2008-10-02

971002人間菩提英文版 Recycling Volunteers: Protecting the Land & Purifying Minds

 Recycling Volunteers: Protecting the Land & Purifying Minds 每日播出內容FLV 300K WMV 300K56K  
人間菩提--環保清流•法脈之泉 

 

 

We see that Tzu Chi volunteers in Texas are still surveying the disaster areas devastated by Hurricane Ike.

It truly is hard work.

Along the coastal parts of Texas, the damages can only be described as disastrous.

Up until now, the evacuees from Jefferson County are still not able to go back home because many of these people's homes because many of these people's homes.

(have become inaccessible or unlivable)

It truly is very tragic.

The county has been listed as a severely hit area, and roads have been cut off.

So, even surveying disaster areas is very hard.

In these past few days, Tzu Chi volunteers have been able to make their way into the worst-hit area.

As Jefferson County is very far away, twelve of our Tzu Chi volunteers are staying in tent areas nearby so that can survey the disaster areas.

In these past few days, in an effort to gather more information, our documentary volunteers from California also went all the way to Texas to help Tzu Chi volunteers there gather more detailed information that can be passed on to us Taiwan.

The U.S. is truly a very big country.

It is so big that volunteers in different states have to travel hundreds of miles to meet up.

It truly is very big.

However, in such a large and prosperous country as the U.S, it's hard for many to imagine that when disasters strike the recovery process can be this difficult and carrying out relief work isn't easy either.

Similarly, here in Taiwan, Typhoon Sinlaku also caused severe devastation since Taiwan is so small, the damage done can be considered as severe.

We see that Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan are continuing to provide care and support to those affected.

But most areas in Taiwan are relatively safe.

Because of the Central Mountain Range, the strength of Typhoon Sinlaku was weakened.

Moreover, the path of the typhoon deviated, slightly, causing only minimal damage.

Indeed, we should be grateful to Mother Earth.

Since we all live on this land, every one of us should protect and cherish the land.

I'm truly very grateful to our volunteers.

Though this is a very small island, we have over 4,000 recycling points and over 60,000 recycling volunteers across Taiwan.

I'm truly very grateful for this.

What we see in the footage is Zhanghua County in Zhanghua County alone.

There are 216 of Tzu Chi's recycling points

(Among them 24 provide tours with docents)

(to help people learn about recycling and)

(how the work can help save the Earth)

In Zhanghua County alone, there are close to 3,300 regular recycling volunteers.

They are all bodhisattvas who use their hands to protect the land by doing recycling, and they money they collect from selling recyclables all goes to support Da Ai TV in producing wholesome programs that are broadcast daily throughout the world to

(purify people's minds like a stream of purity)

The reason why we can have this stream of purity circulating around the world and cleanse people's minds is because we have a wellspring created by the joint efforts of so many recycling bodhisattvas.

(To let this stream of purity)

(continually sprig forth and not run dry,)

We need to work even harder

(to inspire more people to join our effort)

So that this wellspring will never dry up and will keep coming forth to purify people's minds.

To do that, we need to start by taping into the wellspring within us.

In every one of us, there is a spiritual wellspring of Dharma.

This is the potential we have within.

It is an unlimited source of strength that everyone possesses within themselves.

Take a look at Yun-rong, our first gets others to do the work with her.

In 1990, I began encouraging everyone to do recycling with the hands they were applauding with.

Although that was all I said, she truly took every word to heart.

(and put it into practice)

So, she began to dedicate herself to recycling.

When she first began, four of her friends who lived nearby also joined her in this effort.

So, these five women came together and started doing recycling.

At the time, Yu-rong was doing it alone.

Later, the four of us joined her.

Through these many years, (we've met with many difficulties)

Back then, we didn't know how to inspire others to collect and sort recyclables.

We didn't have a truck, and there were no male volunteers.

So, the few of us had to do everything ourselves.

At one point, I thought of quitting. But, thinking of what Master teaches us I carried on.

In the beginning, there were no male volunteers.

Why is Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva normally depicted as a female?

In fact, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva was actually a Buddha

(who had long attained Enlightenment)

And had taken the form of a male.

However, in order to help the stubborn and intractable living beings of this world,

He manifested in the female form.

So as to use gentle and living ways to touch and transform the intractable beings.

So, our recycling work in Yuanlin, Zhanghua County started with these five women.

But now, we have the support of many including businesses owners or those who do manual labor.

There are also many male volunteers who take part in our recycling work now.

With over 3,000 recycling volunteers in Zhanghua, there're over 6,000 hands

See, didn't it all start from one pair of hands?

So, as long as there is someone willing to start the work first, others will be inspired to take part.

That is why in Zhanghua County, there are so many of Tzu Chi's recycling points.

And, our volunteers can provide guided tours for students ranging from kindergarten to college, to educate them on recycling.

See how knowledgeable this group of Tzu Chi volunteers are.

They can explain the concepts in simple ways or sophisticated ways with scientific evidence.

It comes from the wisdom they have honed through their recycling experience.

They are truly admirable.

In all, on this piece of land that we live on if it were not for this large group of people……

As small as Taiwan is, there are more than 60,000 recycling volunteers around Taiwan.

If it were not for this group of people, Taiwan would have been buried under garbage by now.

That is because Taiwan is a very small island, yet there are so many people spending

and using resources wastefully.

Thus creating much garbage.

See how adorable our volunteer bodhisattvas are.

I truly love and respect them very much.

Seeing the love they have for this piece of land, we cannot help but give rise to love and respect for them.

Whenever foreign guests visit Tzu Chi, they always visit our recycling stations.

Whether the visitors are university professors, national leaders, or people of other professions, they all ask to see our recycling stations.

There're indeed too many things to be grateful for

Our recycling work has also benefited Da Ai TV greatly as the money from selling recyclables all goes to support Da Ai TV.

So, our recycling stations not only serve as classrooms to educate people, but also  

Support Da Ai TV to produce wholesome programs to purify people's minds.

Recycling is truly very valuable work.

Indeed, I could never stop expressing my gratitude.

All in all, I am truly very grateful to and also love and respect our recycling volunteers very much.

Taiwan is so fortunate to have you.

Thank you all.

 

 

 

 

 

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推動環保行有年
鄉親響應千手現
法脈之泉蘊群力
清流不竭滌心田

民國79年開始,響應上人用鼓掌的雙手做環保到現在,彰化縣26個鄉鎮當中就有24個環保教育站、216環保點,環保志工超過三千人。證嚴上人敬佩環保志工將街道當作修行道場,不怕辛苦、不怕髒亂,低頭彎腰,為了愛護地球環境無私付出。

住在彰化員林鎮的五位家庭主婦,民國79年開始響應上人用鼓掌的手做環保,開始彰化第一個環保站。從對環保毫無概念,到分類技巧成熟,成功帶動彰化地區做環保的風潮。

十多年下來,彰化縣26個鄉鎮市,已經有24個環保教育站、216個環保點,超過三千多位環保志工加入,而全台灣如今更有六萬多個環保志工一起守護這塊土地。

環保志工,不分年齡、階層、背景,他們將疼惜大地的那一分心,化做行動;將街頭當作修行道場,不辭辛勞,不怕髒亂,低頭彎腰,為愛護地球環境而無私付出。

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards, Jenny
思慧合十
Today
's Jing Si Aphorisms:  Every achievement grows out of the seed of determination.

 今日靜思語:任何事都是從一個決心, 一粒種子開始. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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