20141013 啟發善念遠災難To Inspire Goodness for a Disaster-Free Future
Truly, when Nature’s balance has been upset, humankind will be devastated by many disasters. Seeing this trend of many disasters happening, it truly is very worrying. But, what can worrying do? Ultimately, we have to inspire people’s love and goodness for only when people’s hearts are balanced can climate change be mitigated. It’s as if Mother Nature is fighting back against humankind for the damage being done to it.
With the rapidly growing human population, the harm done only gets more severe. So, scientists say that disasters will happen increasingly frequently. This is something very worrying. What to do? Even scientists are advocating for vegetarianism because the environment is suffering from severe pollution not only due to industrialization but also due to mass animal farming to supply people’s demand for meat.
In truth, humankind ought to live in harmony with other living creatures.
On this planet, every species has its own habitat and world. If we don’t encroach upon other species, they can live very naturally in their habitat.
Marine creatures have their own habitat which, if left alone, is very balanced. So too do creatures on land. We shouldn’t disrupt this natural equilibrium. But humankind breeds livestock en masse and slaughters them for their meat. Why? Only to satisfy their palate. But we all think that our eating meat won’t make a difference as “ I am just one person”. We have to know that without this “one” as a start, eating meat and consuming the earth’s resources .
Therefore, every one of us is responsible for caring for the Earth. If we do not change easy things like our food and our lifestyle, natural disasters will happen more frequently. When it happens, there will be nothing humans can do about it. Therefore, we should return to a simpler way of life with a pure heart. Then we will naturally live with gratitude. Only by living with gratitude can our society be peaceful and can disasters cease in our world.
Speaking of disasters, I still remember vividly the September 11 incident in the U.S. in 2011. Tzu Chi volunteers in the U.S. quickly came together to provide aid. At that time, it was not easy to gain entry near the disaster site. Of course, Tzu Chi volunteers, especially TIMA tirelessly strove to go in to help. Finally, they were able to go in with emergency workers.
According to them, the disaster site was still very hot due to the explosion and fires. It was still the time of emergency search and rescue. Tzu Chi volunteers supplied bottled water to the emergency workers who worked nonstop in a very hot and stifling disaster area. Volunteers stayed near the disaster area to supply food and water.
They also visited survivors to deliver care. That was truly a devastating disaster. Tzu Chi volunteers in the U.S. quickly went to provide aid.
After that Taiwan experienced a typhoon. Around that time period, typhoons Toraji and Nari devastated Taiwan, and there were also other disasters that occurred around the world. Therefore, Tzu Chi launched a global prayer event leading people around the world to pray sincerely for world peace all on the same day.
Tzu Chi volunteers in different countries all held prayer events on October 13, 2001. The purpose of this was to inspire everyone to do good. We wanted to inspire kindness in people’s hearts.
I was in Dalin on that day, and I had to make a trip back to Tzu Chi’s Guandu Complex in Taipei for the prayer even that evning. That night, religious leaders from seven major religions, such as Catholicism, Christianity, and Buddhism attended the event. We even composed a song “Love Heals the World”, for this prayer event.
“So the stars still gleam in the sky. And the moon rises up in the night. Deep from within comes the light of hope. Compassion and love unfold. As their hearts go out full of mercy to the world. Only bleed to see the earth in despair. With grace they would lift all the suffering and pain. They’ll be there till the end of the time.”
Many worked hard to make this song available in different languages, hoping to bring peace to people’s hearts. With this music and the love in inspires, our hearts are filled with wise and compassion. Let us look at our world and see its wounds caused by human activities.
Though, above, the moon still shines brightly with stars gleaming in the tranquil night sky here on earth, there is so much destruction and suffering. We could not bear for people to suffer. This is why we launched a global campaign to heal people’s hearts and to inspire love. That night, the prayer vigil in Guandu, Taiwan was broadcasted live to share with people in different parts of the world simultaneously.
That night we connected live with New York for the Tzu Chi prayer even near the disaster site. With the time difference, it was nighttime for us while daytime for them.
How time flies. That was more than ten years ago. My Master, Ven. Yin Shun, was also a part of it. That morning, he was at the Abode and was the one who played the role of launching our worldwide campaign to inspire love in all people. This has all become history.
But, behind such a beautiful history is heartrending tragedy full of pain, grief, and loss. That is why we hope that the hearts of all people can become harmonious for only then can disasters cease. Time keeps passing by, incessantly.
It is my sincerest hope and wish that such a spirit of goodness can remain widespread, always and forever. We must never let it disappear, we must never forget, for only then can we possibly have lives of peace and security.
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