and helping others. But if you now live only for that effect, clinging to praise, you will forget the cause. When you no longer practice sincerely, but instead play a role to maintain your image, that effect will vanish like morning dew."

Meanwhile, in another corner of life, Hùng was on the phone with a former business partner. His voice was full of pride.

"Brother Hai, I hear you are launching a major project. I want to partner with you. I know you prefer working with people of status, and I am currently very famous in the business world."

The partner was silent for a long moment, then sighed.

"Hùng, before, I helped you because I saw you were diligent, hardworking, and trustworthy. That was your 'cause'. But lately, I see you only care about showing off your achievements, are lazy in actual work, and just look for ways to use others. You have forgotten your foundation. I'm afraid we cannot work together anymore."

Hùng was stunned, his hand trembling as he held the phone. He didn't understand why the door of opportunity had suddenly slammed shut before him. He had assumed that wealth and fame were the ultimate destination, the guarantee for the future. He didn't know that when he stopped accumulating the cause—diligence, honesty—and only enjoyed the effect—money, reputation—that effect began to decay.

Returning to Minh, a few months later, the praise grew scarce. People began to whisper when they saw him missing from community gatherings, or when he became irritated if given advice. His reputation collapsed quickly, leaving him in loneliness and disappointment. As for Hùng, his business started facing troubles, partners left, and he found himself drowning in debt, mourning the collapse of the empire he once thought was eternal.

In the deep quiet of the night, both realized a painful lesson: They had traded a solid foundation for sweet, illusory fruits, and in the end, both the tree and its fruits withered away.

**Meaning of the Story**

The core lesson lies in the correct attitude toward cause and effect. Many people make the mistake of clinging to a good result—such as wealth, fame, or praise—as soon as it appears, treating it as the ultimate goal and ceasing their efforts to cultivate the cause—such as spiritual practice, diligence, and sincerity. When one lives only for the effect while forgetting the cause, the good things will gradually vanish. A true disciple of the Buddha, or a truly successful person, must always direct their mind toward the infinite, continuing to accumulate good causes even when the karmic fruit has ripened, never becoming satisfied or stopping at limited achievements.

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