20170416一生無量呈善果 Sowing Seeds of Kindness to Reap Fruits of Blessings
Volunteers, thank you for showing me all the Tzu Chi work you’ve done. I am very touched and I am truly grateful. I am very happy and content because I see that, around the world seeds of bodhisattvas have sprouted, grown, and gone on to produce innumerable seeds. These innumerable seeds came from one seed.
Our Dharma is like water that nourishes people’s hearts. There is an inner-filed in everyone’s heart. When we nourish it with plenty of Dharma-water and tend to do it with love, as we plant only a few seeds in this inner-field, it will eventually become a lush green land.
Take Indonesia for example, Tzu Chi’s work began with a few housewives from Taiwan. Tzu Chi’s work sowing seeds of kindness there started in 2002. With a fertile land, countless seeds of kindness can be sown and grown.
In 2002, the Angke River was flooded. I remember that year because of the flood. I always remember Mr. Eka Widjaja and feel grateful to him. Before the flood, he brought his son, Mr. Franky Widjaja, to Hulien to take refuge and become my disciple.
Because of this affinity, when the flood happened, I asked them to fly to Taiwan to discuss how to carry out a flood relief and to help the residents living along the Angke River, which was filthy and filled with garbage. I am very grateful to them. When I think about this affinity is truly rare and precious.
At that time, Mr. Eka Widjaja was already in his eighties. I suggested him a five-part relief plan, which he fully supported. After he returned to Indonesia, he asked Mr. Sugianto Kusuma for help. Mr. Kusuma always says “yes, no problem” to my proposals. I remember that whenever we talked, he always told me “yes, yes, no problem.”
When Tzu Chi needed his help and I asked him if something could be done, he always answered “yes.” Because of Mr. Sugianto Kusuma’s support and Mr. Eka Widjaja and his son’s sincerity when they visited Hulien, the seeds of kindness were firmly planted in their hearts.
They truly took my words to heart and diligently sowed the seeds of kindness in Indonesia and cultivated fields of blessings. Since then, they inspired many to become Tzu Chi volunteers.
When the flooding happened, they inspired many entrepreneurs to help with cleaning up the Angke River and building houses for the residents affected by the flood. I remember that in those years we held many rice distributions. At each distribution, the top management of Mr. Franky Widjaja’s company all participated.
During those years, we inspired many entrepreneurs to become volunteers. For many consecutive years, Tzu Chi held monthly rice distributions. To provide food for those in need. In those years, they did solid work and created a lot blessing.
Therefore, the Indonesians and the local Chinese got along. The Indonesians were grateful to the local Chinese’s love and help. The local Chinese were very grateful to the Indonesians for supporting their businesses. Having mutual gratitude and harmonious interaction with love helps society become better and makes a country peaceful and stable.
Tzu Chi Indonesia has truly developed Tzu Chi’s missions there. We can see the fruition of their work. It’s the same with Sinar Mas Group owned by Mr. Franky who has vowed to inspire one million donation members within his company. Now, he has inspired more than 700,000 staff. He just needs about 200,000 more members to achieve the goal.
Volunteers in his company are dedicated to charity work and education. They also help refugees, such as give job trainings. They have incorporated Tzu Chi’s values and spirit in their volunteer work. The way they carry out Tzu Chi’s work is the same as we do in Taiwan.
They truly give of themselves without asking anything in return and shoulder responsibility. Look, this is inspiring love in people. I often tell Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide that when we solicit donations, it is to inspire love in the donors. The work we do id out of love. We give of ourselves for those who suffer.
We provide material supplies for those in need which require financial donation. However, what we truly want to do is inspire love in people. When love is inspired, they can act with love and serve as volunteers. See how successful they are. They have established Tzu Chi’s four missions there and benefited many. Each entrepreneurs volunteer gives selflessly.
For example, Mr. Mujianto in Medan has been volunteering for 15 years. Medan is a big city with many people in need. Mr. Mujianto is very dedicated to our work there. Yet he says that he hasn’t done much. He puts his good deeds behind him once they are done. He is truly humble. Other entrepreneur volunteers in Indonesia are like him.
They have done a lot of good deeds but never talk much about them. This is very touching. Our Jing Si Dharma lineage is like clear water. The entrepreneur volunteers give selflessly and put their good deeds behind them. The Jing Si Dharma Lineage is like clear water which nourishes our wholesome seeds and makes our wisdom-life grow.
It washes away one’s greed for fame and personal gain. They don’t do charity or fame or personal gain. No. They give unconditionally while harboring gratitude. They can do this because they have taken the essence of Jing Si Dharma to hear and have been nurturing their wisdom-life.
Volunteers, your wisdom-life keeps on growing. The Tzu Chi Path is like the earth. You have paved the Tzu Chi Path in this world, which has a vast land with high mountains and rich soil, holding the seeds of Dharma.
Volunteers, I hope every one of you have the Jing Si Dharma which is like clear water that nourishes wholesome seeds to make your wisdom-life grow. The Tzu Chi Path is like the earth with high mountains and rich soil holding the seeds of Dharma. We should tend to the seeds buried in the soil so they can sprout and keep growing. This is my expectation for you.
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