ห้องสมุดธรรมอิสระ

Complete one’s tasks. Do not procrastinate.

June 15, 2021

Completing one’s task without procrastination means whenever one works on any project, one must try to do it neatly till completion.

Work here actually means both inside and outside works.

Outside works include burdens or tasks initiated by oneself or assigned by others. One must work on them enthusiastically, quickly, promptly, concisely, and neatly.

Inside works must be done at every breath. For example, one must attempt to purify one’s mind, release one’s mind from defilement, cleanse one’s mind, and practice one’s mind to be purified at every breath.

However, in this chapter, Lord Buddha did not mention about inside works, but he mentioned it in next chapters when it entered the process of mind development.

This chapter focuses on outside works with four principles given by Lord Buddha as follows.

1. Passion or satisfaction towards one’s work

No matter how difficult or easy, big or small, humble or noble, one must work on it with passion.

2. Diligence

One must try to do one’s best.

3. Attentiveness

One must pay attention and focus on that work with one’s heart.

4. Investigation

One must use one’s wisdom to thoroughly review and consider the best methods to complete that task. Then, excellent outcome will naturally follow.

Even though we have excellent way to work, but we must do it appropriately according to era, occasion, persons, and personal status.

People with following six characteristics are not successful in their works.

1. Addicted to alcohol and all kinds of narcotics

2. Always waste time with night life

3. Enjoy and keep traveling to watch entertainment

4. Addicted to gambling. It is said that being robbed ten times or one’s property’s burnt on fire for hundred times is not as perilous as losing from gambling one time

5. Associate with bad people and being misled by bad people

6. Lazy to work

Lazy people normally claim of cool weather to get more sleep or hot weather to get more rest. Or, the sun is setting, one had better stop working. Or, it is still morning. Let’s do it later. Or, one feels so hungry. Let’s find something to eat or to drink first.

The above six characteristics are negative for works and hinder one’s professional development and cause delay and damage on works.

If employer is aware of even one negative characteristic, they would not hire that person.

Five characteristics of good worker

1. Start working early

2. Finish working late

3. Do not grasp anything employers do not give

4. Always diligently complete one’s tasks

5. Talk positively about employer to the public

Once employers have got workers with the five good characteristics, they should promote the good employees as follows.

1. Assign works according to employees’ knowledge and capability

2. Give salary and reward appropriately according to ability and performance

3. Take care of employees’ quality of life

4. Share what employers have with employees appropriately

5. Give employees time for relaxation

Completing one tasks has ten good benefits as follows.

1. Promoting one’s social status, family, and country

2. Receiving happiness

3. Self-reliance

4. Easily make other merits and good deeds

5. One stays firmly as cautious person.

6. One prevents oneself from the four states of misery after death

7. One will live in blissful state after death

8. One will acquire decent habits for next lives

9. One will be praised by the public.

This is the most auspicious factor in one’s life.

Buddha Isara