20150329啟蒙教育‧增長慧命To Nurture Young Children’s Wisdom-life
How does it smell?
Very nice.
What is this vegetable?
Bok Choy.
Do you usually eat this? No. Will you ask your mother to cook this for you? Yes.
We see that teachers in Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool in Singapore help children learn that every piece of vegetable they eat, every slice of bread they want or every bowl of rice they have always takes a lot of hard work by farmers. Seeds have to be planted in the soil, watered constantly and tended to by farmers in order to provide food for us to eat. This is mindful education starting as early as possible so that children can learn where food comes from. This takes a sound methodology in education.
They also help children learn that all living things can’t survive without water because Singapore is also a nation that faces water scarcity. It takes every citizen to help save and cherish water. Look at how they save and cherish water in daily life details. Waste water is recycled by various means and methods as they live in an environment that always lacks water. Therefore, it is very important to educate their next generation to cherish water.
We also see a young girl in Taiwan receiving the same education to love and respect nature and always be grateful.
I need to serve others before serving myself. Which dish would you like?
Up to you.
Like this?
That is enough. Thank you.
We need to finish all the food. Then in the future, we will still have food to eat. If we waste the food, then in the future, we will have no food left.
She believes these foods are bestowed upon us by nature. Therefore, we must cherish these foods.
Farmers, thank you for giving us healthy food and so many delicious vegetables so that we can live a happy life.
She has so much to be grateful for. She thanks her father and mother, and everyone and everything. With such a grateful heart, she also learns to do house chores at home.
Chef, please prepare delicious dishes.
Wait for it to shrink before adding in carrots.
What does “shrink” mean?
Is water coming out? Yes.
Do you like cooking?
I like cooking.
I hear you once cut your hand.
Yes, a lot of blood came out.
Then, why are you still cutting?
I am only a little nervous now.
Wow! How sumptuous!
Who cooked all these dishes?
I did, all by myself.
How did you learn to cook?
My mother taught me when I was little.
When did you start learning to cook?
Three years old.
How old are you now?
Five years old.
Look, she is only five years old. He mother is very wise and trusts her to cut vegetables. She says that she really wants to help with house chores, so her mother stands by and gives her the opportunity. Look at her holding that knife. She cuts smoothly. She was injured once. However, she is very brave and is not afraid. Look, now she can stir fly and create dishes. She has been a vegetarian since she was in her mother’s womb. Meat comes from butchered animals. People stop eating meat. Then, businesses will stop making meat dishes for customers. Then poor animals will not suffer.
Look at such a lively, adorable and wise girl. She also has a very broad heart and a pure mind. Such an adorable girl.There is a boy in Hualien that I mentioned a few days ago who also listens to my morning Dharma talks. He also takes down notes. Sometimes, when he couldn’t write down my talk fast enough, he would draw pictures. In one picture, he drew what I said about the difficulty in cultivation. For ordinary people to attain Buddhahood, it’s like walking a maze. One must have unwavering determination in order to attain Buddhahood.
He couldn’t write down that many words. So, he drew a picture of a maze with many dead ends. One must learn to use wisdom in walking the maze, find a way out, and continue moving forward. at the corners of the maze, he wrote the word “night” to represent extended periods of darkness. In the extended period of darkness one cannot see what is ahead. That’s like ordinary people who cannot see life’s principles.
In some corners, he wrote the word “evil.”“Evil” means afflictions. When ordinary people face afflictions, their minds are like in the extended darkness, not knowing where to go. When we’re not careful, we’ll fall into traps, which are evil places and very dangerous. We need to be very careful in walking the maze and find a way out, which requires learning and knowing very clearly life’s principles.
I give my Dharma talks in Taiwanese, but he is able to draw such a profound concept of walking the arduous path through afflictions and ignorance to reach the state of enlightenment. He could not write it down in words. So, he drew a maze with twists of left and right turns. When one encounters problems and hits a dead end, one must find a way out. At the end of the maze is the state of Buddhahood. This is the realization of an eight- or nine-year-old boy. This is truly touching.
There is another boy, Li-xuan, who had heard about this boy in Hualien and wanted to attend the morning talk too.
Idon’t understand some of what’s said. But, I write down whatever part I can understand and then when I go home, I ask my mom about the unclear parts. Grandmaster said before that as long as we’re mindful, we will definitely be able to understand. He writes down what he can and then asks his mom. He also makes sense of the teaching in his own way. What he comes up with is quite good. He had a good analogy for the meaning of diligence.
Not attached to the warm bed is being diligent in seeking the Dharma. Though only eight years old, he can get the point of the teaching and gain from it. When his mother was troubled, he was able to counsel her and help her to resolve her afflictions. With his pure and innocent heart, he can understand life’s simple truths. This capacity is the enlightened nature everyone inherently has.
So, life is truly deep, profound, and amazing. We can go through our whole lives ignorant and confused, but still have to deal with aging, being ill, death, and life’s unpredictable events. In the process, we develop many inner impurities. But, if we understand life’s truths, we can make use of the life we’ve been given to develop our wisdom-life and soul while dedicating ourselves to serving humankind. We can help and benefit many people. With the same life, we can change others’ lives for the better. How meaningful our life becomes.
首頁 