20191206慈悲利他不空過Living Every Day with Compassion and Altruism
Every time I see bamboo, I’m attracted to it. I will touch it and run my fingers across it. Bamboos are beautiful and denote a person acting with principles. In Taiwanese, the pronunciation for bamboo is the same for the word “virtue”. Bamboo is a metaphor for having abundant virtue. Virtue is bamboo, having principles. The bamboo has a hallow inside.
We used bamboos to make coin banks and saved coins of NT$0.50 when Tzu Chi was founded. Now Tzu Chi is entering its 54th year. Fifty years ago, a fire disaster occurred in Danan Village. Tzu Chi was in its 4th year. At that time, Tzu Chi was just starting, with members saving NT$0.50 daily for charity fund.
Tzu Chi carried out a disaster relief for that fire disaster. We wanted to help the whole village. At that time, we had limited fund. With everyone’s efforts, we were able to help affectees in the whole village. We gave out blankets of a famous-brand, which was considered the best in Taiwan back then. At Jing Si Hall in Hualien, there is a blanket on display. It is the blanket that we distributed back then. It was so worn out that it lost its fluffiness. A recipient brought the blanket back for Tzu Chi’s 30th anniversary exhibition.
I have kept the blanket well because I harbor gratitude in my heart. I was going through a tough time, and that blanket protected me.
He returned the blanket to me as a proof of Tzu Chi’s aid. That was how the blanket came to be displayed at the Jing Si Hall in Hualien. Looking back, it’s been over 50 years. Through all these years, life has been like a dream. It seems illusory yet real. It is empty yet has wondrous existence. So, we should harbor the mindset of true emptiness in wondrous existence every day. We should not be attached to emptiness. Having wondrous existence in mind, we dedicate ourselves to Tzu Chi’s work.
The value of our life lies in the good deeds we do. All the good deeds we’ve done go into our field of blessings as seeds. The seeds will then produce innumerable seeds. Had you not come to serve with Tzu Chi, you would have been only caring for a home, a kitchen, a husband, children, and a family; that is the dealings of a family, and your whole day is consumed by dealing with matters of your family.
Now, you are serving the world with support from your children and your husband. As a married couple, you cultivate both blessings and wisdom, have the ability to bring all your family members to volunteer, and most importantly, serve others, be compassionate, and be altruistic.
Compassion and altruism, according to the Buddha, are within human nature. I have always said, let us live our every moment solidly. Please don’t let your life idle by, we can create wondrousness out of emptiness; we can create a life of wondrous existence.
For this life, with the Lotus Sutra, word by word and step by step, I have paved the Path with the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, and we can walk on the Path together. Since I begin expounding the Lotus Sutra, ten years have passed. I have been expounding the Lotus Sutra for 10 Years; the Buddha took seven years to expound the whole Lotus Sutra, but I had just finished Chapter 20 recently.
Do you know how many chapters are in the Lotus Sutra? There are 28 chapters. The Chapters of Never Disrespectful Bodhisattva is the fundamental part of the Bodhisattva Path. All of the things we are to do are covered in this chapter. The Buddha had taught us to behave and do things in these and those ways, so, it is up to us, how do we behave and do things in these and those ways? As the ㄐdisrespectful Bodhisattva went amongst the crowds, he would teach everyone how to cultivate.
Every Tuesday is our neighborhood recycling day; we collect recyclables at a part near the gate. A man, he’s about 70, took a chair and sat nearby; he stopped people from bringing recycles to us, by saying Tzu Chi is rich and helps other countries. I’d explained to him several times but he wouldn’t listen. He said, “Of course you would say what you do is good.”
One time, nearing the Year-End Blessing Ceremony, I said, “Mister, we’re having a blessing ceremony, it’ll show a video of the things we’ve done, let me take you, so you’ll see what we’re doing.” He said, “One can only go in with tickets,” I said, “Not if I bring you with me.” He thought about it and said, “Give me the tickets, I’ll go on my own.” I said, “Ok, let me bring you two tickets.” He must have gone to the ceremony, because after that, he never again brings a chair to sit by us, nor asks people not to bring us their recyclables.
That’s not enough, you ought to have him bring the chair to sit at the recycling station.
Yeah, he did yesterday! He brought recyclables to me; he said he grandson had spent several tens of thousands dollars on these books but he’d not using them. He asked if I want the books and I said yes. You can bring me paper, metal, or things like broken fans, that’s fine. Hs said, “I’d bring them to you when I have some.” I said, “I’m grateful to you and I wish you well.” He said, “You never cursed at me. I thought you’d curse at me if I bring them to you.”I said, “No, Master taught us to speak good words so I don’t curse at anyone.”
Tell him that it’s not enough to bring you the recycles, he can come do recycling.
Yes, yes, when I see him, I’ll tell him.
Good, you did not carelessly talk of nonsense. You said true words and recounted true events; I praise you, you’re remarkable like a superwoman.
After joining Tzu Chi, I realized that adopting a vegetarian diet can help protect the Earth. From this, I understand that all beings are equal, then I started eating vegetarian meals. Sometimes, they needed people to help with preparing food; I’d quickly volunteer myself and learned how to cook vegetarian meals. In 2018, I took on the responsibility of the culinary team. For these two years, I have come to realize that taking on responsibility makes me have more strength and wisdom to face and cope with all difficulties.
I feel that it’s good to serve as a culinary volunteer. I can prepare meals for people and the food is healthy to our bodies and our environment.
I am amongst culinary volunteers in Datong District. Master says, promoting eating vegetarian diets helps protect the Earth and slows down global warming. So, when preparing meals, our team has done our best to find good methods to cook delicious meals and make sure a good variety of ingredients are included, so after people taste the food, they can change and adopt a vegetarian diet. This will help slow down global warming.
Out team is trying to come up with possible recipes to make snacks or desserts with Jing Si food products. We hope to introduce vegetarianism to the public, so that people can adopt vegetarian diet to help protect our environment. Thank you , Master.
Is everyone enjoying eating vegetarian meals? Yes. Indeed, when we switch to vegetarian diets, we also gain insights of learning the Dharma. We have to be active in promoting vegetarianism by making our hearts and bodies health and keeping our environment clean. I am grateful. This is how we protect our earth. And the clothes made from PET bottles is also an evidence of Tzu Chi’s recycling effort. Many PET bottles are recycled to be made into eco-products. So, if we throw them out like garbage randomly, they will pollute our land. But, if we pick them up and recycle them, they become treasures and help our Earth be sustainable. So, I am grateful and would like to urge very much that please eat a vegetarian diet and do recycling.
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