Focus on your work!

Once upon a time, there were two boys who looked after a herd of sheep. One day they were looking after a herd of sheep together. Unfortunately, their sheep wandered away and they lost them. They went back home without any sheep. When they got home, they were asked why the sheep were lost. The first one said, “I was focusing on reading my book, so that’s how I lost the sheep ”. The second one said, “I was busy with my homework that the teacher gave me, so that’s how I lost the sheep.” Then they were blamed and told off for loosing the sheep as they had not been focusing on their work.

In the story, the two boys were both doing good things; one was reading his book and the other did his homework. These were good activities, but they did them at the wrong time. They were supposed to be doing one thing, but focused on another. This story reminds us that when we work, we must focus on the work which we are doing. We should not focus on any other work. If we do, we will be like the two boys who lost their sheep. Therefore, we should focus on the task in front of us; otherwise we may lose something more precious in our life.

If we focus on our job in the here and now, we will not lose anything. On the contrary, we will do a 100 % perfect job. It is worth trying, isn’t it?

~Dhammacaro in Buddhapadipa temple (9 May 2010)