20141110 - 四無量心護眾生To Protect and Benefit All Living Beings
It has been one year since the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) disaster in the Philippines. We see that local residents recovered. Although rebuilding has yet to be fully completed, prosperity has returned to the cities. This is the result of efforts made by many people who show us that love and care exist in our world. Living bodhisattvas are joyfully at work around the world, going to wherever there is a disaster.
When a disaster occurs, they quickly go to help the people in need by distributing relief supplies and comforting survivors, easing their minds. Now more than a year later, Tzu Chi volunteers are still with the survivors of Haiyan (Yolanda) to support them. We see that vitality has returned to their lives, and the prefabricated houses for them to live in are gradually being completed.
We also see that this Buddhist housing project receives blessings from Catholic representatives. In addition, students from 61 schools participated in a Jing Si Aphorisms Poster Contest.
Their entries are all related to Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) and how the wisdom from Jing Si Aphorisms have helped them overcome the disaster. These entries expressed the feelings deep within their hearts. This program tries to help children recover from post-disaster trauma.
The aphorisms not only help children heal from the trauma, but also encourage them to be disciplined so as to not make their parents worry. In addition, to inspire these children to be living bodhisattvas who help and benefit people.
Jing Si Bookstore held a book drive to solicit 10,000 sets of Jing Si Aphorisms for Children for them. Volunteers from Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association also went to the Philippines to share methods of teaching Jing Si Aphorisms with local teachers.
Attending the symposium on Jing Si Aphorisms was a very moving experience for local teachers. Volunteers from Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association really extended their positive influence by delivering a teaching method based on Jing Si Aphorisms to the Philippines. This is a very touching event. I hope that recovering from this disaster will not be just a physical recovery in the Philippines.
We want to give the survivors time and a place to recover completely and rebuild their community. Tzu Chi’s transitional classrooms and prefabricated houses can give them a transitional period of ten years.
I hope this is enough time for them to settle down and rebuild their lives. We hope to not only help them rebuild physically, but also spiritually, so their hearts can start to become abundant with inner riches.
When it comes to material things, nothing is ever enough. Only when our hearts are rich with love will we always be so rich that our blessings are not only abundant but overflowing, so we can always give to others and still never be lacking ourselves. Such is the power of inner riches. It is like a wellspring, no matter how much we give, the wisdom and love inside us are inexhaustible. This is the power of love.
We also saw news that made us very happy. For Doctors’ Day, we received several pieces of good news of doctors from Tzu Chi’s hospitals being awarded. The first news I learned of was that Supt. Poon of Kuanshan Tzu Chi Hospital received the Medical Contribution Award. Then, I learned that Supt. Chao of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital received the Special Medical Contribution Award.
After this, we received the news that Asst. Supt. Huang of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital was honored with the Role Model Award. Then came the news that Supt. Lai of Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital received Chiayi County’s Medical Contribution Award. Dr. Kuo from Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital also received a Medical Contribution Award. There were several other doctors who also received awards. I am truly grateful to them. Every one of them is very dedicated in serving patients.
As medicine continues to advance, they are also learning the latest to provide the best medical care. What is even more precious is their hearts, they have a compassionate heart that is like the heart of the Buddha. To provide complete medical care, we need a team working together to give of themselves with love.
Hearing news of Tzu Chi’s doctors receiving awards makes me very happy. We provide quality care not for the awards. It’s because we do it out of genuine care for patients that we received these awards. These doctors are truly precious. There are many, many stories of doctors in Tzu Chi working hard and giving of themselves to serve patients.
In celebrating Doctors’ Day, we saw that medical personnel from Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital took senior citizens from a veterans’ home for a field trip. Each senior citizen was accompanied and cared for by a doctor. We also saw that Supt. Chao, the Asst. Superintendents, and other hospital staff of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital celebrating Doctors’ Day by tidying up the hospital campus.
Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital also celebrated Doctors’ Day with service. The doctors and local TIMA members formed into 24 groups to conduct medical outreaches in remote villages to provide medical care and health education. They did all these out of love. Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital also celebrated Doctors’ Day by collecting and refurbishing used wheelchairs to provide to patients in need.
Supt. Chien personally tested the wheelchair and demonstrated its safety before giving it to the patient. These are all acts of love. They have given of themselves and served wholeheartedly for all these years. Every one of the doctors is a living Buddha or a living bodhisattva in our world, serving with joy and compassion.
They never complain about their heavy workload, because they do it all with joy and willingness. While on the job, they give their all and do their very best to fulfill their responsibilities. On their off-hours, they dedicate their services completely.
So, such awards for service are truly well-deserved, not to mention that they not only serve medically, they also do charity work and do disaster relief abroad. They also visit poor families in remote areas and personally help them clean up their homes. Their work is their mission. They are truly living bodhisattvas in our world as well as living Buddha. So many people are giving their love like this. I am deeply grateful.
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