Philosophical Sayings About Worldly Matter (LXVI66)

Minor things are useful. Do not give them up because of their insignificance or defects. Why? Because defects exist side by side with merits. The right thing to do is to make the best use of a thing’s merits and ignore its defects. Bulky logs can be used

as material for buildings and ships, but they are unfit to fuel a cooking stove. For cooking fuel you need small pieces of firewood or you go hungry.

(This is a translation of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu’s philosophical sayings about worldly matters originally written in Chinese.)

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Below is not an official translation, just for reference

Even Minor Talents Deserve Positions — Why Is That So? Because everything in the world is a blend of advantages and disadvantages. If we dismiss someone with minor talent or refuse to use someone who has both abilities and flaws, then we will never be able to accomplish all that needs to be done well in this world and reap benefits from it. Therefore, when undertaking any task, even if mistakes are made, we should learn from those errors and accumulate valuable experience. Likewise, a person with shortcomings can still be utilized for their strengths. Drawing from what is good and beneficial — that is the best strategy.

For example, a large tree can be used as the main beam of a building or as the keel and deck of a ship. Its uses are many and significant, and it is certainly right to make full use of it. However, we also need small pieces of wood. Without small kindling, we cannot cook rice or boil water. Large timber cannot fit into the stove to make fire. If there is no fire, meals cannot be prepared, and we would have nothing to eat. Therefore, small talents serve small uses, and great talents serve great purposes — all must be employed appropriately. This is the way of a wise and discerning person.