What would have been the outcome for the company and employees if the owner had been fixated on punishing them? If he had yelled and fired them, it’s likely that they would start to hate him instead of reflecting upon their own negative actions. Then this would spiral into a vicious cycle of harmful thoughts, blame and revenge, whereupon each party despises and tries to hurt the other endlessly.

In truth, most such cases can be avoided if those involved are a bit more generous and broad-minded from the beginning. Even a single thought can alter the entire course of what happens next.

The business owner in this story understood that if you can change the way people think, change their mind, this is always better than just punishing them. He unconsciously entrusted everything to the non-dual foundation, the Buddha-nature, that connects all of us.

People with this kind of faith in their foundation can’t be hurt or overcome by others. Our faith in our foundation causes a spiritual light to grow within the other person, naturally making them repent their wrongdoings and inspiring them to live a new life. We have to entrust things to our foundation just like the owner entrusted the keys and warehouse completely to the two men. Feeling a sense of empowerment and increased job responsibility, they focused their energy and ability on doing it well.

Your foundation, your Buddhanature, is the one that can truly solve everything, so believe in it to the very end. Entrust everything that confronts you in your daily life to your foundation and have steadfast faith. With true faith, you will never waver. Never forget that your fundamental mind, your foundation, is a priceless treasure that embraces everything throughout this world and the universe.

-- Zen Master Daehaeng