| Tzu Chi is already into 43rd year. Today is Oct. 25. Two years ago on this day, appeared to everyone that in passing Tzu Chi's 40-year milestone we should return to the spirit of our beginnings--- the spirit of the bamboo banks. In the past, we inspired the rich to help the poor. Now we should also inspire the poor to give so they can become rich. What do I mean by rich? Is it material wealth? Actually, many who are materially wealthy actually feel very empty. In their hearts, they suffer poverty because they never feel they have enough. No matter how wealthy they are, they still feel it's not enough. This is because of their wants and desires. That's why I hope that everyone can learn to be content and feel grateful for what they already have. Even the rich must not forget gratitude. Even the rich should learn to be content. Only contentment can bring us happiness because it keeps us from falling into the misery of desire and craving. Nowadays, we hear about the global financial crisis. Why did such a financial crisis occur? It comes from people's greed and desire. It's because people want "the good life" In the old days, few had the chance to receive an education because most people were poor. Everyone supported themselves by their labor. Their labor was the foundation upon which they built a life for themselves. But such a foundation is missing today. Many people want easy jobs. To them, the best job is one where they can make money without having to do labor. That's how economic bubbles come about. Look at the Many other developed countries have also been affected like a domino effect. How come? From what I've been told, in the People buy and enjoy things first and pay later. Consumerism is greatly encouraged there. So, people take out a mortgage to buy homes and use credit to buy refrigerators, etc. (essentially borrowing money to buy what they want) So, when there's a financial emergency and they can't pay, they are in trouble. We really ought to promote the concept of simple living as they way to grow prosperous. By simple living, I mean an ordinary don-to-earth way of living. Living simply and modestly, in a down-to-earth way is what gives our life a solid foundation. (If we all stay solid and grounded) (and do not try to live beyond our means) What financial meltdown would there be? So, everyone should really go back to the fundamentals. (of supporting oneself with one's own labor) As it's said, teaching someone a trade is better than leaving him lots of money. Leaving him a lot of money does no good. You should teach him a trade, and teach him to not be afraid of hard work, and rely on using the skills he has learned to support himself leading a grounded life based on his own labor. In a word, we should live our lives with our feet on the ground. (instead of chasing bubbles) and just wanting to enjoy "the good life" We really ought to wake up and realize that we need to live more frugally. We mustn't keep spending without check and keep wanting to create wealth in new ways. In truth, it is all because we weren't grounded in the fundamentals. But at the same time, we need to bring out the love and purity in people's hearts. That's why I called on people to do good through saving a little bit of money everyday. If we only provide material aid to the needy--- If we give them a lot, but we don't open their hearts and don't guide them to understand the concept of doing good and sowing blessings. (we wouldn't be truly helping them out of poverty) It's not only the wealthy who can do good deeds. Anyone who wants to can (So, we're giving people coin banks) Because we hope everyone can do good. Even care recipients receiving Tzu Chi's aid can be donors and contribute money to helping others. See, in Yuli, there are about 20 families receiving Tzu Chi's monthly aid. Starting in 2006, at every monthly aid distribution, our care recipients have donated money they saved in their coin banks. Everyday, they would put a coin (NT$1 or $5) into the coin bank. We also teach children in low-income families how to make good use of their allowance to do good deeds. So, even children from poor families save a part of their allowance in coin banks. (and donate the money) In this way, they can help others without it straining their finances. Tzu Chi helps them, but they also donate money to help others. This creates a cycle of love. Each coin sows a seed of blessings (When all these coins are pooled together) the money can be used to help people just like the way drops of water form a river which supplies water to many. We also see a student in our kindergarten in He'd only five years old. Every day, his mother gives him NT$10. When he comes to the kindergarten, he always does this: he puts the NT$10 into a bamboo coin bank. If you ask him: "Why do you put money in the coin bank?" "To help people" "Who do you want to help?" "People who don't have food to eat." That's a waste of money. It's better to use it to help people, right? See, if you spend the money (on needless things,) you are wasting the money So, we shouldn't encourage people to buy a lot of things. It's not right to encourage people to spend money rather than save it and have savings. We should live a simpler lifestyle so that we may survive the global financial crisis. That is the way to go about it. We also see our care recipient, Mr. Lai. During a difficult period of his life, Tzu Chi volunteers helped him. They helped him stand up on his own again. Though part of his legs were amputated and he cannot do heavy manual labor. He can make a living by doing recycling work. He moreover donates some of the money to help others. Tzu Chi has provided me with aid. So, I should also help those who are worse off than me. So, even while on aid, we should help ourselves and help others at the same time. It's not hard to do this. Eventually, one day , their situation will improve. Those who receive aid won't forever be reliant on aid. In fact, they can also help others. All in all, (our lifestyle must be founded upon our own labor) A simple life can lead to wealth. By living a simple, modest lifestyle we can still lead a good life and still be able to help others. 重播 週一到週五 09:48 11:45 15:15 23:00 重播 週六 07:45 11:45 15:18 23:00 重播 週日 02:45 07:45 11:45 23:00 金融風暴創經濟 歸樸清淡得恬安 人助助人愛心啟 竹筒歲月續廣推 愛，不是有錢人的專利，有心就能付出，就像住在花蓮玉里鎮山區的慈濟照顧戶賴吉廣，每天做資源回收所換取的金額並不多，但在慈濟志工善的啟發下，他也能響應竹筒歲月，成為貧中之富；而這一陣子的金融風暴，帶來人心不安，上人再度提醒大家，回歸簡樸的生活，顧好根本，才能度過心靈的危機。 多年前因為工作摔斷了腿、失去工作能力，賴吉廣只靠著政府的救濟金度日。經過慈濟志工長期的關懷與不斷的鼓勵後，他重新振作，現在以資源回收維生，用自己的力量生活；甚至存下了一點一滴、得來不易的銅板，捐贈給需要的人。貧窮布施並不難，在賴吉廣身上，讓人見到了美善的光輝。 證嚴上人開示：「自助還可以助人，這都是愛的循環，造福一粒粒的種子，粒米歸入了一籮筐，就可以再幫助別人，滴水入河，也可以供應很多人食用，所以這都是我們在濟貧同時教他致富。」 濟貧教富，種下善的種子；然而，面對金融風暴席捲而來，人們昔日的物質欲望，再也無法獲得滿足；因此，證嚴上人再度呼籲，人人要守本份、固根本，回歸儉樸、用清淨的心，來面對生活。 證嚴上人開示：「我們應該要好好的提倡，人人要清平致富，我說的平是平平淡淡的生活，這樣的清清淡淡的生活，這就是人的固本；人的根本固好，應該社會大家安份守己，怎麼會有金融風暴！」 心中有愛，就是富有的人；克制自己的欲望，提升心靈層面的富足，才是人生最寶貴的財富。 2008-10-26 21:43:04 |
Regards, Jenny
Today's Jing Si Aphorisms: Let us appreciate, be grateful for, and repay the love of our parents.
今日靜思語: 對父母要知恩. 感恩. 報恩
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