20191218善心動力能破災Countering Climate Change Through Goodness
We see how erratic weather patterns have been occurring frequently in many countries. We see that a serious of earthquakes and floods has affected the Philippines recently. While our aid distribution mission there was still ongoing, another earthquake struck. I told our volunteers there: “We must care for those affected and give out sufficient aid that can truly help them recover. If you need support with the relief work, Tzu Chi members around the world can help.”
We also see many people suffering from hunger. More than 800 million people suffered from hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition worldwide in 2018. We see that many children have been suffering unspeakably indeed, and that every day, there are people dying of starvation.
Air pollution is another serious problem. There are increasingly more people falling ill or dying due to respiratory diseases caused by air pollution. We see that in many places, there is white smog all over the sky. What causes it? The smoke of wildfires pollutes the air.
We see that wildfires in Australia have been damaging large stretches of land there and severely polluting the air on Earth. Think about it. How can people not fall ill? Mother Nature has fallen ill too, but there is not enough time to find ways to make a difference. Pollution has also brought about diseases, and solutions have yet to be found. Be it pollution or the resultant health problems, there is not enough time to address the issues.
Although we are aware of these problems and wish to make a difference with our actions, time is running out. Two young Tzu Chi staff members who attended the 2019 UN climate conference (COP25) have come back and reported that although delegated from nearly 200 countries attended the conference, they have failed to reach consensus on many of the curial measures to mitigate recurrent extreme weather events.
Well-off countries are still seeking economic growth, and their ceaseless manufacturing has been damaging the environment. Garbage problems have also been issues of global concern. We often appeal to everyone: “Recycle now before it’s too late.” This should not be merely a slogan. We must take action to urge everyone to recycle.
And, not only should we urge everyone to do so, but we must take action to recycle as well. It’s everyone’s responsibility to protect the Earth. We must work mindfully to share this idea with everyone. Indeed, the Earth is the one and only home for future generations. Everything that happened will affect us and our future generations.
Climate change is worsening at an alarming rate. How can we counter it? We must do good to sow blessings. When everyone sows blessings by doing good, we can eliminate disasters. We must give rise to goodness. Only then will we give of ourselves to reach out to the needy and lifted them out of their suffering.
There are so many wildfires on Earth that are hard to put out. Let us nourish the world with the Dharma water and harbor sincere piety at all times. We often sing a Tzu Chi song in which there is a line that goes: “May our prayers be heard by all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas above.” Yet, if we are absent-minded when singing the song, we are not harboring sincere piety and our prayers will not be heard by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas above.
We must emulate the hearts of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The Buddha’s greatest purpose of coming to this world was to teach the way of Bodhisattvas and guide people to relieve suffering as Bodhisattvas do. The Buddha knew that the world is filled with much suffering and that only those who harbor love and goodness will work to relieve people’s suffering.
Those who relieve suffering with a loving heart are living bodhisattvas . They have taken in the Dharma and understand that people in this world have endless desires. Life is impermanent. No matter how much wealth we’ve amassed, we will leave this world empty-handed one day. The more we own, the more karma we create, and the more we suffer. Isn’t this a truth expounded in the twelve links of dependent origination? We must be well aware of this truth.
In all, we must be mindful always. In times of safety and peace, we must vow to benefit the world and all humanity and take action to live out our vow. When something is right, we should just do it.
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