20200309線上精進續慧命 Growing Our Wisdom-Life Through an Online Retreat
We held a big spiritual retreat yesterday. Held over the internet with the 148 venues participating, more than 21,060 people attended the retreat in 30 countries. It did not matter that some venues only had three or five attendees, volunteers young and old all participated with their sincere hearts.
The oldest attendees were 103 years old; there were two, one was Ms. Cai Kuan in Changhua, and the other one in Taipei. Together with other volunteers, they piously put their palms together and sat in front of the monitor. Sitting so closely, they showed their sincere piety.
The retreat was the same regardless of the size of the venue. I also saw yesterday, a cat sat next to a laptop; The cat was sitting so close to the monitor, as if it too was participating piously. Small children also did the same; one child was at a recycling station, where people were all doing recycling. When the time came for the retreat, everyone put their palms together where they were.
A boy, Boqian, took his notebook and began taking notes. He piously took notes on what I said. Another boy, Kuan-kuan, sat in front of a monitor. With a pen in hand, he mindfully took notes. They are both small children; truly, a pious heart knows no age.
In Myanmar, Tzu Chi has a new office. A Taiwanese businessman donated his factory to Tzu Chi. It has been undergoing renovation, but it’s not completed yet. However, volunteers still gather together to chant sutra and listen to lectures. They listened attentively. Myanmar now has Tzu Ching and volunteers who are young people and those in their middle age.
We do not share a language with the people in Myanmar. They have a volunteer, Mr. U Mya Thein, who is in his 80s, and despite having back problems, sat on the side and served as the translator. He translated Chinese into Burmese for the local volunteers. This is at their newest Tzu Chi office. Before yesterday, the place was still being renovated. Yesterday, they cleaned up the place and used it as a place of cultivation.
Although it‘s not completed yet, volunteers there are very diligent. Myanmar is a Buddhist country. I hope Tzu Chi’s spirit of Buddhism can be introduced to people in Myanmar; Buddhists can further engage in the Bodhisattva Way. This New Tzu Chi office will serve as a cultivation ground for living bodhisattvas. I am very happy to see this.
In Jordan, our volunteer, Ji Hui, took part in the retreat very early in the day until I finished my talk. He took part in the entire retreat very sincerely. Ji Hui, our volunteer in Jordan, connected with the Abode in Hualien via the Internet for this retreat. It is quite cold there. In Turkey, at 4 AM local time, our volunteer Mr. Yu also took part in the retreat and prayed sincerely.
No matter where Tzu Chi volunteers were, which Tzu Chi gathering place they were at, or how many people were at each venue, volunteers all gathered together via the internet. Seeing such footage, isn’t it harmonious? I’m very grateful. I’m grateful to people who giving of their love.
Also, there is a place called Sint Maarten. It is a very small island. A few years ago, a hurricane hit the island and caused great devastation there. Tzu Chi volunteers in Sint Maarten have taken on the responsibility of carrying out Tzu Chi relief efforts with their power of love.
When they held rice distributions, they aspired the local volunteers to be sincere and pious. With sincere piety, they carried out rice distributions. As they gave a cup of rice, they shared with recipients the idea of speaking kind words, thinking good thoughts, and doing good deeds. They hope that in everyday living, people there will always think good thoughts, do good deeds, and speak kind words. This is the responsibility taken on by our Tzu Chi volunteers in Sint Maarten.
As for our Tzu Chi volunteers in Malaysia, I praise them each time I mention them, because whenever I call for an effort, they mobilize immediately and deliver it with great strength. They truly have great strength. Everyone is diligent in spiritual cultivation.
For the retreat yesterday, Tzu Chi volunteers in many countries participated. We saw that countries where there are many Tzu Chi volunteers; we can see their kindness flourishing.
We also see that in the Jing Si Hall in the Philippines where there were many people in the peixun training session also joining the retreat. In my talk, I mentioned that praying could create merits and hoped that Tzu Chi volunteers could inspire people to join Tzu Chi and nurture a heart of sincere piety.
All in all, yesterday, I saw that so many people joined the retreat and cultivated diligently with their power of love. It is truly touching.
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