Bốn Giây Quyết Định

The Jade Ridge Pass winds through thick fog, where visibility is severely limited. Phan Van Bac was driving his truck down the slope when a sight in his rearview mirror made his heart stop. A large passenger bus behind him was hurtling downhill at terrifying speed, its driver waving frantically from the window.

"Brakes failed!" Bac’s experienced mind instantly recognized the danger. The bus was heavier and gaining momentum; if it crashed directly into his truck, both vehicles would plunge into the abyss below.

In less than a second, he glanced at the cargo owner sitting beside him. They exchanged a look, understanding that there was no time for calculation. The lives of dozens of passengers hung by a thread.

"Accept it!" Bac shouted. He immediately turned the steering wheel, swinging his truck around to face the oncoming bus.

The cargo owner nodded. Bac gripped the wheel tightly, pressed the brake pedal to the floor, and positioned his vehicle to absorb the impact of the out-of-control bus. A horrifying sound of metal colliding echoed through the pass. Both vehicles slid forward amidst the shrieking of steel, sparks flying from beneath the chassis. Bac fought with all his strength to hold the wheel steady, feeling the immense force pushing him from behind as the larger bus drove his truck forward.

Five hundred meters, four hundred meters... The skid marks stretched long across the road. Sweat soaked through his shirt. His only thought was how many people he could save.

Finally, on an open patch of ground at the foot of the pass, both vehicles came to a halt. Bac’s truck was completely crushed, while the bus sustained only minor damage. Every single passenger was safe.

That night, lying in the hospital with his arm bandaged, Bac recounted the moment of decision. "I did not have time to think," he said. "In my mind, there was only one intention: to save them."

Journalists asked him, "Were you afraid?"

He smiled gently. "Yes, I was afraid. But I was more afraid for them than for myself."

Yet the most miraculous part was this: he felt no regret. Instead, he experienced a profound sense of peace.

This story reveals the power of cultivating goodness within the mind/heart. When the soul has been trained through acts of kindness, prayer, and daily thoughts of love, it automatically responds correctly in critical situations. Sacrifice without weighing gain or loss is the result of long-term spiritual practice. Similarly, days spent visiting temples, bowing to the Buddha, and reciting sutras serve to train the mind/heart toward goodness, ensuring we do not miss the opportunity to help others when it arises.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Most Venerable Thich Chan Quang