After practicing Buddhism for less than a week, James lost his job.

He told his tale of woe to a Buddhist senior (who was Japanese).

The senior remarked: “Congratulations!”

James thought that senior didn’t understand what he was trying to say. So he told the senior: “Getting fired is a bad thing. It is not something that deserves congratulation.”

The senior explained: “When something bad happens, you can make something good out of it by chanting and taking action. So, congratulations!”

James still didn’t think that the senior understood his predicament, so he went home and chanted.

“How could losing a job be a good thing?” he wondered as he chanted. “Maybe I will find a better job.” “Nobody will pay me what I’m worth, though,” he thought.

That weekend he went to a Native American Pow-wow. One of the tables displayed silver and turquoise jewelry. James picked up a ring and asked the vendor: “How much for the ring?”

The vendor said: “$10.”

“What if I bought 10 rings?”

The vendor answered: “$6 each.”

James knew that he could sell these rings for $35 each.

He started his own business.

He remarked: “If I hadn’t lost that job 37 years ago, I might still be stuck in New Jersey with a job that didn’t pay me what I am worth. Now I can travel the world and tell others about Nam Myoho-renge-kyo, and I am always paid what I am worth.”
 
 
 

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