“Nyam!”- The Scaffolding…….

“Nyam!”- The Scaffolding…….

In Myanmar, it can be learnt today that there are many different concepts on ‘Scaffolding’. And we also need to analyse on these concepts- how do we see or how do we think of it?  We see some people easily talk and do it. So no sooner had they become successful in their work than they insulted their boss and neglected the gratitude of their boss as they thought that the scaffolding must be destroyed after the pagoda was completed.

These existed in the history of Myanmar. Narapatae, who became the king because of minister Rajasakyan, disliked a word of Rajasakyan which was told him, and asked the minister, “Minister, what to do after the pagoda is finished?”, and he answered, “After it is finished, the scaffolding must be destroyed.” Then, the king  dismissed him from his post and sentenced him to leave the country to Dala region. So some groups of people, who like this, found a word to offend their benefactors learning that: “The scaffolding must be discarded after the pagoda is being completed”.

The subject of comparison and the object of comparison mainly depend on the doers. Today, these comparisons are being used as they like. Anything will not be fine if these comparisons do not agree with each other. Again and again we should ask ourselves. And it is essential to carefully analyse ourselves that what we want to be, if we want to destroy the scaffolding, or if we want to climb up to a higher place using the scaffolding.

For those who want to help the world like the scaffolding, they must seek for the welfare of the people to be able to help them. For being ourselves the scaffolding to help the people, if we hear or see some of them become successful, some become fame and wealthy, and some are appointed in the respectively ranks, we must be content, glad and proud of them. For I helped them, for I worked for them, they became achievers. But they don’t care me, now. So I will let them know what I am- such thoughts of proud saying bad and doing bad are totally not good. And we also should not be rude to gratitude of the people with the phrase ‘discarding the scaffolding after the pagoda is completed’. Because being their lives as the scaffolding, they help, support, teach and guide us so that we can rise to the top.

We should not use the phrase ‘deleting the scaffolding after the pagoda is completed’ as we wish. We need to clearly see pagoda and the scaffolding. The definition of Nyam, the ‘scaffolding’ in Myanmar dictionary is a set of poles and boards that is temporarily built into a structure for the high buildings for workers to stand on. It is also defined as dependent, reliable or tradition. The scaffolding is not essential for a small building, but, for big and high buildings, it is essential. Only with a help of scaffolding, some works can be finished. Just like this, for one’s success, we need supporting and help like the scaffolding in the world. For example, we can see if we learn about successful persons. There are no successful persons without supporting of scaffolding. There are parents, teachers and friends who give us literature, advice and some supporting that we need. The gratitude always will be for those who know and see it. To know the gratitude needs to be learnt. As here goes a Burmese saying, ‘don’t kick your rice pot!’, we have to try not to include in those who neglect the gratitude. The one who disrespects the gratitude never succeeds. If he succeeds, his success will not be longer existence. Sooner or later he will have to face with lost and destruction. Many of such things were also in the Jataka stories.

When the would-be-Buddha’s life was a king monkey, sacrificing its life, it rescued a hunter fallen down in the well. When the hunter reached out of the well, his mind changed. He did not learn that the king monkey, sacrificing its life as a scaffolding, compassionately saved his life so that he could escape and live. But he tried to kill the monkey that was being exhausted as it picked him up, hitting its head with the stone because he thought that he would not go back without any prey for the main dish. But the mindful king monkey climbed up the tree. Even though the king monkey was in the tree, when the hunter asked it to direct him the way as he was lost, for his potentials, it guided him without any hesitating jumping from trees to trees asking him to follow his blood falling down from its head. The king monkey completely helped him till he reached his destination. For Devadatta whose mind looks like ‘discarding the scaffolding after the pagoda is completed’, the earth opened and he was swallowed up in hell called Avici as he attempted to disrespect and kill his master.

Majority of Myanmar people favour rather personal than Dhamma when they listen to Dhamma-talks. This is not a good character. For favouring personal, they have not developed ‘Insight’ and they only say ‘Well-done!’ after listening to the Dhamma when it comes to an end that Devadatta disrespected the Buddha. They hate Devadatta and feel pity on the Buddha. Because of wrong approach, majority runs in the bad circle of hate, grudge, dislike and being no excuse. In fact, the Buddha wants us to see and learn the Dhamma from the heart. We need to search the answer why Devadatta dare to commit to kill his master. Because of bearing the evil in his mind from his previous lives, and continuing dishonesty in the present life as well, he could not see wrong or right. Neglecting the masters as master, and learning to discard the scaffolding after the pagoda is completed, the masters were disrespected. We have to carefully check ourselves if we have the evil, dishonesty, and lies that Devadatta practised. If we find these impurities, they must be deleted. If we do not delete them, it is clear that we will be evil men like Devadatta.

What kind of Dhamma in ourselves- good or bad? We need to carefully analyse it. If good Dhamma is found, then continue to develop it. Destroy bad Dhamma and bear the good one. Then try to develop other’s life to be higher state step by step, and to be more and more valued. And for those who became successful because of the masters, do not disrespect them. But respect them as much as possible in gratitude of what they have done. The good people who think their lives as scaffolding want to do for the potentials of others only, so truthful scaffolding will leave the place by itself. No one needs to ask it to leave.

Translated by Nay Nyo Chan (Takkatho) from the original source of King Zero’s ‘Nyam!’- The Scaffolding…..