20131109污泥滋潤蓮盛開Lotus Flowers Blooming from the Muddy Pond
We see so many bodhisattvas from around the world gathering in Taiwan. They all come with a heart of sincere piety and earnestness to learn more about Tzu Chi. Indeed, every one of us should cherish every second of our time, seize this moment’s good thought and turn it into an everlasting path for our life.
If the direction is right, we just need to go forward and walk on the path without deviating. This is to walk the Bodhisattva Path with firm, unchanging conviction. I am truly grateful.
We also saw Guatemala, where Tzu Chi volunteers have been serving locally for over ten years. Though there are not many Tzu Chi volunteers in Central America, they are very active in carrying out Tzu Chi’s work. This time, they held a free clinic. It is heartwarming to see this. Many poor people there cannot afford to see a doctor when they are ill.
They can only live with the illness and endure the pain. Yet, there is a group of volunteer bodhisattvas in Guatemala taking care of the people in need by going to them to relieve their suffering. With love in their hearts, they bring love and aid to places most in need.
Seeing them actively helping people, I am very grateful. We also saw news from New Jersey, USA. Many of the poor there cannot afford flu shots. So, a local pharmacy is working with our Tzu Chi volunteers to provide free flu shots to local residents in need such as people with restricted mobility or people who are financially challenged. So, with love, our volunteers make preventive care available to them.
Also, we saw in the news that 100 metric tons of rice from Taiwan have arrived in Jordan. Though we don’t have many volunteers in Jordan, they managed to handle this shipment of rice and have begun to distribute the rice to people in need.
The recipients were very touched and all said: “Thank you, Taiwan. Thank you, Tzu Chi.” This was made possible by the collective love and care from people in Taiwan. Wherever there are people with love, such as Tzu Chi volunteers, they will reach out with their love to care for others around them.
People who are in poverty or in suffering can then feel comforted and cared for as well as benefit from their aid. This is very moving.
We also saw news from Mozambique. People there are very poor and live in hardship. Tzu Chi volunteers went there and sowed the seeds of goodness and love. Wherever our volunteers have travelled to, there, the seeds of lotus flowers start to sprout.
Though lotus flowers grow from muddy water, the muck provides nutrients to the flowers. When lotus flowers grow, they beautify the muddy pond. Doesn’t that describe their situation in Mozambique. Everyone is poor, so how can they help others?
Living in such poverty, everyone grumbles about how hard their lives are. But, we can see that as long as seeds of love are brought to them and sown in their hearts, their hearts can become rich and they can be bodhisattvas despite their hardships.
We see that the seeds of love have sprouted and there are already bodhisattvas there now. Their life conditions have not changed, but their inner world has changed because their hearts have become rich with love and they are bringing care to poor people, and helping them to have peace and happiness.
They are already starting to do this. We see such volunteers there now. They share their story with the people they help. So, the aid recipients, when receiving the aid, are very respectful. Our volunteers let them know where the supplies came from and whose love made it possible.
It is all to let the recipients know that the people helping them are not necessarily rich. It was many people making a tiny contribution. Pooling these together, that’s how so many people can helped.
At the same time, besides giving aid supplies, our volunteers also show them how their hearts and mind is like the land that can produce bountiful blessings if cultivated. As long as people mindfully. work the land and plant seeds, when there is water, air, sunlight, etc provided, this land can grow life-sustaining food that saves lives.
In the same way, to save people’s lives, we need to give them wisdom. We see that these local volunteers have all transformed their lives. Their material conditions have not changed, but their mentality and outlook have completely changed. Seeing this makes me very happy.
See, the local people are guided to show respect and appreciation to their parents. They have never heard of this before and have never seen people do it. But, look how now, the mother and daughter embrace. We need to teach children to be filial to their parents.
Look how such goodness and filial piety are starting to be practiced there in that country as out volunteers guide everyone to be filial to their parents and give their love to help others. Seeing it, I am very moved.
They often hold these kinds of activities to give care and nurture the humanitarian spirit. They also teach people to live a more wholesome life. This is a very moving thing. This is all possible if we have love and reach out to extend this love to others.
See how our South Africa volunteers made trips to Swaziland and Mozambique. Now they are starting to be bodhisattvas there like lotus flowers blooming in the muddy pond. The mud is still there, but lotus flowers have bloomed. The lotus flowers have beautified the muddy pond. It is very moving to see this taking place there. I am very grateful.
So, when we provide aid, it is important to guide recipients to feel grateful because only when they have gratitude can their goodness be awakened and brought out. If they don’t feel grateful, and think that of course people should help them, then without gratitude in their hearts, how can they give rise to love for others?
This is why we keep encouraging people to be filial to their elders and to do good deeds. If they are filial, they will naturally be kind towards others because being filial means they appreciate how indebted they are to their parents and are grateful. Being grateful for this, they will know to be grateful to all living beings.
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