20200913無有懈倦入法華 Reaching Out Our Hands to Serve
I am grateful that in 36 countries and regions, there are over 27,000 personal devices as well as 169 Tzu Chi offices that are all connected via the Internet to listen to me speak. Volunteers, I am always grateful; my heart is full of gratitude every day.
Recently, I cannot ignore that my body is not well due to the law of nature. I feel out of breath when I speak; even saying one sentence is hard for me. It is hard, and my voice doesn’t sound like my own. Therefore, for the past few days I stopped giving my Dharma Talk in the morning.
However, I did not rest, I am holding meetings every day, and I will work harder, much harder to utilize the value of my life. I have indeed realized that every second in life is not to be wasted. Hence, I speak louder, and make my point clearer.
I say this daily: For every day that I have a chance to speak, I speak as if I were giving my last words. My last words, I am always reminding and telling people. Every chance I have to speak, I‘d make sure to speak specifically and clearly, as if it were the words on my final day, my last words.
When the Buddha was alive, that was how the Sutra on the Buddha’s Bequeathed Teaching came about, as the Buddha was preparing for his time to come. After he finished expounding the Lotus Sutra, he began the Nirvana Sutra, and started on his final teachings; He wanted people to know that life is impermanent, and that life hangs upon the thread of a mere breath.
When a person exhales and does not go on to inhale, at that moment, his life ends. This life, with the law of nature, has come to an end. This is the same for everyone.
I often say that we need to learn how to live this life so we can prepare for our future lives. What karmic conditions will we be born into? After we are born, what karmic retribution will we receive? We need to prepare for that now.
Speaking of being born, it is not the moment when we are born in this life and it is about being born in our next life. We need to be very clear about where we are going in our next life. So, we need to start paving a path and creating a path.
I often say that we pick up words and sentences bit by bit. With the words we pick up, we piece together a very good article of a good life story for people in the future to read.
Recently, I kept saying that I saw the most beautiful hands. The pair of hands on the cover of the August issue of Tzu Chi Monthly is very beautiful because it shows the sign of aging. The wrinkles show the sign of aging. Aren’t those hands beautiful? They are very beautiful. I say they are the most beautiful hands. They are valuable.
Since they were young, elderly volunteers worked hard for their family and society. Then, they took part in Tzu Chi’s recycling program. The hands show their efforts in recycling. The deep wrinkles show they are working hands.
Sometimes, when I reach out and look at my hands, I feel ashamed. These elderly volunteers have truly done a lot for this world. So, in this life, they have truly been paving a path. They bend down and pave a path laying down the bricks one at a time and make the path very smooth.
I am only a person who paints a picture. I am only a person who gives out commands. They are the ones who stand on the ground and carry bricks in their hands. They bear the weight in their hands, carrying bricks and paving the path smooth.
Everyone, whose hands do they belong to? It belongs to all of you right here; those hands belong to whoever that serves. So, everyone please unite your hearts together and reach out your hand; it is like the Bodhisattva of a thousand hands; how beautiful it is.
We use our heart to listen to the Dharma. We use our heart and hands to do things. To pass on the Dharma and make it everlasting in the world relies on us to use our hearts. All in all, please be mindful. Apart from this, we have to use our mind to think and serve with our hands. Our hands can achieve many, many things.
If we do not aspire to give of ourselves, we will not be able to lend a hand to others; If we do not think, things will not be achieved as well as we hope. So, to achieve things or do good deeds, we have to always use our bodies, hearts, and minds at the same time and forever bear a thought of giving our power of love.
At every thought, we use our minds, hands, and harbor utmost sincerity and piety. Everyone comes together in one heart and takes action together. Around the world, there are hundreds of thousands of volunteers lending a hand to reach out to those in need simultaneously.
In a word, Tzu Chi volunteers have been giving of themselves to serve the world and society. Many people in need have been helped by them. Step-by-step, they walk. One by one, they lay down bricks. Doing so requires using both their hands and walking solidly with both their feet.
Off course, all these go back to their hearts and minds; everyone comes together in one mind and one heart. This is called working together in unity and harmony with mutual live and concerted effort. This is how everyone has giving of themselves with their power of love.
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