20150408 節省資源．乘願而行 Cherishing Water and Nourishing Our Minds with the Dharma
See how extreme climate conditions have become, especially how imbalanced the element of water is. In the U.S., mandatory water restrictions have been imposed in California. Here in Taiwan, the government has also started water rationing with five days regular supply followed by two days of water cuts every week. This is how drought has affected people. So, teachers at our kindergarten in Dalin have come up with ways to guide children to use water sparingly---
Suring a school day, every child can use only a bottle of water. My son is restless. So, he spilled half bottle of his water. He cried and said that he wouldn’t have enough water for the day. His classmates were very nice and lent him water. So, he made it through the day. A few days later, he excitedly told me that he’d paid water back to his classrooms. At first, I thought this activity was a bit cruel to kindergarteners. But Taiwan will start water rationing soon.
By then, there’ll be days when people don’t have water to use and nowhere to borrow water like my son did. This is how we should educate children with wisdom. In times of drought, how are we to make the best use of water? This is what everyone should think about. For decades, I’ve been reminding everyone to cherish water. Now that we’re short of water, can we not work harder to encourage everyone to cherish water and use it sparingly?
As we’re suffering from water shortages, a fire broke out at a timer mill in Yilan on Monday evening. The local government quickly responded to the disaster, and so did our Tzu Chi volunteers. The first brought care to those affected and then set up a service station to provide hot meals and emergency cash to people. See how they put their hands on people’s hearts to comfort them. This is how our volunteers usually give with love in times of disaster. In every community of our society, there should be people giving with love like this.
Such love for people is like the water of Dharma for our minds. We’re now experiencing a drought. And just like how all living things, we need the water of Dharma to nourish the fields of our minds. If our minds are too dry, the fire of ignorance will be ignited and rage within. That’s why we need the water of Dharma to moisten our minds. See how our volunteers in Jakarta, Indonesia get up early to listen to my Dharma talk. One of them is a Muslim who highly affirms Tzu Chi’s contribution to her society.
I want to learn the Dharma to cultivate myself because what Master teaches is not just about treating one another with love and compassion, but also about caring for all living beings and the Earth. This is what people of all religions should do. My teachings do not conflict with her religion, and at the same time she can even walk the Tzu Chi path to benefit humanity. Our volunteers in Malaysia are also very diligent. See how they attend study groups and practice sign language to prepare for a sutra adaptation in July.
They encourage one another and are resolved to perform well. I have breast cancer, but I’ve had electrotherapy. So, that’s not a problem. There’s no need to think about my illness. Blessed are those who can give. Life is priceless. Yesterday, the body of Qiu-piao, our volunteer in Tainan, was brought to Hualien as it’s her wish to become a body donor. Qiu-piao and her husband, Mr. Zhang, joined Tzu Chi together in 1990 and were both certified in 1991. They walked the Bodhisattva Path together and shared the same conviction.
Over six years ago, Qiu-piao was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Since then, she’d been very brave in her battle with cancer. During this period of time, whenever I went to Tainan, she’d come to see me. She always looked very beautiful. Every time, she’d comfort me, and to ease my worry, she was always neatly dressed in our uniform. Even when her condition was critical and her husband happened to have Tzu Chi’s work to do, she’d tell him, “I cannot go with you so you have to do my share of work for me.
Don’t worry. Our son will take care of me.” Her son is truly very thoughtful and gives his full support to his parents in doing Tzu Chi’s work. Qiu-piao’s illness had never become an obstacle to her husband in volunteering with Tzu Chi. Be it international relief or other Tzu Chi events, she never held him back, but even encouraged him to go. She passed away peacefully yesterday morning. She had a wish, which was to donate her body to our Tzu Chi University for medical education.
At first, everyone was worried if she could donate because fluid had built up in her body and she might not be qualified. Eventually, she could donate her body as she wished. Yesterday, her body was brought to Hualien. After everything was taken care of her family came to the Abode to see me. Such is life. She was a good disciple of mine. She’d taken the Dharma to heart, so she could be at ease with life and death, and so were her family. Seeing that, my mind is also set at ease.
Although death is an inevitable part of life, I’m still very grieved at her passing. In my mind, I can still see how beautiful and radiant she was. Let us give her our best wishes. Ay she be reborn to a family of bodhisattvas.
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