Philosophical Sayings About Worldly Matter (XXVIII)

One owes one’s success to external factors that tap one’s potential. A solitary piece of wood by itself can never make a house, and it takes meticulous processing to reveal the beauty of

jade stones.

(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.

A person who has real skills and knowledge only has the internal foundation of becoming a talent. Without the assistance of external factors, it is absolutely impossible for them to become a talent, and it will not be beneficial to mankind. Therefore, after we understand this truth, we must know first is that the success of a talent is only one-sided with internal factors. It still needs the help of external factors. It's just like how a piece of wood, no matter how good it is, must be processed by craftsmen. And then, with many materials together, it is able to build a tall building.

Another example is a piece of rough jade. Even if it is a very good piece of jade, if it is not taken to a senior craftsman to carve it into a fine work of art, it will still be a piece of raw stone in the end. That is useless. This is called the truth of talent.