20170220來去自如愛相隨In Memory of Mr. Chen Yo-peng
To bear witness to times, document events, and record Tzu Chi’s history require one to give of oneself mindfully with love. This requires determination, for without it, one cannot do this.
It is not easy to remain focused on one task all the time. Every day at this time, I would see Mr. Chen Yo-peng mindfully carring out his job as a cameraman.
Our interaction was always very simple. When I call him by his nickname, Xiao Chen, he would quickly move his camera away. This was our typical interaction, which he responded to my words through movement.
He was devoted to his work and was very professional. Sometimes when he moved the camera too close to me, I would say, “Xiao Chen,” and he would quickly move the camera away.
In order to capture a good footage, he would get very close to the people he wanted to film. I would also say, “Xiao Chen,” and he would quickly move away. This was how we interacted with each other.
Yesterday, I had a meeting in the morning. At noon, Supt. Lin (of our hospital) came to the Abode, and we went to the dining hall to have lunch.
After I finished my lunch, I left the dining hall and stood outside, and Supt. Lin came up to me. I said, “You should finish your meal.” He said, “Master, I need to tell you, this morning, Xiao Chen…”
I said, “What happened to Xiao Chen?” He hesitantly told me that Xiao Chen had passed away. I couldn’t believe it at first. At dawn yesterday morning, when I walked up the steps of the Main Buddha Hall, I didn’t see Xiao Chen and was wondering where he was as I sat down to give my Dharma talk.
I was told that he came in after I did. All in all, when Xiao Chen was not on leave, I would always see him early in the morning.
Thus, I didn’t think much of it yesterday. I asked Supt. Lin, “Why didn’t you tell me about Xiao Chen as soon as you got to the Abode?”
He said, “I wanted to wait until Master you finished lunch, because I was worried that you wouldn’t eat after you found out.” In Tzu Chi, everyone misses him.
“Xiao Chen, you once said you wanted to be at the Abode for your last moment. There were training classes around Taiwan yesterday, and I heard that they all prayed for him and dedicated merits to him.
Last night, I heard that many volunteers in Taiwan and oversea prayed for him after they heard the news of his passing. Volunteers at various Tzu Chi offices all prayed for him.
In deed, life is impermanent. Life and death is only separated by a breath. Life is simple. One should not have attachments. Xiao Chen had no attachments or worries in his life; he passed away peacefully while sitting in a chair.
Xiao Chen had a young apprentice who was very close to him. They were like father and son. Since kindergarten, whenever the boy had days off from school, he would always follow Xiao Chen around.
They were very close. I heard that Xiao Chen’s young apprentice was very calm yesterday. He used a camcorder to film people who came to talk to Xiao Chen and chanted Buddha’s name for him.
Xiao Chen lived a very simple life, and he left many important and beautiful footages and photos of Tzu Chi’s history. Now his life has passed.
I was deeply saddened, and yet I should say that Xiao Chen left us peacefully without attachments. We should also let go so that we all can be free of attachments and worries.
We should learn to be without attachments. Xiao Chen passed away without pain. His wish was fulfilled. One can live a simple life without worries.
What is there to be fussed over? We should understand the truth about life and death and keep this truth in mind. Also, we see that in Malaysia, Tzu Chi volunteers have been taking care of an elderly lady.
One day, she suddenly went missing. Tzu Chi volunteers looked for her tirelessly and persistently. Finally, they found out that her family had sent her to a nursing home.
Tzu Chi volunteers were worried about her, so they visited many nursing homes to look for her. “She looked weary and old.”
“I am very happy. I never thought that she cared for me so much and came to look for me. Almost all the Tzu Chi volunteers at the recycling station went to see me. I am truly touched.”
The volunteers brought her back to her home. She is also doing recycling now. One day, she asked a volunteer to accompany her to a lawyer’s office so that a lawyer can serve as a witness to her will, in which she wrote that she will donate her house to Tzu Chi for charitable or educational purposes in the future.
Such is her dedication. She is over 80 years old. She has no regrets because there is a group of Tzu Chi volunteers who love her more than her own family.
Even though she lives alone, she lives a happy life free of worries. I’m truly grateful. The warmth of love to care for people comes from the heart.
All in all, stories full of love are created by loving people. The value of our life comes from giving of ourselves and creating a world where everyone lives peacefully and treats one another with love. This is the life that we want to create.
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