The First Glance

This story explores the subtle art of weighing merit and demerit through every glance, word, and small daily action.

On that morning, within the grounds of the Buddha Relic Temple, gentle sunlight stretched across the brick-paved pathways. The temple bell rang out, harmonizing with the chanting of sutras echoing from the main hall. People had gathered in large numbers for a ceremony praying for national peace and prosperity. In that solemn atmosphere, a middle-aged man entered through the temple gate. He wore simple clothes, carried a small bag, and his eyes seemed somewhat lost amidst the crowd moving toward the main hall.

This man was named Minh. He came to the temple today not out of deep reverence, but merely out of curiosity. A few days prior, hearing rumors about the groundbreaking ceremony for a new stupa housing sacred relics, he thought to himself: "I will go see what is happening; perhaps there is something interesting." He had no intention of praying or creating blessings. At that moment, only one fleeting thought occupied his mind: "They are probably organizing this grandly just to collect donations." He did not speak these words aloud, yet this thought appeared clearly in his mind, like a sharp needle accidentally piercing the pure atmosphere of the temple.

Minh walked into the area where charitable meals were being distributed. A young novice monk smiled and handed him a hot plate of vegetarian rice. "Please enjoy your meal, sir!" the novice said warmly. Minh accepted it, but another thought arose in his heart: "If I eat the temple's rice, I will owe a debt tomorrow; how troublesome." Holding the plate, he sat down in a corner, eating while observing everyone around him. Nearby, people chatted happily, and some even shed tears upon hearing the sutra chanting. Minh found this strange but could not understand why they were so moved.

Suddenly, an elderly person, around seventy years old with hair as white as snow, approached Minh. The elder held a stack of printed papers containing prayers for national peace and offered one to him, saying: "Child, take this and chant along with everyone else. Pray for the country’s peace and for your family to receive blessings." Minh looked at the paper hesitantly. He did not want to chant, believing it was merely empty clichés. But faced with the kind gaze of the elder, he reluctantly took it and held it in his hand.

"Sir, would you like to contribute bricks for building the stupa?" asked a young Buddhist woman holding a merit ledger as she approached Minh. Minh looked at the girl, then glanced toward the construction site of the stupa in the distance. He shook his head: "No, I do not have money." In truth, Minh had money, but he did not wish to spend it. Inside, he thought: "Are these things real? It belongs to the Buddha, who knows what is true." He did not voice this suspicion, but the thought alone was enough to cause him to miss an opportunity to create blessings.

When the ceremony ended, Minh stood up, intending to leave. The elder returned, taking his hand: "Child, do you know? Every glance, every word, and every thought of yours constitutes either karma or merit. Today you came here, you ate the temple’s rice, and you heard the sutras, but because your heart did not open, you missed a great opportunity." Hearing this, Minh was startled. He looked into the elder’s eyes—bright, compassionate, seeming to contain an entire sky of love. He suddenly realized that until now, he had not once looked at anyone with a benevolent gaze. He had only viewed others with suspicion and dryness.

"Elder, I... I did not know..." Minh stammered. The elder smiled gently: "It is alright. If you know, you can correct yourself. Look inward. Each day you live, do you pay attention to the karma and merit in every word and smallest action? Or do you simply live by impulse, doing whatever you please?" Minh fell silent and bowed his head. He recalled recent days when he often criticized others, thought ill of them, and spoke careless words that hurt people. He had never considered that such actions became negative karma and would bring karmic consequences.

"Elder, what should I do?" Minh asked, his voice trembling. The elder replied softly: "Start today. Whenever you meet someone, offer them a friendly glance and a smile. Whenever you see someone doing good, praise them with a kind word. Whenever you think of something, ask yourself: Is this karma or merit? By doing this, you will see your life change."

Minh stood still for a long time. He looked up at the statue of the Buddha, embodying compassion, and then down at his own hands. He felt small and ignorant. Turning back, he sought out the young woman from earlier and pulled some money from his pocket: "Miss, please let me contribute a little toward the stupa. I... I apologize for my lack of sincerity earlier." The girl smiled and accepted it. Minh felt his heart become light. He stepped out of the temple, but this time, his gaze was different. He looked at the rows of trees and passersby with a strange warmth. He knew his life had begun a new equation—the calculation of karma and merit—which he would solve day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.

**The Meaning of the Story**

This story illustrates that each of us is solving the equation of karma and merit in our lives. A person possessing wisdom always weighs every word, thought, and action to determine if it creates merit or demerit. A single friendly glance or timely compliment generates merit; conversely, a negative thought or harsh criticism creates demerit. Live with mindfulness, so that each passing day becomes a step forward on the path to liberation.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang