20200816聞法持經勤鋪路Learning the Dharma and Diligently Paving Path
The sutras are for us to recite, uphold, and put into practice. After listening to the sutra teachings, we go and serve amongst people. Then, the teachings will truly be ours. We put these teachings in our heart. Only when we truly apply them in life are we truly upholding sutras.
The sutras point a path to us; We follow this path and our life is transformed. The most important is that we must pave our paths with the teachings right from the start and keep paving it to reach out to people in communities and inspired other people to also join the path and then walk the path; learning and understanding sutra teachings is very important.
For several days, I have had videoconference meetings. One meeting was with Tzu Chi volunteers in Kunming of Yunnan, China. I heard them share their insights of learning the Dharma and how they gave love and care to the poor in need.
The poor in need received love and care from Tzu Chi volunteers. They were moved and turned of their lives around. Now, they also do recycling and make donations. Despite being in hardship, they have saved up bit by bit, and handed the heavy coin bank to our volunteer. They said, I want to do my part and create merits.
All of the story our volunteers shared with us were truly touching. Among them is one care recipient. He suffered from severe liver disease. Going to the doctor requires money. He did not have money to pay the doctor. The doctor told him, you have liver disease. You suffer from malnutrition and you need to take in more protein.
He needed protein; someone in poverty has no way to get it. When it is hard to put food on the table, What can one do to get more nutrients? What is protein? Someone suggested him to raise some super-worms. So, he did, and he ate more than a dozen super-worms daily; He swallowed them live. Yet, this condition did not improve.
Later, volunteers heard about this case and he became a care recipient; At that time, his illness was truly severe, and he had a swollen belly. Volunteers kept on caring for him with love; Besides giving him material aid, they also guided him with kind words. Gradually, he open his heart and came to an understanding.
His, he mustered up his strength, put in a lot of efforts to get better, and slowly, he could leave his home to do recycling. Our volunteers gave him guidance, hoping he would adopt a vegetarian diet. Now, he is a vegetarian.
I am grateful to all the Tzu Chi sisters and brothers for giving me a new life; now I know that it means to be alive, and the value of life. I vow, for life after life, I will follow Master’s footsteps, be a vegetarian life after life, and promote vegetarianism with my family.
My biggest wish now is to encourage people in my neighborhood to do recycling, and have a recycling station in my neighborhood so everyone would know what recycling can do for society, our nation, and the Earth. Also, I hope my two daughters will join Tzu Chi and serve as Tzu Chi volunteers.
Yesterday, there was an elderly lady. She said, I am the same age as Master! She also came to talk about her insights. She listens to the Dharma and is very wise; when she spoke, she implemented the meaning of sutra verses in daily life.
These Tzu Chi volunteers are so far away from here; over the strait and so many mountains, they are so far away. They listen to the Dharma. Nowadays, their listening to Dharma talks on the Internet is very convenient, so, they have never missed a day.
They told me that every morning, there are over 80 volunteers attending my morning Dharma talk at their gathering place. We have to continuously learn the Dharma and then pass on the Dharma. When we see people, we share with them the precious Dharma that we’ve learned so that those who hear the Dharma are like gaining a precious treasure. In doing this, Dharma will not be lost. Such is Dharma.
To learn and practice all the Dharma, we have to first listen to the Dharma and take it to heart. After we take the Dharma to heart, we have to remember it and then keep on giving of ourselves. When there is a lack of something in this world, we will have ways to give of ourselves to fulfill that need.
We will figure out methods that solve living beings’ problems. As long as we are determined to do this, we can overcome difficulties. As long as we don’t slack off, we will be diligent in helping people in the world. When we face difficulties, we will figure out a way to help people and open up people’s hearts.
For those whose hearts are closed, we help to open them. Such is the merit of listening and practicing the teachings of sutras. Thus, the Lotus Sutra guides people to learn and practice all the Dharma and also do all good deeds. These can all be found in this sutra.
Thus, we ought to remember all the good teachings and never slack off. To keep on creating merits of practicing the sutra’s teachings, We must not slack off. The sutra and its Dharma show us many ways of gaining wisdom and strength so that we will never lack them. This is what this sutra can give us. It also gives us faith.
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