The Foundation of True Stability

A pale yellow streetlight cast its glow upon Minh’s weary face. He sat alone in a quiet café, his hand unconsciously tracing the rim of an empty cup. Outside, the city bustled with life, but inside him lay a vast emptiness. The quarterly financial report lay open on the table, its red figures glaring like wounds.

Minh was the chief accountant at a large trading company. For fifteen years, he had believed that professional skill, diligence, and honesty would guarantee stability. But now, as the company plummeted due to a regional economic crisis and colleagues were laid off one by one, he began to doubt everything.

"Sir, I heard another firm is hiring a chief accountant with a salary thirty percent higher," the young secretary’s voice echoed in his mind, recalling the offer she had received from a competitor. Minh understood. In these times, everyone thought only of wages and immediate gain. Loyalty? Friendship? Such things seemed like luxuries.

He remembered the words of an elderly teacher: "My child, the economy of a nation is not determined by the talent of one or two individuals, but by the collective merit of every person in society." At the time, he had dismissed this as lofty philosophy, detached from reality. But now, sitting in the silent café, those words struck him with unexpected sharpness.

Minh thought of his boss. A smart and capable man, yet obsessed solely with profit. His employer readily cut employee benefits, demanded excessive overtime, and even shaved off year-end bonuses to boost shareholder returns. "An attitude focused only on profit is a sinful attitude," the teacher had said. And Minh saw it unfolding before his eyes. His boss was exhausting his blessings from merit, and the company was collapsing.

Then he thought of himself. He worked for a salary and out of duty, but deep down, did he truly serve? Or was it merely an exchange of labor for money? He recalled a time when an old friend faced hardship and asked to borrow a small sum. Minh had refused, citing being busy and having no money. In truth, he had the funds but feared they would not be returned. In that moment, he had placed money above human connection.

"It is about merit," the teacher’s voice rang out again. "Merit or sin brings luck or misfortune to people." Minh suddenly understood. The ups and downs in business, the unexpected opportunities or sudden disasters, all stemmed from the karma we create. Merit is built through our attitude toward life and each small action we take.

He pulled out his phone and called his old friend. His voice trembled slightly. "When you asked to borrow money before, I apologize for refusing. Let me transfer it to you now. There is no rush to repay; do so when you are better off." The line went silent for a moment, then his friend’s choked voice replied, "Thank you..."

In that instant, Minh felt a heavy burden lift unexpectedly. He did not know if that small sum would help much, but he knew he had just planted a seed of merit. And that was the only solid foundation upon which to build everything else.

From that day on, Minh changed. He no longer thought only of salaries. He began helping younger colleagues, sharing experience, and listening to their struggles. He proposed small improvements to enhance welfare to his boss, knowing there would be resistance. His boss waved him off: "Don’t make trouble. Keeping your job is lucky enough." But Minh persisted, understanding that every action, however small, accumulates merit.

A year later, Minh’s company still faced many difficulties, but the team was more united. They overcame challenges together, finding creative solutions. Then, a major contract arrived unexpectedly, helping the company stand firm. Minh was unsure if it was "luck" or "merit," but he knew it came from the sincerity and spirit of service within the entire group.

Life remained full of fluctuations, and money continued to rise and fall, but Minh now had a steady anchor within his heart. It was faith in cause and effect (karmic law), and in the power of merit created through each wholesome action, each attitude of sacrifice and service.

The Meaning of the Story

This story illustrates that in an unstable and volatile economy, where factors from currency to human resources depend on one another with nothing fixed, the only solid foundation for individuals and society is merit. Merit is accumulated through an attitude of sacrifice, service, and concern for the common good rather than selfish profit. When each person realizes this and begins to "build the economy by creating merit first," it becomes the foundation for overcoming difficulties and establishing a sustainable economy.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Most Venerable Thich Chan Quang