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The Buddha was still quite young when he attained enlightenment. At that time, the Jetavana Vihara in Sravasti was newly built, and people from all over the city would actively come to attend Dharma talks by the Buddha whenever they heard that he was coming.
One day, King Prasenajit of Sravasti learned that the Buddha had arrived to expound the Dharma. And he thought that a great, enlightened man like the Buddha must be a highly respected elderly man. So he came to the Vihara with such an expectation.
Four things in life one must not look down upon
When King Prasenajit met the Buddha and discovered that the Buddha was still a young man, he started having doubts. He thought, “The Buddha seemed to be only in his thirties. Has he become enlightened to all things in the world?”
So he asked the Buddha frankly, "Buddha, are you enlightened to everything in the world? Can you eliminate all ignorance and doubts in life?"
“Your Majesty, there are four things in life that we must not regard lightly. We cannot underestimate a young prince, dismiss small dragons and snakes, disregard a small flame, and look down on a novice just because he is young,” replied the Buddha.
He further explained: "A newborn prince will inherit the throne and rule the country when he grows up. Therefore, although the prince is young, you must not look down on him. The dragons are able to control the weather. To have favourable weather around the world, timely rain is needed. If the rain comes at the right time, everything in the world will thrive. There will be a disaster if it rains at the wrong time or if it doesn't rain for long. A dragon can control the weather and rain, so it should not be looked down upon. As for the snake, although it may be small, it is venomous, and its venom can kill. Hence, it cannot be underestimated. And, although a small flame may seem harmless, a little spark can cause a major fire disaster. Therefore, a small flame must not be underestimated, too."
“You must also not look down on a young novice monk, because he can understand the Dharma in-depth and assimilate many enlightening principles when he is young. He will be able to make great contributions to mankind in the future as he can guide people to get rid of the afflictions in their minds. So, you must not look down on young novice monks. Likewise, a young Bhikhu must not be looked down upon, too!”
The King found what the Buddha had said made a lot of sense and realised that one must not casually look down on others in life. We should not just pay attention to major things or matters; even minor issues should be given attention, too. And we must not give rise to disdain in our hearts. This was what King Prasenajit did when he first met the Buddha. After the meeting, the King greatly respected the Buddha, and he eventually sought refuge with him and became a great protector of the Dharma.
Have respect for all people and matters
Buddhist practitioners should keep a grateful heart and an equanimous mind, and be respectful towards people and matters, especially the elderly. Be it an elderly person or someone with much experience, we must respect him or her. On the other hand, those who are elderly or are more experienced must not look down on younger people, too. Some elderly people may look down on younger people just because they are more advanced in age and experience. They may like to say, "I have eaten more salt than the rice you have eaten and crossed more bridges than the roads you have travelled." Such a mindset is not good either!
Those who are experienced should care for young people with love, while the old should care for the young like their own children. “We must respect our seniors and care for our juniors” -- This is a moral principle taught by the Buddha.
Extracted from Tzu Chi Taiwan website
Translated by the Tzu Chi Singapore translation team
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