20141025 濁世清蓮度有情To Inspire Wisdom and Compassion Amidst Impurities
There are so much going in on this world, and it is hard to make sense out of it. All these make us feel we are living in a world filled with afflictions and impurities. We saw news from the U.S. in Washington State, a student, for unknown reasons, walked into a high school and started shooting at students. We really do not know what has gone wrong with our education nowadays. This is very worrisome.
In today’s times, moral ethics and values have become obscured in the society. So, this puts school in a difficult position to properly educate students. It is challenging School violence is a big problem for society and a sign of a bigger crisis for the world. All this comes from the disharmony in people’s hearts.
However, we also see news that is very heartwarming in Xiamen, China Tzu Chi volunteers there made home visits to care for people in need and learned about the pain and suffering in life. They learned to give of themselves and to help the people in need without seeking anything in return out of gratitude toward the recipients for giving them the eye-opening and educational experience of understanding the suffering in real life. The Buddha pointed out to us that life is full of suffering.
In Tzu Chi, volunteers have the chance to encounter real-life suffering as they carry out charity work. They see with their eyes the run-down homes that are falling apart which the poor or elderly live in alone, with no one caring for them.
They also see people who suffer from illnesses or disability. Not only did they see these people and know that they’re suffering, they reached out to help them. It feels good to help people. This is how they develop their wisdom life and gain spiritual riches.
As the Lotus Sutra teaches us, to become a bodhisattva, we need to go to the people in need to be with them, and not to afraid of their dirty, unkempt conditions which result from impoverishment. Because of our love, we can go and experience such an environment mindfully. Only by doing so can we really come to understand life’s realities and truths.
We really need to approach people in need and be with them like this, in order to starts walking on the Bodhisattva Path which will give us many rich insights. Because of the Dharma we realize from serving, our lives become very rich.
We will realize that material things aren’t the most important because they aren’t lasting or permanent. They’re ephemeral like smoke or clouds that drift by. There’s no way to hold on to them. They’re not yours to hold on to. Life is very short. But, because of our afflictions and delusion, we create a lot of problems and troubles.
So with life so short, transient, and impermanent, we really need to focus on pushing aside our delusions and attachments. It’s just like how to see the moon on a cloudy night, we need the clouds to disperse, even a little so the moon can appear. It’s the same with the sun in daytime.
In a word, we need to truly work on eliminating our afflictions and inner impurities. It requires our mindful and determined effort. we have to walk the Bodhisattva Path in order to truly experience what the Buddha did: that incredible oneness with the universe and recovery of complete enlightenment. Everyone is capable of experiencing this for we all have the Buddha nature. Our true nature is the enlightened Buddha nature.
Sister Hong Chun is already 90 years old and lost sight in one eye. However, she still takes the bus everyday to collect donations from Tzu Chi members. Some members live very far, like in Zhonghe, Banqiao, Xindian, and Neihe. She still goes there by herself to collect donations one by one.
Look at the elderly volunteer, Ms. Hong Chun. She is very experienced and has been with Tzu chi since her fifties. Now she’s in her nineties and still follows me very closely. Look at her, in her old age and though now over 90 years old, she is not retiring from Tzu Chi. She never stops her work. At her age now, she still works with over 100 donating members.
She once told me about her obstacles I told Master that I cannot read or write. What do I do about the donation registry? Master told me to just be mindful. People who can read and write have their own obstacle. I gathered my courage to accept the registry. As I cannot read or write. I tell people about Tzu Chi and ask for their donation. A dollar or half a dollar is fine.
I told her that people don’t cherish their gift of literacy. She can overcome her illiteracy by being mindful. People who are literate take it for granted. They think they can read and understand but they often forget what they have learned. That is why being mindful is very important. You think that she is illiterate. Look at her now, years later. We see that she has learned to write.
My daughter - in-law writes down the names of donors for me. I copy her writing to. When receiving a donation, I mark it on my copy I have to be careful because I don’t read or write. For the past several decades, she has learned to read and write. Now, no one can say that she is illiterate.
She knows more than just how to read she knows life’s truths I am filled with immense gratitude every day. I am grateful to have good health and an able body. Although I am in old age, I have to turn my gratitude into action.
I am not able t be a leader, but I can be a great supporter. I will seize my time to learn and to form good affinities with people, which will give me more energy. and help me develop boundless wisdom life. When I live every day with right thinking and views, joys fills my hearts, and I won’t have worries. Thank you, Master, for never disqualifying me inability to read and accepting me as your disciple.
We also see our volunteers, Mei Yue, in Yilan. See how she is very motivated and gives of herself. Not only does she love people and guide them to do good deeds, she also does recycling. She can go out the whole day from morning to night and doesn’t mind driving long distances to collect recyclable. This is how mindful she us in nurturing goodness in people's hearts.
She also loves the Earth, so she promotes environmental protection. She may look physically small, but she has great strength. She can lift and throw large bags of recyclables onto a truck by herself because she’s very willing to do this and very happy doing it. Her strength comes from her doing the work willingly and contributing herself happily. This is truly remarkable. In Tzu chi, there are many living bodhisattvas contributing themselves to good causes.
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