20191213眾生群中好修行Benefiting Humanity with Loving-kindness and Compassion
Although disasters that shock the world have been happening more and more frequently, many people are far from being aware. Although more of such disasters are impending, many people have yet to awaken. It is saddening that people still harbor ignorance and take issues with everything rather than awaken to life’s impermanence.
Do we witness life’s impermanence? We do. Indeed. And, can we think that the disasters in faraway places have nothing to do with us? No. As we all live on Earth, when a wildfire breaks out, the consequent air pollution will affect us all. Not only will the fire range through the land the way a fire burns through one’s body, but it will also pollute the air, which is very horrifying.
Yet, many people feel that disasters in faraway places have nothing to do with them. Disasters affect everyone indeed and we should all heighten our vigilance. We must know that more and more disasters will happen in the future, and we must find ways to make a difference.
Recently, members of our staff have attended the 2019 UN climate change conference COP25. The plastic bottle held by one of our staff was very eye-catching as it was large and pen-shaped. When customs officers were curious about it, she interacted with them and explained how we recycle plastic items to care for the Earth.
She has updated me on the climate conference, she has updated me on the climate conference, and I feel though everyone knows the importance of recycling. Everyone knows how recycling can help mitigate erratic weather patterns, but in many countries around the world, recycling is not widely practiced and garbage has been accumulating ceaselessly, leading to serious pollution.
Indeed, we see that the environmental conditions on Earth have been deteriorating due to pollution. Every day, seeing the many problems in the world, I’m concerned and my heart is very heavy. I truly hope that Tzu Chi members can all seize time to give. We shouldn’t think that we’ve carried out much work. Time passes quickly, and our lives are limited, diminishing with each passing second. We must seize time to live out our value in life by serving with loving-kindness and compassion to benefit others.
Recently, I keep saying that according to scientists, humans are innately compassionate and altruistic. As early as more than 2,000 years ago, the Buddha awakened to the impermanent of life and penetrated all true principles in the universe. So, in the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings, he expounded that one could donate his head, eyes, marrow, and brain to others. That was how the Buddha encouraged us to make great use of our body.
Our cornea, lungs, heart, or other organs can all be donated and transplanted. What becomes useless to us when we pass away can still be used by others. When I visit our recycling station, I often say that different parts of recyclables can be put together to create something useful. That’s the same case with our body. Given the advance of medical technology, may we all make great value of our body that would otherwise become useless. We must also seize time to live our lives to the fullest.
Everyone, you’ve been serving with loving-kindness and compassion to benefit others. There are many good examples of how you work to benefit others. I’ve learned how our Tzu Chi members have brought aid and care to A-ye. Few people had gone to her aid before. But now, we’ve been caring for her with love. We always pool our strength together to help the needy.
Although we all have innate love, we need affinities to reach the needy and offer them aid. The Buddha said everyone shares the same Buddha nature. Although everyone shares the same Buddha nature and can serve loving-kindness and compassion to benefit others, without affinities, we cannot reach the needy and work for their benefit.
To cultivate ourselves and walk the Bodhisattva Path, we must go amongst people to serve. As there is suffering in the world, Bodhisattvas come to this world to relieve suffering. Aren’t we all serving as living bodhisattvas who go amongst people to work for the common good? Being able to serve, we must harbor gratitude. I often feel that I’m truly blessed. As I’m already advanced in age, if I didn’t do Tzu Chi’s work, I might end up living alone and need to be take care.
In all, although our lives are limited, we can still put our lives into good use. Everyone in our big Tzu Chi family cares for and supports one another. May we all cherish this big family of ours. When we can still put our lives into good use, we must quickly work in unity and harmony to bring aid to the many people in need. Be it providing long- term care, offering emergency aid, bringing relief to other countries, or building houses for the needy, we can carry them out. May we all work to life the needy out of their suffering as soon as we can.
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