Praise and the Bus Driver’s Poem

On an autumn afternoon, golden sunlight filtered through the blue window panes. A few friends sat at a roadside tea stall, watching steam rise from their hot cups. One man placed a sheet of paper on the table, his newly written poem still bearing wet ink.

He read aloud: “If you lose your sidewalk today, your children will surely become bus drivers tomorrow.” His friend finished reading, slapped the table, and exclaimed loudly, “Oh my goodness! You are a poet saint! Even Nguyen Du would rise from the dead to bow in admiration. This is a masterpiece!”

The man held his cup, feeling his heart leap with joy. But then he paused, asking himself, “What intention should I hold now?” The first thought that arose was prideful: “This person has clear vision; they recognize my talent. How wonderful.” He immediately recognized this as arrogance.

His friend laughed again, saying, “If you can write like this, I suppose I’ll soon be borrowing money from you.” The man chuckled, thinking, “They are praising me too much; perhaps there is another meaning behind it.” Then he chose a third intention, feeling a sense of humility.

He reflected, “My friend values me enough to offer such high praise. Yet the phrase ‘bus driver’ sounds odd; it is not truly excellent. How dare I compare myself to a great literary master?” He said to his friend, “Please do not speak so highly. It diminishes merit for both of us. I am but dust before a great poet; how could I dare to compare?”

His friend scratched his head, replying, “I was just joking. Why so serious?” The turning point was this: amidst the praise, he maintained humility, refusing to let arrogant thoughts paint an ugly picture of his mind.

From then on, he continued writing, always directing his intention toward bowing before great figures. Over time, his merit remained stable, and no one ever saw him look down on others. His face was gentle and peaceful, vastly different from those who constantly compared themselves to Nguyen Du only to shatter their own moral integrity.

The Meaning of the Story

Before receiving praise, holding an intention of humility preserves merit. Comparing oneself to great figures is self-inflicted damage to virtue. Just as mindful intention helps us master our thoughts, keeping the mind from falling into arrogance.

Compiled from the dharma talk by Most Venerable Thich Chan Quang