The Golden Lamp: The Experienced Person

The afternoon light spread evenly across the wooden floor, and a small candle on the wooden table still flickered, giving off the gentle fragrance of agarwood essential oil. Mr. Than sat there, facing a man of about sixty, his hair touched with silver, but his eyes still bright and keen. It was the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, and the spring wind outside still carried the gentle coolness of the first days of the year, yet inside this small room, the atmosphere was strangely quiet and solemn.

Mr. Than was an elderly man with white hair, but everyone said he "refused to grow old." He still liked wearing colorful shirts, still remembered his old military dance moves, and whenever he heard disco music, he would sway along just like before. The children in the neighborhood often called him "the young old man" because of his playful, active nature. In contrast, the man sitting across from Mr. Than was completely different. That was Mr. Lam, a close friend from childhood, but now Mr. Lam looked old before his time. His hair had turned completely white, his eyes had grown dim, and every step he took was slow and careful. Mr. Lam had a habit of trusting people too easily, and because of this, he had encountered no small amount of trouble in his life.

Today, Mr. Lam came to Mr. Than's house to unburden his heart. He sat down, looked down at his own hands, and said softly: "Than, I'm facing a big problem. Someone invited me to buy land, saying it could yield a thousandfold return. It seemed so reasonable to me, but I'm afraid. I'm afraid because last time I was also cheated out of a large sum of money. I don't know what to do."

Hearing this, Mr. Than slowly poured a cup of tea, handed it to Mr. Lam, and said: "Lam, you are not yet old."

Mr. Lam was surprised: "Not old? But I'm already sixty!"

Mr. Than smiled: "Sixty means advanced in years, but not necessarily old. Old here means mature, seasoned with life experience. Do you see? The moment someone invited you to buy land, you believed right away, tempted by profit. That is lacking life experience. A truly mature person, upon hearing of some gain, remains calm, skeptical, and thoughtful. They do not subjectively trust their own thoughts, but always guard against the possibility that things may fail."

Mr. Lam listened, and his eyes gradually brightened. He remembered the last time, when someone introduced him to a "super-profitable" investment, he had believed immediately and put his money in. In the end, he lost everything. Now, hearing Mr. Than's advice, he began to understand.

"So what should I do?" Mr. Lam asked, his voice full of anxiety.

Mr. Than replied: "Do not trust your own thoughts. Guard against the possibility that fifty percent of the time, things will fail. And if they fail, what will you have left to live on? Is there a way to retreat? That is what it means to be truly mature. A mature person is not merely advanced in years, but possesses strength of character, knows how to restrain their emotions, and can easily forgive and empathize with the mistakes of others, because they themselves have made mistakes."

Mr. Lam nodded, then slowly recounted an old memory: "Remember when we were young, I had a habit of stealing little things. Back then, I only secretly picked mangoes from the neighbor's tree, but gradually, it became a habit. It was not until I grew up that I realized it was a bad habit that needed correcting. Fortunately, a good teacher advised me, explaining cause and effect (karmic law) to me, and I was able to change."

Mr. Than smiled: "You see, precisely because you once made mistakes, you are able to forgive and empathize with others. That is what a mature person is like: seeing the faults of others but not hating them, instead finding ways to help them correct those faults."

The conversation lasted until late afternoon. As the sun began to set, Mr. Lam stood up, looking at Mr. Than with grateful eyes: "I understand now. I will try to change. Thank you."

Mr. Than nodded and smiled: "Do not thank me. Thank life for giving you experience. And remember, an old person is not someone advanced in years, but someone with wisdom, strength of character, and a generous heart."

After Mr. Lam left, Mr. Than sat alone, looking out the window. The spring wind still blew gently, carrying the faint scent of peach blossoms. He smiled, thinking to himself: "In this life, everyone wishes to stay young forever, but in truth, a person's value lies not in their age, but in the maturity of their soul."

The Meaning of the Story

Through this story, Venerable Thich Chan Quang wishes to convey the message that being "old" is not a matter of age, but of maturity in life experience, strength of character, and wisdom. A person who is truly "old" is one who remains calm before every tempting offer, does not subjectively trust their own thoughts, knows how to restrain their emotions, and can easily forgive and empathize with the mistakes of others, because they themselves have made mistakes. That is the quality of a noble one, a bodhisattva, and also of a person mature in life.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang.