The Vehicles of the Temple

On the red dirt road leading to Phat Quang Temple, the rows of trees on either side gently swayed in the evening breeze. Within the temple grounds, a line of vehicles was parked under the eaves: a truck, a passenger van, a four-seater car, and a seven-seater car. At one point, the temple even had a twenty-nine-seat vehicle, but because it was too large and inconvenient to use, it had to be sold. Seeing this scene, some might think the temple is wealthy, but for the teacher, it was a matter for contemplation.

He recalled that ever since acquiring the vehicles, he had never used a single one for leisure. Absolutely never. Every time he sat in a vehicle, he was going to work: to give teachings, to do charitable work, to attend to the Buddha's work. The other monks and nuns in the temple were the same; they only used the vehicles for common tasks. No one thought to borrow a vehicle just for a relaxing drive.

One day, the teacher felt the temple was lacking a vehicle, and a thought arose: "Our temple should have another vehicle to make travel more convenient." Unexpectedly, not long after, another vehicle was brought to the temple. He was surprised, and then suddenly understood a principle: "This is truly the karmic law of cause and effect. If we use the vehicle for its correct purpose without waste, then the vehicle will naturally grow over time. If we use it wrongly, for enjoyment, then it will eventually be lost."

He saw a universal principle: all that we possess is blessings from merit earned in past lives. If we do not use them, or use them wrongly, those blessings will diminish. But if we use them correctly, they will flourish and increase. The temple's vehicles are a testament to this: because they were never wasted, the vehicles just naturally appeared.

The meaning of this story extends beyond simply acquiring more vehicles; it is a lesson in frugality and using things for their proper purpose. When we have something, we should use it for beneficial actions. Do not squander it, do not use it for personal indulgence. In this way, our blessings will grow larger day by day, just like the temple's vehicles—the more correctly they are used, the more they increase.

Thus we understand that waste is not just discarding objects, but also using them for the wrong purpose, for enjoyment instead of contribution. One who knows how to properly use what they have, whether it is something as small as a vehicle or as great as an entire life, will always be nurtured by the universe, causing blessings to continually grow.

The Meaning of the Story

The lesson the teacher wished to impart: everything we have is blessings from merit. If we use it for the right purpose without waste, the blessings will grow. If we use it wrongly, for enjoyment, the blessings will fade away. Let us always use what we have to serve and help the world, instead of only serving ourselves.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Most Venerable Thich Chan Quang