The Bridge Over the River

One morning in a riverside village, the sun’s rays glistened on the water’s surface. Children stood on the bank, gazing across to the other side where the village school stood. The murmur of the flowing stream mingled with their laughter, but between them lay a vast distance: there was no bridge, and to cross, one had to wade through the water or take a long, roundabout path.

The villagers were accustomed to this, but for Ba, a woman with her own car, a deep sense of compassion grew each time she saw the children shivering as they waded through the cold water during the rainy season. Ba was a successful business owner, with two cars for her daily commute and transporting goods. However, after accompanying a venerable monk on a dharma mission to this very village and witnessing the hardship of the people and children without a bridge, she was deeply moved. That night, she tossed and turn, unable to sleep.

The sound of the flowing water, the wind rustling through the thatched roof, and the image of the children huddled on the riverbank haunted her. The next morning, she told the local authorities, “I have the intention to build a bridge over the river for everyone’s convenience. I will sell one of my cars to fund this project.”

People were astonished, as that car was her livelihood. She only smiled, thinking she could limit her own needs to help others. The construction took several months; she spent her own savings on materials, hired workers, and personally oversaw the project at the site. When the bridge was completed, the whole village celebrated. People told her, “Ba, you are amazing! Your car was running perfectly, yet you dared to sell it to build a bridge for our hometown. That is truly precious!”

But Ba simply smiled gently, with not a trace of pride rising in her heart. She recalled the Buddha’s teaching in the Diamond Sutra: when performing acts of merit, forget the merit. To her, what she had done was nothing remarkable, for behind the bridge were countless others who contributed: the authorities who facilitated the process, the villagers who helped, and the venerable monks who provided guidance. She said to a friend, “Please, don’t mention it anymore. I did it out of compassion for the people, not for any praise.”

Her friend looked at her, not understanding her strange serenity. But she knew that with wisdom and clarity of mind, she had forgotten her own merit, allowing her heart to be light as a kite flying in the wind. From then on, she lived happily, continuing to perform many other acts of kindness, never holding onto a single trace of attachment to her own efforts.

**The Meaning of the Story**

This story conveys the teaching of the Venerable Thích Chân Quang: when doing good deeds, do not cling to the merit, and do not feel pride in what you have accomplished. See that all achievements arise from countless people and countless favorable conditions. Forgetting the merit allows the mind to be at peace, blessings to be complete, and one to be free from the bondage of ego.

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