20150829發揮潛能心富足 Bringing Out the Potential to be a Living Bodhisattva
Ten years ago on this date, August 29, 2005, the U.S. was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, which caused a very severe disaster. For that disaster relief in the U.S., it was truly very difficult. Just to deliver Tzu Chi mobile clinic vehicle from California to Texas took more than 40 hours on the road, not to mention the challenge at that time to negotiate for an authorization to enter the shelter area.
However, once we were allowed in, our service produced so many heartwarming and touching stories that were too many to recount now as we review our history. Life is full of impermanence and suffering. However, there is also love in this world that is very heartwarming. On this date in the history, we are full of fond memories. To have a heartwarming nation, we need people who are loving and caring.
As long as people care with love, society will be harmonious and the world will be peaceful. In Malaysia, there’s an old woman in her 80s living alone without a family and suffers in poverty and hardship. Her house had a leaking roof and was filled with useless items everywhere. Tzu Chi volunteers have cared for her and tried to persuade her to accept help from volunteers to clean up her house, dispose these useless items and repair her house to give her a more comfortable living space.
However, no matter how hard they tried, she refused stubbornly. Finally, volunteers convinced her. That took a lot of time and a lot of effort. Look at how happy she is now. Tzu Chi volunteers ask for nothing but to see this old lady smile and joyfully allow volunteers to clean up her house, so that she can live in a comfortable and clean place. To see this old lady healthy and happy is what Tzu Chi volunteers ask for and nothing else.
Therefore, having love in this world makes for a wonderful life. There are too many cases, which I’m unable to describe them all, like this lonely elderly woman living by herself without people caring for her, but we cannot find them because we don’t have the karmic affinity to encounter them.
However, this elderly woman comes with blessings in her life. Her fate has connected her with Tzu Chi volunteers. Therefore, volunteers have been patiently helping and guiding her. Eventually, causes and condition ripened for them to open her heart and turn her life from being filled with hardship to joy. Now, her come is clean. Now she is happy to see Tzu Chi volunteers. This is how, whatever we do, our intention is to give of ourselves selflessly.
This is what makes a living bodhisattva most responsive to the needs of people. Of course, we must also believe in the law of karma, which is the Dharma. The Buddha taught us that we must not cultivate only to benefit ourselves but to also help others, so that we benefit both ourselves and others. In this way, people who are in suffering can receive help from their wholesome friends, who are living bodhisattvas.
Yet, for volunteers to practice the Dharma, there must exist karmic affinities. We see a Tzu Ching in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She suffers from severe scoliosis, an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. However, she is truly brave in facing her illness. She has been diagnosed with the illness since she was very young. The condition of her physical deterioration cannot be avoided, yet, she does not give in easily.
With my legs getting weakened, I have to exert more strength in my hands to support myself. When my legs and hands hurt at the same time, I’d have difficulties with the most basic movements, such as changing seats. When this happens, the quality of my life would go straight down. This makes me realize that life is truly impermanent, and I really have to seize time to do what I really want to do. What do you really want to do?
I want to be a Tzu Chi volunteer. Grandmaster has taught us that although life can be a real suffering, as long as we can nurture our compassion with Great Love to give of ourselves to serve others, our life will an abundant one.
She is truly a brave one, not only physically but also spiritually. She wants to be like other volunteers.Though she is not as physically mobile as others, her potential and willingness to do good is the same as others. Therefore, she has the karmic affinity to join Tzu Chi and do volunteer work.
Another volunteer in Taiwan used to live a deluded life, indulged in drinking and seeking pleasure. He used to have a well off job. However, his past life style caused his family to break up. His wife left him. He was left with his son. He used to live for drunken glory. Then suddenly, he had a stroke and made him feel the impermanence in life. He began to watch Da Ai TV and was very moved by the real life stories in the Da Ai Drama series.
In addition, his wholesome friends began to show up and introduced him to Tzu Chi. That was how he encountered Tzu Chi. Volunteering Tzu Chi now, he says that he repents for his past wrongs, and he wants to live a real life by contributing to society. With his left hand, he takes care of himself without depending on others.
This shows that a change in life’s value can transform a person. Mr. Su has turned his life around. He is only in his 50s and still has many years ahead. Therefore, he cherishes his health and does volunteer work using his functioning side of the body. He also has a very complete Buddha nature because he areas for Mother Nature and joins the rank of living bodhisattvas.
This truly shows that the power of love can change a person’s life. He treats the recycling station as his home and Tzu Chi volunteers as his relatives. This is transformed life.
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