20180709續佛慧命緣不息Making Buddhism Everlasting in This World
I often tell people that every morning when I open my eyes, and find I can stretch my arms and legs, I am grateful. I have been grateful for this for the past 50 years. At that time, Tzu Chi started for just two years. How did I feel in those days? What was my health like in those days?
Actually, I had chest pains all the time in those days. It usually happened before dawn; I would suddenly faint from the pain and woke up again later. The pain was so severe that I lost consciousness. When I regained my consciousness, I would tell myself, “I’m grateful! I am still alive today.
Now after fifty years, my hair is grey and my face is wrinkled. This is my external appearance; my body have certainly deteriorated too. Before the trip this time, I wasn’t sure whether I could make the trip. Could I give speeches? Could I walk steadily by myself?
I wasn’t sure about these at all. But the love of Tzu Chi volunteers has boosted my energy greatly. I also feel that, as time passes by each second, when it accumulated, we have a group of volunteers wholeheartedly give of themselves to Tzu Chi’s missions and for the world.
They have followed me for all this time; I have only one wish, which is to make Buddhism everlasting in this world, open up the Bodhisattva Path, and pave it smooth. So this time, I insisted on making this trip.
I want to know whether our Jing Si Dharma lineage has been passed on. In the past, we have been so dedicated in working for Buddhism and for all living beings. It’s hard to count how many we have helped.
I see how our volunteers practice my teachings in communities with everything they do. The moment they started the Tzu Chi Path, they’ve aspired to serve the world. Every step they take has the Dharma in it. What they aim to do is open the Bodhisattva Path with their action inch by inch that every second.
Tzu Chi volunteers have devoted much time in broadening the Bodhisattva Path; they are the ones making the effort. I only guide them with words. The path is paved with everyone’s effort; it’s paved solidly with the Dharma.
Everyone is mindful in following Tzu Chi’s principles. Coming to Taoyuan, I always hear stories of Tzu Chi volunteers looking after one another. You have indeed cared for the elderly and inspired the young. The caring affection between fellow volunteers moves me a lot.
So, Tzu Chi volunteers are living bodhisattvas with enlightened love. With this enlightened love, we can work together and relieve sufferings in the world.I heard that for the Buddha Day celebration, besides the local ceremonies, volunteers also set up a ceremonial table on a truck that went around the community for 12 days.
It gave more peoplethe opportunity to encounter the Buddha’s teachings and helped them open up their mind and get rid of their afflictions and ignorance. It helps people to see the correct path in the world so that they can live their life with a clear mind, know what to do, and how to interact with others. I heard the story of a volunteer named A-Cai, who has suffered for decades because of her son.
Tzu Chi volunteer Lin A-Cai, “My son is 41 years old. He started smoking in senior high school. When he was in two-year college, besides smoking, he started to drink, gamble, and go to nightclubs. He also started to chew betel nuts.
He had the habit of chewing betel nuts for over twenty years. He spent over NT$1,000 on betel nuts every day. I’m his human ATM. Last year, the pathological report indicated that he had terminal oral cancer.
On April 1, a sore appeared in his mouth. Fluid started to come out from the sore, and it gave off a foul odor. From the middle of April to the beginning of May, the sore grew bigger and began to look like a human face.
I told my son, “ It is too late for you to just live in peace with the sore. Instead, you need to apologize to it.” I told him the story of Dharma Master Wu Da. The endless bad Karma is really horrible. I told my son, “If you don’t apologize, it will not forgive you.
The pain that my son suffersis beyond imagination. With the help of morphine injections, pain medications, and patches, he can get some sleep for an hour. But after he wakes up, the pain continues.
He has suffered so much that I don’t have the heart to scold him. I just hope that he can go peacefully. I do not complain about taking care of my son. I do it willingly because Master has taught us that acceptance makes us suffer less. Acceptance can turn bad karma of the past into good karma.
She has supported her son financially, and has been taking care of him since he got cancer. She has suffered so much for the past year. As the Buddha taught us, “the body is unclean. Once the karmic retribution manifests, suffering starts.
The law of karma indicates that doing good deeds will bring about blessings. We should be truly mindful. Since the time of the Buddha; people have been taught to walk the Bodhisattva Path.
But in modern times, have people reduced their afflictions? No, because the world is not yet peaceful and safe. We see problems such as refugees, including climate refugees. Refugees are being displaced because of climate change or man-made disasters.
A lot of people are suffering in the world. So, as living bodhisattvas, we should strengthen our Dharma lineage and keep passing on our spirit and values to younger generations, while giving them support.
This is for our wisdom-life, for the benefit of the future generations, and the world. For our wisdom-life, we have to support the younger generations. We should make the best use of our time and keep forming good affinities with others.
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