20131107身心環保‧廣招菩薩 Inspiring More People to Do Good and to Live without Excess
More case of N7N9 avian flu are being reported in China. So, people should avoid contact with poultry. It’s best to be vegetarian. Vegetarian is the healthiest diet. There are many people traveling to and from China. So, we need to be more careful in our daily life activities. Don’t come in contact with poultry. Please take care and be aware.
We saw in the news that a super typhoon is expected to pass through central Philippines. Last month, a powerful earthquake struck Bohol, Philippines. Our volunteers went to the disaster area in Bohol to distribute relief aid. The area sustained major damage and hasn’t yet recovered from the disaster.
Many people are still homeless. As we learn where this super typhoon is heading, we really are very concerned for the Philippines. We should truly pray for them and send them our well-wishes. We hope this typhoon will not bring severe damage to the Philippines.
Hearing this forecast, our hearts go out to them. We also saw a news report about e-waste. The components in electronic devices all come from and have much to do with our land. With mass buying of electronic products, mass disposal of the old ones, and mass production of new ones, we really create major pollution to our air and land. This pollution is very related to our lifestyle.
Don’t think: “All I’m using is one cellphone and one computer, I’m not hurting the environment”. Well, as use your computer or cell phone, you should know that it we go overboard with our use These devices are meant to aid us in gaining knowledge and wisdom. But if we buy too many of them which leads manufacturers to over-develop and over-produce, our undisciplined behavior pollutes our land and our mind.
Look at today’s children. Even babies are using smartphones and tables now. Even three-year-olds in preschool know how to use it. Think about it, that means everyone has more than one phone and tablet and we keep replacing the old with the new.
We buy the new ones while the old ones are still relatively new because new models are available. See, such is people’s desire. When they see that others have something, they want it too. They don’t consider if they actually need it. We should buy and use only what we need and not more.
Take eating for example. Eating to be 80% full is the healthiest. It’s the same with using material goods. Having one to use is good enough. Don’t be too wasteful and always want to have extras. If every one of us wants more than we need, more products will be developed and manufactured to supply our wants and our land will suffer more damages.
So, we need to be aware of this as we use these devices in daily life. We need to have more love for our world in order to restore Nature’s balance. Otherwise, look at how the four seasons and climate patterns are deviating from their normal patterns. This is because desire fill people’s hearts. Our demand has created so much pollution in the environment and caused such serious damage to the land.
That’s why Nature’s balance has been disrupted. Our hearts should be filled with gratitude for every second that we’re safe and well. Be grateful to the good people around us helping us to cultivated and fulfill our path. There are many things to be grateful for. But, beside being grateful, we need to fill our heart with pious sincerity.
In daily life, we need to be prudent and vigilant and sincerely pious. Only then can we create peace in our world. This is what we need to work hard on. See, when there’s one person doing good, many will be inspired to join him or her, like one seed growing and producing many seeds.
Tzu Chi Malaysia started with one, two, five, nine volunteers and kept growing to the point that their goal now is to inspire 1 million people to do good. From one, they’ve grown to many, and now their aim is 1 million bodhisattvas.
This kind of way of doing good can be practiced by everyone. Everyone can do it. So long as people have the heart to do it, they can all walk the enlightened path. Everyone can be a bodhisattva. We see how people everywhere not only give but open their hearts wide to give without seek anything in return. They gain a lot of joy and inspiration in the process and they all contribute willingly.
We have witnessed all this. Tau Chi volunteers have been very mindful and dedicated in spreading seeds of love. We see the boundless good resulting from this. This is power of love. So, we ought to dedicate ourselves mindfully.
We also see that on the Indonesian island of Batam, seeds of love are also being sown. Last month, Tzu Chi members from Taiwan, Indonesia, and Singapore joined together to hold a free clinic in Batam. Many of the local people were touched by our volunteers’ heartwarming care and want to give of themselves also. They’ve joined our new volunteer training.
Though Indonesia is far from Taiwan, our volunteers there still uphold our discipline just the same. They are preparing to serve as bodhisattvas and go to places of suffering to bring care. They are kind people willing to give of themselves and do good. This is a wonderful thing. It really fills us with joy. So, we see how everywhere, Tzu Chi volunteers are actively inspiring more bodhisattvas.
In China, this is also happening. Recently, many groups of new volunteers have visited Taiwan to learn more about Tzu Chi and have gone back with the resolution to walk such a Bodhisattva Path in China and promote environmental protection as well as “spiritual recycling” to do good and benefit living beings. Where there are people in suffering, bodhisattvas will arise to bring help.
In these times well live in, there are so many good people willing to give of themselves and be bodhisattvas in this world. This is truly wonderful and fills us with great joy and happiness. It really makes us so happy.
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