“You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him bananas after death in monkey heaven”

Simplified Meaning:

The quote is highlighting how odd it sounds to make a promise of future rewards in an unseen afterlife. Imagine trying to convince a monkey to give up the banana it has now by telling it that it will get more bananas after it dies. The monkey wouldn’t understand or be convinced because it only thinks about the present and doesn’t grasp the idea of an afterlife or future promises. For example, suppose someone tries to persuade a child to give away their favorite toy now by saying they’ll get an even better toy when they’re much older. The child would likely refuse since they care about what they have right now, not some far-off future. This teaching suggests that sometimes people’s promises of distant, vague rewards don’t work because immediate needs and understandings are more compelling. People can apply this idea by focusing on concrete, present actions and rewards rather than relying on uncertain future promises. In daily life, this could mean showing kindness, honesty, and goodwill now to build trust and relationships, rather than expecting others to wait for uncertain future benefits. This approach values the present and respects immediate needs and understandings.