Lecturer: Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Giving with Love(看見臺灣‧人間至情)
I haven’t been here for a long time. I truly enjoy the fresh air here as those so many trees here. It is truly beautiful.
I often say that those of you in Miaoli are truly very blessed because you have a large green area like this in such a busy downtown area. So, you must come here often. Seeing our recycling volunteers here, I am truly very moved.
(Master Dialogue with recycling volunteer)
Last year, you were sitting here. Now, you’re still sitting here.
Thank you, I’d like to hold your hand.
Where is your brother-in-law?
Over there. Master still remembers him.
(Master Cheng-Yan)
She is a very good sister-in-law. Her brother-in-law is mentally challenged. She is aloe 80 years old, but she still takes care of him. Although her husband has passed away, she continues to look after his brother. When it comes to love, she is truly a bodhisattva with genuine love. Moreover, she has been doing recycling for nearly ten years. Over these years, she has been coming here to do recycling every day, and she brings her brother-in-law with her. She is truly very remarkable.
There’s also a 75-year-old volunteer who moved to Taiwan from Indonesia. He is very grateful to Tzu Chi for giving him the opportunity to serve. He kept saying how grateful he was. I saw him during my visit two years ago and this time, he’s still here doing recycling.
So, nothing has changed since I visited two years ago... The same people are doing the same work at the same spots. For over 700 days, they have been doing recycling here. See how dedicated they are all this time. They truly have genuine and sincere hearts.
Just now, on my way from Taipei to Xinzhu, I had a meeting with our U.S. volunteers via videoconferencing, and I learned about their relief work for Sandy survivors in the past few days. A Tzu Chi collegiate volunteer shared that he often went to New York to help with our relief effort, and he’s been sharing with people how Tzu Chi started in Taiwan with people each saving NT 50 cents daily to help the needy. Hearing that, a young girl told him that she used to collect coins in a garbage bag and had kept it in the basement of her home as she though coins were of little use. Hearing that, our collegiate volunteer encouraged her to find the bag although she said that her basement was flooded. Our collegiate volunteer also gave her two coin banks for to hold her coins. So, the girl went home to find the bag and returned with two full coin banks.
See, people usually think coins do not worth much. But now, many have taken coin banks from us and are starting to save coins. At our aid distributions, many people would ask us for coin banks as they also wish to follow our practice of saving a little each day to help those in need. This is what we’ve inspired people in the U.S. to do this time.
I also heard that many of our aid recipients have started to give back by serving as our volunteers. And, at one of our aid distributions, the Red Cross had provided a food truck to supply hot drinks. This is how we work together to help others. For our relief effort this time, Tzu Chi volunteers in 33 countries have responded to my call by holding donation drives.
Even our volunteers in countries like Haiti, Myanmar, and South Africa, where many are impoverished, have mobilized to raise funds, too. With such a heart to give, the people there are truly spiritually wealthy. When we sow a seed of love in people’s hearts, they will be inspired to give and in turn inspire more people to do the same. All we hope is for them to lead spiritually rich lives.
Just now, I heard that here in Xinzhu, everyone is also collecting donations for Sandy survivors. With such a heart of love and kindness, people in Taiwan are able to help those in need around the world. This is what we can do with love to help our volunteers in U.S. carry out relief without worry. The U.S, government has learned about our relief efforts and they know we are a charity group based in Taiwan.
So, they hold high regard for Tzu Chi. Indeed, it is because of everyone’s love that people around the world are able to see Taiwan. When those who are safe help those in need, such acts of love can be seen by all. We don’t need to try and do something just so we can draw attention. As long as we sincerely give of ourselves with love, others will see us. When people are in need, we should help and we’re grateful for the opportunity. People we should help are those who are in dire need of timely aid are those who are in dire need of timely aid or those yet receive aid from the government.
For example, many police officers are also affected by Sandy.
(Police to Share their Experience)
(Master Cheng-Yan)
It’s their duty to care for others first, so they hardly have time to take care of their own families. That’s why our volunteers brought aid to them. This is how we can pool everyone’s love together for those in need. Our love is so sincere that when it reaches the people in the U.S., they can still feel warmth of our love. There are still many Sandy survivors who need aid.
So, when we donate what we can, it’ll be a great help to them. I’m very grateful to everyone.
Coming here today, I see that you’re going to have a new home. For that, I must thank the mayor and his staff for their bid help so that the construction can go so smoothly. I’m also very grateful to our volunteers. Be they elderly or young and no matter what it is, everyone takes up the work they can handle and gives of themselves to help with the construction. You’re truly helping to build your own cultivation ground. This is a physical cultivation ground for everyone to cultivate spiritually. And it is my hope that with this new place, you will be able to bring more peace and harmony to Xinzhu.
(Source: Da Ai TV 人間菩提)
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