20161226合和惜緣勤造福Working in Harmony to Create Blessings
Everyone, the New Year is almost here. First, I wish everyone well in the coming year. It seems like last year’s Year-End Blessing Ceremonies were just held recently.
In the blink of an eye, this year’s ceremonies have begun. Time passes so quickly. This morning I saw some elderly volunteers. I was happy to see that they are all very healthy and are diligently cultivating themselves.
Tzu Chi volunteers are accompanying them to do Tzu Chi work and caring for them. They have contributed a lot, and everyone is healthy, even those over 90 years old. I’m very happy about this.
Yet, when I was outside, I saw several volunteers sitting in wheelchairs. My heart goes out to them, but this is the law of nature.
Some will say that, “These volunteers have done a lot of good deeds, how could they have become ill?” That’s true. They have done a lot of good deeds, how could they have become ill?
We should understand the law of karma. What we do in this life creates and accumulates blessings for our future lives. The things that happen to us in this life are caused by our past karma.
We are able to minimize our retributions caused by the negative karma we created because we have the Dharma in our hearts. Just upstairs now, I saw that volunteers have been diligent in learning the Dharma.
By having the Dharma in our hearts, even if we’re sick, we can accept the situation positively. In my morning Dharma talk a few days ago, I mentioned that everyone has the Buddha’s nature, and I talked about the negative karma created by Devadatta and its consequences.
I also said that people cannot have the thought that because they do good deeds, they should receive blessings. We should think it’s our duty to do good.
We serve to bring joy, peace and health to people, including ourselves. When people’s problems are solved, we feel happy for them. Seeing people live a healthy and safe life, we become at ease and peaceful.
What does the receiver and the giver both gain? Do we gain anything after giving of ourselves? Yes, we do. We gain peace and ease of mind.
Do the people we helped gain anything? Yes, they do. They have someone help them solve their problem. Both the receiver and the giver benefit from this.
Is there the law of karma in this? Yes, of course. In our future life, those who have received help from you will feel happy when they see you. Are you happy to see me? (Yes.) That’s good.
Do you know that in the past lives, I must have already formed good affinities with all of you. Otherwise, in this life, why would you like me so much when I haven’t done anything for you but you have done so much for me?
This is because we have formed good affinities with each other in our past lives. Therefore, when we meet in this life, we like each other and help one another.
Besides, we share the same mission to reach out and help more people. This is our goal in emulating the Buddha. Thus, everyone, we have to be diligent in cultivation, and recruit more volunteers.
Tzu Chi volunteers should cultivate diligently by following the Jing Si Dharma lineage and make great vows to pass on the essence of the Dharma.
We should walk the Tzu Chi Path and help living beings with infinite compassion and wisdom. This year, I have been emphasizing this, and I would like everyone to remember it.
All volunteers have the responsibility to pass on the Jing Si Dharma lineage. To diligently follow the Jing Si Dharma lineage is to be very serious in spiritual cultivation.
To emulate the Buddha, we have to be diligent. Sutras teach us life principles, and the principles point a path for us to walk on. Sutras talk about life’s principles and the principles of our Jing Si Dharma lineage is that we need to diligently cultivate ourselves. We abide by these principles in the Abode.
The Tzu Chi Path is about walking a path in line with principles. TO put it more clearly, the path we are walking on will take us in the correct direction.
This path orients us to serve people in society and provide suitable needs to them. This is our Jing Si Dharma lineage and Tzu Chi Path.
We have done many things in the past 51 years. Starting from Taiwan, we now have Tzu Chi volunteers and Tzu Chi offices in over 50 countries.
Think about it, Tzu Chi started with nothing in Taiwan and now we have provided aid to more than ninety countries in the world. Every grain of rice delivers eternal love.
We have been distributing rice to help people in need for 51 years. How much rice have we distributed over the years? There is a story behind each rice distribution.
How many people labored to provide the rice with love? We are coming to the end of Tzu Chi’s 51st year. Time flies by so fast. Tzu Chi became what it is today everyone’s tiny contributions.
This is the true meaning of “every grain of rice delivers eternal love.” My mission is to work for Buddhism and all living beings. I hope the Buddha’s spirit, ideas, and teachings can take root in everyone’s heart.
Only by learning the sutra will we know life principles for us to walk the right path, a smooth path in life. Everyone, this smooth path is the Tzu Chi Path.
We have been striving to purify people’s heats and create a peaceful society so that the world can be without disasters. With the climate change and extreme weather now, we have been working in many countries to promote ways to slow down climate change and prevent disasters.
To carry out these tasks, we need to inspire more people to give with love. Everyone, in walking the Bodhisattva Path, do not slack off.
We need to continue to diligently cultivate ourselves. It is very important that we go among people to serve and awaken them. All in all, we need to cherish everything, including the Dharma and our affinities.
We should work together in unity and harmony to serve every being in the world. Can you do that? (Yes.) Good. I give you my New Year blessings. May you make progress in your cultivation and everything go smoothly for you.
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