Children and youth are the future pillars of Buddhism. The continued development of Buddhism indeed requires the participation of more young people. Let us all pay attention together and support the journey and growth of children and youth in learning the Dhamma.
When the Buddha first met King Pasenadi, He gave this teaching:
"Great King, there are four things in this world that you should not despise –
a young prince should not be despised;
a young dragon or snake should not be despised;
a small flame should not be despised;
and a young novice monk (sāmaṇera) should not be despised!"
The Buddha then explained:
"A prince, though newly born, will grow up to inherit the throne and rule the kingdom. Therefore, even a young prince should not be despised.
A dragon can summon wind and rain – the world's harvest depends on timely rain. When rain comes at the right time, all things flourish; untimely rain or prolonged drought brings disaster. The dragon's power can control the weather and rain, so it should not be despised.
A snake, though small, has venom that can cause death – of course it should not be despised.
A flame, though small, can cause a great fire – a single spark can lead to a massive disaster.
Therefore, even a small flame should not be despised.
And you should not despise a young renunciant – a novice monk. For he, from a young age, delves deeply into the scriptures and can absorb many teachings on awakening. In the future, he will make great contributions to humanity and can teach people to remove the defilements of their minds. Therefore, even a young novice should not be despised – likewise, a young bhikkhu should certainly not be despised!"
After hearing this, the King felt it was very reasonable. He understood that in life, one should not lightly despise others – not only great things but even small things should be given due respect, without any trace of arrogance or negligence.
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