Why cram, not cram?

Begging for mercy/protection/help only when necessary ―― asking for help at the last minute.

Cramming at the last minute is a common saying, which means that you are not prepared at ordinary times, and you should be in a hurry to deal with it or ask for help.

This proverb was introduced to China by foreigners in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

In ancient times, there was a small country founded by foreigners in southern Yunnan. The people of this small country are all Buddhists who believe in Sakyamuni.

Once, a criminal sentenced to death broke the chains and wooden shackles in the middle of the night and escaped from prison. The next morning, the government found it and sent troops to hunt it down everywhere. After a day and a night of escape, the criminal was exhausted. Seeing the pursuer approaching, he knew he couldn't escape, so he bumped into an ancient temple. There is a sitting statue of Sakyamuni in this temple. The Buddha statue is extremely tall. When the criminal saw the Buddha statue, he felt remorse in his heart, hugged the feet of the Buddha statue, burst into tears, and constantly kowtowed to show remorse. While kowtowing, the criminal kept saying, "Buddha is merciful, I know I am guilty, and I ask to be shaved as a monk." From now on, I will never do evil again! " "In a short time, his head was broken and his body was covered with blood.

Just then, the pursuer arrived. Seeing this, the soldiers were moved by the criminals' sincere belief in Buddhism and sincere repentance, so they sent people to inform the government and ask for forgiveness. Hearing this, the government did not dare to decide and immediately told the king. The king believed in Buddhism, pardoned the criminal's capital crime, and let him enter the temple to shave his hair and become a monk.

Later, some monks from this country went to China to spread Buddhism and brought this story and the idiom "spoon-feeding Buddha" to China.