Five Thousand Jobs, Tens of Thousands of Lives

Before the dharma talk began, the room was still quiet. Only the soft murmur of conversation between the teacher and Mr. Thanh could be heard clearly. Outside, workers and staff were settling into their seats. Inside, a discussion started with business matters but soon touched upon something far deeper: behind every enterprise lies the life of countless human beings.

In the beginning, when he founded his company, Mr. Thanh did not envision a grand ideal. Like many who enter the world of commerce, he simply wanted work to do, profits to earn, and a stable family life. At that time, his closest goal was to provide for his wife and children, not yet to shoulder the burden of thousands of lives.

But as the business grew, so did the number of people working alongside him. He witnessed firsthand how diligently workers labored in each stage of production. He saw their tired faces after long shifts and understood that behind each person stood a home waiting for support. As he studied the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) more deeply, his original purpose began to transform.

The teacher asked, "How many employees do you have?"

Mr. Thanh replied, "About four thousand in An Giang and one thousand in Long An."

The teacher calculated aloud, "That makes five thousand people. In this world, it is not easy to secure a stable livelihood for five thousand souls."

Mr. Thanh paused for a moment, then gently corrected him. "No, teacher, it is not just five thousand. It must be tens of thousands."

The teacher looked at him curiously. "Why tens of thousands?"

Mr. Thanh explained that each worker receives a salary and returns home to support their family. That income does not sustain only one person; it also helps care for spouses, children, and parents. Therefore, five thousand jobs can impact the survival of tens of thousands of people.

The greatest difficulty does not lie in the numbers recorded on personnel files. It appears when a worker approaches, voice choked with emotion because their spouse is ill, their child is sick, or their parents are facing hardship. In such moments, the boundary between employer and employee ceases to be simple.

Mr. Thanh shared, "Some come to me saying their wife is suffering like this, or their child is ill like that, or their parents are in dire straits. Once I hear them, I cannot turn away."

The teacher asked, "So you help their entire families too?"

Mr. Thanh nodded. "Yes. When compassion is deep, we must reach out our arms to help them all."

These words became the turning point of the conversation. The teacher suddenly realized that this enterprise did not merely pay salaries to five thousand employees. The owner was striving to keep the tens of thousands of lives behind them from breaking apart when crises struck.

Tears flowed down the teacher’s face. Not because of a tragic story, but because it is rare to meet an employer who recognizes responsibility on such a vast scale. The teacher called Mr. Thanh a rare entrepreneur, for he possessed not only business acumen but also ethics, conscience, and a noble ideal of life.

From running a business solely for profit, Mr. Thanh chose to view his company as a place that creates employment and cares for human well-being. Each year, he builds one or two houses for those who have dedicated themselves and contributed to the company. He does not want them to give their working years only to leave empty-handed.

This practice happens steadily year after year, without fanfare. Each roof raised is a lasting result of the shift in the owner’s awareness. Workers are no longer seen merely as labor power to generate profit; they are human beings who deserve respect, love, and a sustainable life.

The teacher described providing stable employment as a great act of generosity. Relief during natural disasters, helping the poor, or giving medicine to the sick are all precious good deeds, but they often occur only at specific moments. A stable job, however, allows workers to feed their families year after year, ensuring their children receive education and their parents are cared for.

The pre-talk conversation ended, but its meaning spread throughout the hall. A true enterprise is not a place where the boss stands above to take everything, nor where workers sell their strength and leave. It is a place where employers and employees support each other, doing good work to create products, services, and contributions to society.

When the purpose of a business changes, profit is no longer the sole destination. It becomes a means to maintain jobs, care for workers, and continue serving the community. Thus, business transcends the scope of a single family or company, becoming a source of life for many homes.

The Meaning of the Story

Creating stable employment and caring for workers is a profound service. An ethical employer does not seek profit only for themselves but views the enterprise as a vehicle to uplift people and contribute long-term to society.

Compiled from the dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang