20131026落實善行‧回報親恩 To Love Others and Show Profound Gratitude to Parents
An earthquake of 7.1 magnitude occurred in Japan. The epicenter was at a depth of 10KM, making a very shallow quake. Fortunately, the tsunami that was triggered did not cause any damage. Let us sincerely pray for them to be safe and well.
Yesterday, I spoke of the two typhoons moving toward Japan. The authorities really heeded typhoon warnings and mobilized police officers and other personnel to ask the local residents to evacuate and seek shelter in safe areas. They are preparing seriously for the approaching typhoon.
Such real concern, alarm and caution shows their sincere piety and their due respect for Nature’s might. So, they are preparing dutifully.
So, it is as if Mother Nature felt this and showed mercy because the typhoon veered eastward. With this tiny adjustment, Japan is spared from being directly hit by the typhoon. However, it will bring heavy rainfall to Japan due to its thick clouds. So, heavy rain is unavoidable. But, it is much better than the typhoon making landfall.
Also in Australia, we see that the wildfires are indeed massive. Moreover, two days ago, a plane crashed in firefighting efforts. This is a tragic loss. In the suburbs of Sydney, many homes have been damaged or destroyed by fire. It is hard for firefighters alone to contain the fires.
So, firefighting aircrafts are needed, which resulted in the sacrifice of two pilots and their planes. For them, this is time of multiple disasters. How very heartbreaking this is.
We also saw news from Sichuan, China. In April of this year, an earthquake struck Ya’an, Sichuan. Tzu Chi volunteer promptly went to the disaster area to provide aid. Besides giving care and consoling the survivors, they also provided them needed supplies. But, their major contribution was in giving comfort to the children who were frightened by the quake.
They set up a care station for the children. Parents would bring their children there, especially if the children were still shaken by the disaster and not quite their normal selves or if they were naughtier to begin with.
After a period time, under our volunteers’ care, the children started to calm and settle down. Those who were naughty and often acted out became more well-behaved. Those who were rebellious learned to be filial to their parents.
So, at that time, when local education department saw the success of our program, they hoped Tzu Chi could expand our program to other schools. They also sent educators to learn how Tzu Chi volunteers guided these children and helped them change from their mischievous way. They wanted to know how we taught the children.
During our time in Ya’an, besides giving care to the children, we also went to assess school damages because education must not be delayed. So, we went around learning more about the plans for rebuilding schools because many schools were damaged by the quake.
So, Tzu Chi Foundation VP Wang and others went to China to assess the needs. They reported four projects that need Tzu Chi’s help – a building in a school in Mingshan, two schools in Ya’an, and a building used for training teachers.
Local authorities are looking to Tzu Chi to design the building with consideration to provide an environment to inspire good teachers. Yesterday, we signed a contract to rebuild these buildings. This is another historical moment in Tzu Chi. It was very heartwarming.
We also saw our collegiate volunteers Tzu Chings in Malaysia. These students wanted to inspire people to be filial to their parents and to have love for others. They first influenced their peers and recruited students from different universities to take part in presenting an adaptation of the Sutra of Profound Gratitude to Parents.
They planned to make 20 presentations at 10 locations across nine states. The Sutra of Profound Gratitude to Parents is all about how indebted we are to our parents and why we need to be filial to them. It lets young people know the hardship their parents go through to give them life and provide for them, and the love parents have for their children, which leads them to toil and give their all for their children’s sake.
These students first took these teachings deep into their hearts and understood how they should treat their parents and be filial. Then, they went to tell other students about it and influenced their peers to understand how indebted they are to their parents, so they can quickly start being filial to them as well as do good deeds.
This is what out collegiate volunteers did. I often praise our Tzu Ching in Malaysia because they are very active and self-motivated. Every time they hold such a sutra adaptation, they will abstain from meat in order to present the sutra’s teachings with inner purity.
Truly, every time I speak of our volunteers in Malaysia, I am especially happy because these collegiate volunteers are self-disciplined and have love for others.
Our Singapore volunteers are also preparing to bring the sutra teachings to life in a sutra adaptation. Many of them are entrepreneurs, and they have all been upholding the vegetarian fast and abstaining from meat for six months. In December, they will present the sutra adaptation of the Water Repentance Text.
I admire these entrepreneurs for being able to uphold the discipline. They have also involved their entire family, so participants are of all ages.
Meanwhile, our volunteers in Hong Kong, phoned us last night around 6PM to make sure I tuned in to their sutra adaptation’s final dress rehearsal. Everyone was full of joy because they have been rehearsing for many months, during which have been abstained from meat. They have many touching stories. So, they were very excited.
But, last night, the audio and visual transmission was not very smooth. But, I still watched it with piety and was moved. I give you volunteers in Hong Kong my most sincere well-wishes. Just the fact that you have been abstaining from meat for so many months touches me very much.
I give you my best wishes for a very successful presentation, even better than last night’s. Indeed, every day, what I see and feel from knowing the disasters worldwide worries me very much. But seeing our volunteers’ bodhisattva ways, I am very grateful.
So every day, I am both grateful and worried because our world is very big and the way people at large are living is very worrisome. There really needs to be more bodhisattvas to reach out and inspire one another. Inspiring the bodhisattva spirit in many people is our sincere hope.
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