20230330人生帳本自盤點Living a Life of Value by Serving as Living Bodhisattvas
"Master, as the certificates you awarded to us are in blue and green colors and you'd often reminded us to count how much value we'd created out of our lives, I wanted to make a blue and green abacus. Yet, my husband said, 'Just green, not blue, (as recycling protects the land.)' I replied, 'We must repay Master's kindness. Master once said that only recycling can make the sky blue and the land green.' And, the abacus reminds us all to reflect on ourselves rather than find fault with others."
In the past, people used abaci for calculation. Your abacus is large, and mine is small. Indeed, I've been saying that we must live out our value in life. We must count how much value we've created out of our lives. By serving, we can live a life of value. Otherwise, we'll idle our lives away. Only by serving can we make progress. In all, we must learn to live a life of value.
"I'd rather die from following precepts than try to survive by breaking them. Animals speak too. It's just that we can't understand what they say. We shouldn't let our stomach be a graveyard for animals. So, I've been promoting vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is healthy, too. If we do good, we'll carry good karma with us. in the past, I worshipped deities, but now, I know that we should serve as living bodhisttvas rather than pray to Bodhisattvas for blessings."
I often say that those with enlightened love are living bodhisattvas. We'd let ourselves be mundane before we listened to the Dharma. We've listened to it. We learn the Dharma by listening to it, and you've all taken it to heart. I expound Dharma teachings that I've heard. I expound them according to what I've heard and how I've understood them, and you've been listening to my Dharma talks. As I encourage you to do all that is right, you've truly been doing the right things. You've been living out the Dharma. See how you've taken in to heart.
Please recall how long you've been following me, how you came to know about me, how you've been doing what I ask you to do, how much work you've carried out, and whether what you've done is right or not. If we've done something right, we need to quickly record and entry in our "life daybook." We should make entries of the right things we've done and quickly delete the ones for our wrongdoings. By "delete," I mean repent of our wrongdoings.
If we've been doing the right things, we've grown in wisdom, and so, we should be full of spiritual joy. Let us count how many right things we do every day. We'll be full of joy if everything we do is right. Let us care for others and speak good words to help people change their perspectives.
"Sister Qiu-mei has a daughter. With a mental disorder caused by her divorce, she'd collect many things and howard them at home. Sometimes, Qiu-mei would declutter it by herself. Yet, as there were too many things to discard, she shared her worry with other volunteers."
"Having understood what she was worried about, we mobilized to help her clean her home, easing her burden."
"I'm grateful to other volunteers for cleaning up our home. I'll follow Master closely life after life. Now, my daughter does recycling with me. I'm much relieved."
When our Tzu Chi members or those who are not related to us those who are not related to us have worries or afflictions, we must seize the opportunity to open their minds. Let us (care for) one another and inspire one another by sharing the Dharma. When I shared the Dharma and those who listened didn't understand me, I'd tell myself that it was hard to inspire them.
When I thought of how hard it was to inspire them, I'd feel discouraged. yet, despite feeling discouraged, I'd quickly remind myself to guide and inspire them with expedient means. I never give up on any living beings. The Buddha never gave up on any living beings, so he'd vowed to come to this Saha world life after life.
I just share the Buddha's teachings with you all. So, we must keep in mind that you and I are all the Buddha's disciples. Those of us who have learned the Dharma should guide those who have yet to learn it. Let us guide one person after another and support and inspire one another.
You've all been going amongst people to serve, yet we Tzu Chi members are still mundane beings. We mundane beings can all become Bodhisattvas. For that, we must practice the Bodhisattva Way and emualte the hearts of Bodhisattvas. Only when we learn the Dharma and turn the Dharma wheel can we change our mundane ways and emulate the hearts of Bodhisattvas.
You and I are all mundane beings. Ture principles that Buddhist monastics in the past awakened to have been passed on generation after genefation. Carrying the true principles, we must make progress continuously. Only then can we attain Buddhahood. The Dharma has been passed on generation after generation for over 2,500 years, and I've been expunding the Dharma for decades.
I opened the Tzu Chi Path and have been leading you all to walk it. Yet, I'm advanced in age, and I've felt my age and felt how my physical fitness has declinced and how some of my organs are not working well. What can I do? I've come to terms with it as it's a law of Nature. Although I'm advanced in age, I regard the fact with joy. Yet, I also push myself to seize my life to serve. I sieze each second I have and pull out my strength to give talks and serve.
In this life, let us walk our Tzu Chi Path until our last breath. And, when our time comes, we must remember to come back and walk the path again by living out our initial aspirtations. I'm very grateful to you all for giving me great support. I hope we can all vow to serve together life after life. in this life, you've been following me. In our next life, I'll follow you all. Let us all work hard, grow in wisdom, and care for and follow one another life after life.
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