SIMPLE LIFE

SIMPLE LIFE

SIMPLE LIFE

A Vietnamese famous zen master, tells a story about the awareness of protecting the life's natural by ethnic minority that he has been experienced. The content of story as following: In 1951, the zen master went in remote mountain areas in Dai Lao, Lam Dong province, Vietnam with a few monks, to build meditation center. Because  unfamiliar terrain and working related to construction of the monastery, so zen master asked some people’s help. Ethnic people were be hired, who to work very hard. Monks were very grateful for their assistance. But after three days working, they did not come back. Because there were no helping from them, construction had stalled. The zen master sought and asked why they did not come to help. They said: " Why do we have to go back so soon? You, monks have paid enough money for our living in a month. We will return when we run out of money to buy rice."

Many people criticized this custom of the ethnic people. They say ethnic people are lazy people. They argue that the ethnic people will live a happy life and more comfortable, if they work hard. But the zen master appreciated the wisdom of the people. This is the life wisdom, perspective of life is good than those who are fully immersed in comfort and wealth.

The ethnic people live simple life. They do not store much food, no bank account. But they are full serene and peaceful. Meanwhile, we have to worrying to find happiness and enjoyment facilities. Some people always think they need more houses, more land to have a happy life; one floors house in the city to drive to work, a villa in the countryside for relaxing and few pieces of land for protecting the life. In fact, if you own a luxury home, we rarely have time to enjoy them. Even if you have time, many people do not know how to sit peacefully. Some people always find moments of serenity through the party in restaurants, theaters, dinner, or summer vacation, winter break, but actually makes our more tired.

Today, we go to a cafe or for work, business projects, or simply we're sad. Have few people go to a cafe to sit, with feeling ourself enjoying in delicious cup of coffee that we are there. We own a house barely had time to live in that house. We left home early in the morning after a meal quickly and rushed to the work office. Out of office hours, we came home with a fatigued state; dinner, watch the news, go to bed and must get to up early next tomorrow to work. Otherwise, the ethnic people live with peaceful in bamboo houses thatched with palm leaves and wash clothes by hand. They refuse to slave of modern life. But they do not have to spend time and money to take care of stress illness.

The ethnic people grow vegetable for food for family and exchange with others. The ethnic people do not harm nature. They use wood to build enough housing, clearing enough land for planting. By simple lifestyle, they do not devastate natural resources, do not pollute the air, water and soil. The over exploitation of natural resources, must be fined by the regulations of the village. Today, the modern people must learn beauty’s lifestyle from ethnic people.

We're always thinking of ways to enrich ourselves and consume but do not think about the environmental damaging. We're going on a boat on the planet. If not try to help the boat, then we will be submerged by flood, stormy...

Economic growth is necessary to bring welfare for people, but excessive growth rate compared with the rate of environmental destruction synonymous with failure. We are part of nature, harm the natural means to harm ourselves.

Let's learn many things from the simple life of the ethnic minority people, to have a beautiful future!

HOANG PHUOC DAI ( Dong An )