Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: As is the Cause, So is the Retribution (如是因緣 如是果報)
To study Buddhism is to awaken, be enlightened about everything in this world, and respect life. As Buddhist practitioners, we must live our life very mindfully. Where does life come from? Once here, what is its purpose? This should be clear to us.
We need to explore the truths found in the mystery of life. How did we get here? How do we leave? Where do we go? Where did we come from? We should work hard to figure this out.
The Four Forms of Birth may cause all wrong doings. The Four Forms of Birth: womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, transformation-born.
There are four forms of life. First is womb-born. For humans, the union of sperm and egg results in ten months of pregnancy (forty weeks). The union of sperm and egg does not necessarily create a healthy baby. Some are born with abnormal facial features. Others are physically handicapped. There are many such cases.
For example, perhaps everyone still vividly recalls the conjoined twins from the Philippines. They were born to a very poor family imagine how the parents must have felt. Not only the parents, but all their relatives and friends felt that the birth of conjoined twins in this simple and small village was a bad omen. Therefore their relatives and friends stayed away from the twins. Imagine the financial hardship and mental agony that the parents endured.
They were fortunate that the head of the Philippine’s TIMS, Mr. Lee, discovered this case, and reported it to us. When we received the information, I quickly sought support from Tzu Chi-Hospital. Based on the pictures we received of their condition, could they be separated surgically? Then they could live independently and lead extended, healthy and beautiful lives. Lead by Dr. Chang, the Asst Supt, of the hospital a thorough discussion and assessment was carried out by the surgical team, and the surgery was thought to be possible.
Therefore, asked them to first send doctors from Pediatrics and Radiology to the Philippines to get more information on the twins, to see how they were conjoined, how they shared internal organs, and if the heart, liver, kidney spleen, or other vital organs were hopelessly entangled. Dr. Lee, the head of Radiology, and Dr. Peng, the head of Pediatrics, traveled together to the Philippines to see them and analyze their case. Separation seemed possible. Even though their pericardia were fused, and their livers were stuck together, separation was possible with modern medicine.
After many surgical simulations, I asked them to bring the twins to Taiwan. Asst, Supt. Lu of the hospital, who had convened TIMA, as well as Mr. Lee, Dr. Lu, Mr. Tsai, CEO of Tzu Chi-Philippines, and many volunteers as worked together to make this happen. In the Philippines, Tzu Chi volunteers prepared a lot of necessities for the twins and their mother, and took them to the international airport in the Philippines. Others accompanied them to Taiwan. This relay of love continued in Taiwan, first meeting them at the airport then transporting them to Taipei. After resting for a day, they arrived in Hualien.
During this process, many people cared for them, such as the medical team and local Volunteers. Through this loving teamwork, the two children and their mother, who originally suffered from malnutrition, and were very skinny, gained weight under mindful care. The mother gained 4.5 kilos before returning home. The twins also gained weight. The weighed 12 kilos when they arrived; pre-surgery, they had reached 14-15 kilos.
They also received tissue expander implantation, etc., and ate a nutritious diet. June 28 was the day of their surgery. This day, June 28, was actually two days before their first birthday, and it was a historical moment. In the operating room of Tzu Chi Hospital a group of medical professionals worked to separate these lives. Not only was this moment historical for the twins, it was historical for our hospital as well. I was happy but still a little worried, because when the twins were conjoined, they could only lie down or be carried. They had never sat up, not rolled over on their own. They could not do that when they were conjoined. They had never stood on their feet, because they could not stand together.
So I was worried about their freedom of movement after surgery. Could they sit? Could they stand? Could they walk? These were my post-surgery concerns. Therefore, after surgery, we asked that they continue physical therapy in our hospital. Children are very resilient. Several days later, one of them tried to sit up. From the video footage, we saw her fall this way and that, because she did not know how to sit. Gradually she managed to sit up straight. After I saw that, I was very happy. Then I saw the other child roll around and turn herself over on the bed. That also made me happy. Later I saw them in the baby walker, taking steps with their feet to move the walker. They moved sideways, backward, and forward. Watching them move on their own touched our hearts.
We were happy for them, moved and pleased by their independence and freedom. They brought us so much joy. Three days after the surgery, we threw a birthday party for them. On Aug. 21, 2003, they were discharged and returned to the Philippines. Do you know what a great event it was? Many businessmen from the Philippines came, along with a senator and his wife, to take them home.
Most importantly, they came to visit Tzu Chi. In the Philippines, they had only heard about Tzu Chi, but they did not know about the success of our charity and medical work. They were very curious, and wanted to learn how Tzu Chi managed to perform the surgery on the conjoined twins from the Philippines. They wanted to know about the facilities of our medical institution. They were very curious, so a large group of 20-30 people came. Aside from looking around, they wanted to accompany the mother and her twins back to the Philippines.
On the last day, the lobby of our hospital was packed with people, and filled with jubilance. Even thought we were happy, we were reluctant to see these adorable children go. After more than four months with them, the nurses were in tears and loath to part with them. The doctors, physical therapists, etc., everyone who was involved with their treatment, came and encircled them. It was difficult to say goodbye.
Then there were the volunteers. They had spent at least as much time with the twins as the medical team had. The cared for the family in the Philippines, helped the mother adjust to life in Taiwan, and bought the children daily necessities such as food and clothing, so that the children could recuperate faster. In fact, the volunteer and medical teams were inseparable. They spent a lot of time with the twins.
So these children were very fortunate. In their past lives, they had created such entangled karma and affinity with their parents. They were born in a remote, faraway mountainous area. In such a simple and secluded place, when villagers saw a pair of conjoined twins, they viewed it as unlucky. They viewed the twins as an unlucky omen. So their parents had to take them away. These were the conditions in which we found them at the hospital. This is because in their past lives, though they had created such entangled karma, they also created inconceivable blessings. After they returned to the Philippines, our volunteers there continued this relay of love. The twins’ parents are now settled in Manila with a place to live and a job for the father, so the children can continue physical therapy in the hospital. When they are older, they can go to school. When we meet these adorable girls again, perhaps they will be young women in college. Maybe they will join the ranks of Tzu Chi Bodhisattvas.
I still remember their mother as she watched the surgery. There was live video so she could watch. She said when she saw them separate the livers, she was very scared. Their livers looked like pig liver, exactly like an animal liver. At that moment, she vowed to become a vegetarian. Indeed, we must respect all life. As humans, we must protect all animals. Even animals need our protection, let alone other people. People also need loving support. This pair of conjoined twins was accompanied here and back by a long procession of Tzu Chi Bodhisattvas. Looking forward, there are still many days to come and we will remain by their side.
Everyone, life is wondrous. Most importantly, even though we have no way to trace back what we have done in the past, we must be certain of the Law of Cause and Effect. “As is the cause, so are the effect and the retribution.” This is certain. Therefore, the future is most important.
Such are causes, such are conditions, such are effects, and such are retributions. Buddhism is about cultivating now for the future. Immediately abandon evil and do good to avoid the pain of negative karmic retributions.
Everyone, we must pay attention to what we do in our daily lives; where we are headed, and how we get there. This is very important. So everyone, please always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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