20200110法輪時轉祈太平Recycling for a Better World
Good morning, everyone. Good morning. I recycle at our first recycling station, which was opened in Liming New Village 30 years ago. We have done recycling for 30 years and will keep recycling diligently.
In 1990, during a talk at Shin Min High School, Master first encouraged everyone to do recycling. It’s been 30 years since I began to recycle. When we first began to recycle, we had no recycling truck. Some offered to borrow trucks, but it was very incontinent overall. So, we reached a consensus and pitched in to buy a truck out of our own pockets. The recycling truck is still in use. Dear Master, we are truly grateful to you and we will keep recycling until our last breath. Thank you, everyone.
Everyone, we’ve been carrying out recycling work for 30 years, ever since I first encouraged everyone to take up recycling here in Taichung. I’m very grateful to our Tzu Chi volunteers. They always take my words to heart and put them into action. So, after I first urged everyone to recycle, they initiated Tzu Chi’s recycling work.
I also remember that our first recycling station was opened in Liming New Village. Back then, we only recycled discarded paper. This was how our recycling work first began. I’m very grateful that we’ve inspired many people around the world to recycle. Indeed, recycling can protect the Earth and is now an issue to be highly values by people around the world.
Many things nowadays are made of plastic, and because of the ever-growing world population, more and more plastic items and being used and discarded. Plastic items that are not recycled or processed end up being buried underground. Over time, the land will become impermeable and hardened.
Many countries have been severely affected by natural disasters. For instance, some have been devastated by earthquakes. We must protect the Earth so we can enjoy safety and peace. Earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and storms have been occurring frequently on Earth. See how Nature’s four elements of earth, water fire, and wind have become imbalanced.
So, I often say that we must pray for the balance of nature’s elements. Let us pray that there would be no earthquake and that no damage will be caused even if an earthquake strikes. Let us pray that there’ll be rainfall, but it won’t cause flooding. Let us pray that there will be breezes rather than storms. Let us pray that there will be sunlight rather than droughts. I often say that when Nature’s elements are balanced will natural disasters be quelled.
Everyone, to protect the Earth, I encourage you to do recycling with the hands you’re applauding with. Our Tzu Chi members all take my words to heart and put them into action.
See how our medical staff in Taichung. The ropes of their rice dumpling formation were made of intravenous lines rather than cotton. Over 800 intravenous lines were used after being thoroughly disinfected. This is what the ropes look like. The ropes are very heavy and sturdy, not easy to be pulled apart, for they were woven with a lot of intravenous lines.
The intravenous lines have disinfected, just like how Tzu Chi members have strived to cultivate a pure heart and eliminate the unwholesome habitual tendencies, including greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt, which are referred to as the Five Mental Poisons in Buddhism.
While the Five Turbidities cause disasters, the Five Mental Poisons cause afflictions. As Tzu Chi members, we must rid our mental poisons, give rise to compassion and altruistic love, and work in unity just like the ropes for the rice dumpling formation. Seeing the ropes made of intravenous lines, I think that we must recycle medical supplies after they are used because by doing so, we can protect the environment and also put the recycled items into great use.
In all, instead of discarding things we’ve used, we should reuse them or recycle them become new resources. See, I got this craftwork in Nantou. It was made by one of our elderly volunteers. Despite being over 80 years old, he still has good eyesight and is very ingenuous in making crafts like this.
I’m very grateful that during my stay in Taichung, I’ve discovered many craftworks that I find truly precious. They’ve brought me much joy and I will bring them back to the Abode. Given the many natural disasters around the world, in this New Year, I’d like to call on everyone to heighten our vigilance, sow blessings for the world, and pray for the balance of Nature’s elements.
Dear master, although we’re advanced in age, we’ll keep protecting the Earth through recycling. We can truly understand why you often say that time is running out for us to make a difference. We’ll always emulate the Buddha’s heart, take Master’s missions as our own, pass on the Jing Si Dharma lineage, and pave the Tzu Chi Path. We’ll follow Master life after life.
Everyone, will you continue to take my words to heart and live them out? Yes. Very well. Can you put my words into action? Yes. May we all harbor the Dharma within and turn the wheel of the Dharma at all times.
Can you all turn the wheel of the Dharma, pass on my teachings and work to inspire others to serve as living bodhisattvas? Yes. Can you work for Buddhism and all living beings wholeheartedly life after life? Yes. By doing so, you are truly following me closely.
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