Lecturer: Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: 20130311---The Silent Mentors’ Gift of Love (拓展人生現光彩)
Date: March 11, 2013
(We see how people’s selfless love) (lights up the lives of many others) The value our life has is created when we, one tiny individual, take hold of every second we have in life to make a contribution to humanity. I believe such a life is a life with the most value.
Our silent mentors exemplify this. Every time, at the end of the medical course when we say goodbye to the silent mentors who have fulfilled their mission, my feelings are very complicated.
I really love and respect these disciples of mine, but I also grieve their passing. They really held on to their vows and convictions (throughout their lifetime). Having encountered Tzu Chi, they really dedicated themselves heart and soul to this spiritual path of Tzu Chi.
They contributed in whatever way they could and made use of their abilities for the common good. They gave of themselves when healthy but even when ill, they still persisted in doing what they could until the very end. So many of them were like this. They were truly (bodhisattvas in action)
One silent mentor this time was You Mengjian. He really liked Jing Si Aphorisms. After he retired from his reaching profession, he devoted his efforts to promoting Chinese calligraphy.
He hoped to spread good messages through Chinese calligraphy. With this idea, he began to take initiative (and helped organize) (a Chinese calligraphy association in Tzu Chi) to gather Chinese calligraphers together.
Its members wrote Jing Si Aphorisms in beautiful Chinese calligraphy for Tzu Chi volunteers to post them (on storefronts or inside stores) so that passersby or shoppers (can benefit from the messages) and take the teachings to heart.
He really made great contributions to promoting Jing Si Aphorisms. This disciple of mine suffered mini-strokes over the last two or three years I often reminded him to look after is health and he always sincerely told me: “Master, please don’t worry about me” “I’ll take good care of myself” “When I write Chinese calligraphy,” “seeing everyone happy, I’m happy too”
That was what he said every time. Also, he said what made him happiest was having everyone with a common interest in calligraphy coming together to write good messages. Seeing the good messages beautifully written filled him with happiness and spiritual joy. (because it enabled people to) take the Jing Si Aphorisms to heart.
So, since then, at Tzu Chi’s large events, we can often see a group of. Chinese calligraphers there writing good messages. With them writing Chinese calligraphy and drawing Chinese paintings, it adds great joy and festivity to the event.
So, I’m truly grateful to him. if it weren’t for him, today, we wouldn’t have all these Chinese calligraphers and all these good messages in beautiful calligraphy.
Mr. You was one of the silent mentors for the recent surgical simulation program (
He truly served to the end)
Another silent mentor was a volunteer in her eighties. She was the mother of my monastic disciple, De Xin. She was as active as the younger volunteers. She never stopped volunteering and had her husband’s full support.
Did you write all these entries? Yes, I wrote these, but the better looking entries were written by my husband.
This is the first donation registry from 1990. This is the second one from 1991. My husband ha helped me greatly. I should bow to him and say thank you.
Both husband and wife were very dedicated to Tzu Chi. Even after her health deteriorated due to cancer, she still carried out her commissioner duties.
So, they’ve made contributions to all of Tzu Chi’s Four Missions. Whether it’s soliciting donations (to construct hospitals or schools,) recycling work, or other volunteer work, they’ve participated in it and made their contribution.
Today, she’s also among the silent mentors. Another silent mentor was a Tzu Cheng from Taipei, Mr. Wang He-nan. I used to feel that starting volunteer work in my fifties is kind of late.
Master keeps saying that this is a circular track. Who starts earlier doesn’t matter, just be mindful in volunteering.
He also thought that because his health was not good, he should cherish his remaining time and not waste any second. He did not waste any precious time in his life at all.
These volunteers joined Tzu Chi and practiced spiritual cultivation. They stayed true to their initial aspiration until the very last second when they stopped breathing.
After death, they donated their bodies to help educate medical students.
There are also medical students from abroad attending this surgical simulation to explore the intricacies of the human anatomy.
They see how to make the proper incision so as to not make errors on their patients. These silent mentors (really help the students learn). It’s a great contribution to medicine.
There’s so much to be grateful for. Every time, at such a time, my feelings are always very complicated I feel respect and love, but also grief.
Besides our certified Tzu Chi members, there were also silent mentors who were not Tzu Chi volunteers. I’m very grateful that they also were willing to donate their bodies.
So, such a good practice of donating one’s body is already starting to spread in society. Be it body donation or organ donation, these all contribute greatly to medicine (These are becoming more widespread) (which show that love and kindness) (is becoming more widespread)
This is comforting to see I hope that our medical students and doctors will really cherish our silent mentors and dedicate themselves to medicine with a sense of gratitude and Great Love to do more for patients and help more people.
This is our greatest hope for them.
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