The Boss's Transfer Order

The boss assigned heavier work without a raise. By cultivating right intention rooted in the Dharma, he found peace and soon received a salary increase.

On Monday morning, wind swept through the gap of the old office window. Dust drifted under the fluorescent lights. He held his cold coffee, staring at the transfer notice on his desk. The only sound was the steady hum of the ceiling fan.

"You'll move to the workshop across the way. The work is harder, and your salary remains the same."

The boss finished speaking, closed his ledger, and his gaze was indifferent.

He had devoted five years to the company. His former position was comfortable, the salary enough to live on. Now he was being pushed to a distant location—harder labor with no extra pay. His heart wrestled with the situation: quitting would mean unemployment, staying felt humiliating, and demanding his old post would mean defying the boss.

He thought to himself:

"If I insist on staying, the boss will resent me. Moving over there means hardship without better pay. How can I endure that?"

He walked into the hallway and met a friend.

"So they're transferring you? That's tough. The pay is the same, but the work is much harder."

He nodded, his heart heavy. Then he recalled his teacher's words: "When working, seek where you can contribute the most. Let karma handle the salary." He set his intention mindfully:

"That's right. The hardship there is an opportunity to serve more. The salary hasn't increased because my karmic conditions are fewer. I simply accept this."

He returned to the boss.

"I accept the transfer. I will try my best to contribute."

The boss looked up, slightly surprised.

"Really? Then go over there and do well."

A month passed, and he worked diligently. The other day, the boss called him over.

"Oh, I forgot to increase your salary last month. Let me correct that."

He smiled gently.

"That's alright. I am happy simply to be of help."

The turning point came when he realized: setting an intention aligned with the Dharma brings peace of mind, and the external circumstances naturally shift. When the conditions of karma are complete, the result arrives on its own.

He found contentment. The boss developed respect for him. Though the work remained hard, his heart felt light. Over time, he became a pillar of the team, no longer tormented like the day he received the transfer order.

**Meaning of the Story**

As the principle of "Right Intention" teaches: when facing a situation, cultivate thoughts that accord with the Dharma (such as serving more than expecting). When the mind is purified, the circumstances improve. By not resisting, the karmic law naturally brings things to fruition.

*Compiled from a Dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang*