20191229悲智足跡覺有情Recollections of Compassion and Wisdom
On February 6, 2016, at 3:57 am, an earthquake happened in Meinong of Kaohsiung, which resulted 117 deaths and 552 injured in Tainan area. In Yong Kang of Tainan, the Weiguan building collapsed. In the history of Tainan, this was the tragedy with the most casualties due to the collapse of a single building. Starting from day one, we provided care, support, and warmth right away; we were on-site to be with the family members of the affectees around the clock.
Recalling that year, in Yong Kang of Tainan, on that day, before dawn, an earthquake suddenly struck, and Tzu Chi volunteers soon arrived to provide hot food and ginger tea as well as eco-blankets and Jing Si foldable beds. They also provided material goods that were needed.
The volunteers who took part in the relief are all here now, and our senior volunteers most likely all took part in it. Now that we are recalling this event and talking about it, the memories of it are still vivid for people, like it happened not long ago. They remember the specific day of that specific year, that particular moment, and those specific people.
Most importantly, it happened so close to Chinese New Year; Tzu Chi volunteers broke away from superstitions, and made many visits to the funeral parlor with the family members of the quake victims. Volunteers stood by the family members, comforted them, and supported them as the deceased were placed into the coffin.
As volunteers took care of many things, they had no time to celebrate neither the New Year nor a chance to have a reunion meal. This is what had happened in the past; Tzu Chi volunteers serve society and help those in suffering by putting others first and always giving of themselves. Let us not forget that year. Over three years have gone by, but people still have memories of this event.
In everyone’s memory they remember different people, different families, and different stories. When people share what’s in their memories, there are countless, extensive recollections; now is the time to turn them into a chronicle. Such is how Tzu Chi volunteers display the spirit of Buddhists, this spirit of loving-kindness and compassion to help strangers and feel their suffering.
Those affected in the quake were strangers to us, and everyone was preparing to celebrate the Chinese New Year, how was that any of our business? We could have turned a blind eye and deaf ear; we could have not gone to help them.
Yet, Tzu Chi volunteers are different; we cannot bear to see living beings suffer, so we feel other’s pain and suffering as our own. So, we quickly came forth to help with the quake disaster, opened our arms to embrace the quake affectees, let them carry on our shoulders to let out their sadness. After wiping their tears, they could move on and start anew with their life.
Some affectees have become Tzu Chi care recipients and perhaps even now volunteers are still keeping in touch with some of them. Such is enlightened love; it’s to give love with wisdom. We’ve learned the Dharma and understand what the Buddha tells us about the essence of the heart, the Buddha, and living beings are the same. We must believe in this principle.
For people who are in suffering now, we provide them timely help so that they have Tzu Chi rely on. After they come in contact with Tzu Chi volunteers, they will have good affinity. By serving people, you volunteers come to contact with people in need. You use your wisdom and compassion to give them support in time of need.
With wisdom, you guide them to forever connect with Buddhism. With this one-time suffering, they can be guided by your wisdom to become living bodhisattvas and forever form and affinity with the Buddha. This is to truly alleviate living beings from suffering.
In coming to this world, the Buddha hoped that we can seize our affinity to serve as living bodhisattvas and reach out to help the people in suffering. So, we need to truly seize our affinities. Volunteers, you are living bodhisattvas with enlightened love. I’m very grateful to you. Such gratitude reciprocates.
You say that you do this for me. After I learn of what you’ve done, I’m truly touched and want to tell you that, “I am certain what you are doing are the right things. You have done the right things, created good causes, and formed good affinities, so in the future, you will receive good retribution.”
You are planting karmic seeds for the future right now. What happen to you in the future is the fruits of what you have been doing. What happens to us now is due to the karma we’ve created in the past. Being together with other volunteers to serve the world has its causes and retributions. This is Dharma.
I want to tell everyone you have done the right thing. I tell you today that you are doing the right thing. This is what I’ve been telling you when something are right, what do we do? Just do it. That’s right. For things that are right, you have been doing them. Now, I just heard what you had done. After, I’ve listened to you, I praise you for doing the right things.
Thus, for the Bodhisattva Path, in the past, we’ve been paving a path, widening it, and paving it smooth. Now, this big, smooth path has become the Bodhisattva Path.
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