20180902三輪體空清淨施 Giving with the Spirit of the Empty Nature of the Three Aspects of Giving
Tzu Chi volunteers have been walking the Bodhisattva Path for more than 50 years giving of themselves without asking anything in return. Everyone is very happy doing Tzu Chi’s work. They are grateful for the opportunity to serve and are grateful to other volunteers for working with them to accomplish tasks.
After they accomplish tasks, they thank one another and are grateful for having the opportunity to serve and benefit people. After tasks are done, what they are left with is feeling of happiness and gratitude. This is practicing the empty nature of the three aspects of giving.
They are not attached to how much they serve or whom would benefit from their help. They don’t mind how much they give or how much effort they put in to help people. They are not attached to the notion of the “giver”, “recipient”, and “aid.” They just go ahead and serve. They don’t ask for anything in return and just give of themselves to serve.
This is practicing the empty nature of three aspects of giving, which is one of the methods the Buddha taught to help us get rid of our afflictions. We must do what needs to be done, cultivate what needs to be cultivated, and carry out the Buddha’s teachings with action.
Only in doing so will we develop no attachment. This is what the Buddha taught us. The feeling of happiness comes from gratitude. Like the driveway in front of the Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, which had been put in place for many years; the driveway was damaged in many places. Volunteers hoped to mobilize our Tzu Cheng members to repave the driveway of the hospital.
People from all walks of life can be found in our Tzu Cheng team; there are tradesmen from a variety of fields. They visited the Abode, and asked me not to worry as this project was in good hands.
There’s is a lot of traffic including buses, so the interlocking bricks get damaged. They
are quite worn-out. We’re replacing of the whole hospital grounds once and for all.
The hospital superintendent said, we’re a district hospital, with ambulances visiting frequently. We must keep the traffic flowing. If we complete the project at once, we must block off the driveway; we don’t want that, as it would affect the traffic flow. So, we opted to finish the project in three stages.
To keep the driveway open for vehicles to safety enter and leave the hospital, they carefully figured out a plan to repave the driveway in parts so that I won’t worry. I’m truly touched and very grateful.
Our Tzu Cheng members have been helping out with construction projects since the earthquake disaster in 1999. Many of our hospitals, when they needed constructions work done, it was the Tzu members who gave of themselves to help out. After the hospitals were completed, they still safeguard and care about the hospital now.
Last year, they told me, “Master, we would like to ask for some work. What kind of work?” I asked. They replied, “We noticed that the wooden arch bridge in front of the hospital has been worn-out and some of the plank became uneven. We would like to rebuild the bridge so people who come to the hospital through the bridge can be safe. Patients who take stroll on the bridge can be safe too.”
We have to fix the places that need fixing; it’s been over a decade.
We’re using fiber-reinforced plastics that have color similar to wood. They fit together well, and they last twice as long as wood, which is what we used before.
I’m grateful, many volunteers came to participate. The weather was very hot, so volunteers put up tents. Commissioners came to help as well, they prepared food and beverages for everyone. When the bridge was finished, the Tzu Cheng said to commissioners, “We thank you for preparing the food and drinks for us.
The commissioners replied, “We thank you for building the bridge and paving the driveway so we can travel safely without worries. We can take a stroll and enjoy the scenery on the bridge.” They expressed their gratitude to each other.
The landscaping is beautiful, but spiritually speaking to experience such joy and serenity is even more breathtaking. The driveway and bridge are made possible by the kindness of people.
In creating such a landscape, volunteers look up to the Dharma-body of the Buddha which is also the wisdom-life of the Buddha to shape out a tangible and concrete place. Our tangible is the creation of our mind and wisdom. When dealing with worldly affairs, people tend to use knowledge. But after having practiced the Dharma, volunteers know to use their wisdom.
Normally, people create a landscape for the sake of profit-making or enjoyment. By taking the Dharma to heart, volunteers learn to create the landscape that is in line with our spiritual practice with wisdom.
Therefore, they can transform their consciousnesses into wisdoms and do things that are not for the sake of profit-making. Such is using wisdom and doing things without asking anything in return. What volunteers care is to make the environment safer for people who go in and out of the hospital.
Apart from this, they also want to create a beautiful landscape around the place. What these volunteers have done has nothing to do with profit-making. They use wisdom to benefit people and ask nothing for return. They do this for making profit but for the need of the public.
They give selflessly and serve unconditionally. This is how they carry out the construction work for Tzu Chi’s medical mission as well as for Tzu Chi’s education mission. They are living bodhisattvas who give without asking for anything in return.
Wholeheartedly, Tzu Chi volunteers have devoted themselves in helping people in need with their wisdom and love. They truly practice with the spirit of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity in creating blessings for the public based on people’s need.
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