Love yourself, love people - Love people, love yourself.

In the Sayuttara Nikāya - volume V - Part V. Maha-vagga, chapter III - Sayutta Nikāya, item 2 - Nalanda, sutta no. IX, there is a very good story about mutual support:

1) At one time, Lord Buddha was dwelling among the Sumbha people, in Desaka, a town of the Sumbha people.

2) There the Lord Buddha called the bhikkhus and said:

"Once, bhikkhus, an acrobat with a bamboo tree who had erected a bamboo tree, said to a disciple named Medakathālikā: "Come, Medakathālikā, climb on the bamboo and stand on my shoulders" -- "Sir, yes". bhikkhus, the disciple Medakathālikā obeyed the acrobat on, climbed the bamboo, and stood on his teacher's shoulder.

3) Then, bhikkhus, the acrobat on a bamboo, said to his disciple Medakathālikā: "Medakathālikā, you uphold me and I will support you. Thus, we protect each other, support each other, perform acts, reap profits, and climb down the bamboo safely."

4) When he heard this, the disciple Medakathālikā said to the acrobat on a bamboo tree: "Master, it should not be so. Master, it should be thus: You should help yourself and I will help myself. Thus, we protect ourselves, support ourselves, perform the acts, reap the benefits, and climb down the bamboo safely. It's logical (nāyo) to do".

5) The Lord Buhhda said:

- Bhikkhus, as the disciple Medakathālikā said to his master: "I will help myself", that is mindfulness that must be practiced. Bhikkhus, "We will uphold others", that is mindfulness that must be practiced. While helping ourselves, bhikkhus, it is upholding others. While upholding others, it is helping ourselves.

6) And how, bhikkhus, Why is it said that helping ourselves is upholding others? It is by studying (āsevanāya), by practicing (bhāvanāya), by fulfillment. Thus, bhikkhus, while helping oneself, one is upholding others.

7) And how, bhikkhus, Why is it said upholding others is helping oneself? It is patience, harmlessness, loving-kindness, compassion. Thus, bhikkhus, while helping oneself, one is upholding others.

8) Monks, 'I will help myself', that is mindfulness of the foundations to be practiced. Monks, "I will uphold others", that is mindfulness of the foundations to be practiced. While helping oneself, bhikkhus, it is upholding others. While upholding others, it is helping yourself.

Through the sutta, in short, there are only 2 main ideas, "to help yourself is to uphold others" and "to uphold others is to help yourself". That is we practice mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna) in two forms:

a. By studying (āsevanāya), by practicing (bhāvanāya), by fulfillment.

b. By patience (khanti), by harmlessness, by loving-kindness (metta), by compassion.

Understand that we study and practice Dharma so that mindfulness and awareness develop in the body, thereby creating a safe field for ourselves and others.

We are patient, aim at harmless love, and promote compassion for the suffering of others, which will create a peaceful sky for others and for ourselves.

Regularly practicing these two aspects, life will be less tiring, less troublesome, less painful from relationships whether people honor or humiliate you. Although it is very difficult, it takes practice. Your future you decide!

Tâm Cung

Translated into English by Huynh Thi Minh Trang