人間菩提--勤儉顧本致福慧
Practicing Diligence and Frugality to Cultivate Blessings and Wisdom
I’m truly grateful to the bone marrow donors who’ve come here today.
Altogether, there are over 400 of our bone marrow donors here today.
For many of you, your bone marrow has been sent to people in places far away from us.
I hear that some of the marrow recipients are people in Russia, Greece, as well as France.
All this is possible thanks to the advancements in medical technology.
Saving people’s lives is truly an act of great merit.
Did you know?
Back when we wanted to set up a bone marrow registry, we truly encountered many difficulties and endured much hardship.
Not only was it very costly to set up.
Not only was it very costly to set up such a large databank, most importantly we also had to deal with the public opinion.
We were under a lot of pressure.
(But, we still persevered on)
(because the most important thing) was saving lives and inspiring the altruistic love of people in Taiwan.
(Today, our registry)
(is able to provide a match for patients)
(from all parts of the world)
But, of course, if it weren’t for you donors and your courage and willingness o donate, even with a registry none of this would be possible---because while we can set up a registry by taking people’s blood samples which is just a technical procedure once a match is found with a registered donor if the donor isn’t willing to donate their marrow nothing can be done.
So, you donors are truly brave to donate your marrow to save others, and I’m truly very grateful to you.
You are truly saving people’s lives---by saving just one life, you are actually saving a family.
So, what you did is truly very precious.
I truly have to say “thank you” to you.
Likewise, I am also grateful to our Tzu Chi volunteers in 47 countries for working unite toward the common goal of relieving people’s suffering and bringing them love.
We hope that our society can be harmonious, and our world can have peace and that the world can be free of disasters as having a world free of disasters is a blessing for mankind while having peace and harmony in society is a blessing for the people.
Indeed, we are very blessed to be able to live in Taiwan.
We truly have very favorable weather and land conditions.
But what’s most important is that people work together.
Despite having favorable weather and land conditions, if people cannot live in harmony, it wouldn’t be possible for them to lead a happy life.
For instance, Israel and the Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza are in armed conflict again.
We can see that I is the civilians who have been affected and who’re in suffering.
So, living peacefully, in harmony, is the greatest blessing we can have
In society, besides charity work, medical services and education are also very important.
We saw the story of Mr. Liao in Keelung.
See, when he was young , he saw how his father respected and took care of his grandmother.
At a young age, the way his father was so filial to his grandmother left a deep impression on his mind.
So, he said to himself that he’d follow his father’s example when he grew up.
This bears testimony to what I often say about how parents serve as models for their children.
Some say that the problem of “problem students” lies in the teachers is it fair to say this?
No, it is not.
Actually, sometimes the problem is in the parents.
So, proper parenting is very important.
When parents hand their children to the teachers, parents should tell their children to respect their teachers and follow what they teach.
Nowadays, some parents overprotect their children.
When their children are punished by teachers at school, parents would go argue with the teacher.
(As a result, teachers are lax with the students) to avoid trouble
They get paid all the same, so they’d rather have less trouble. This is the current situation with our education.
So, to improve our education, the society, families, and schools all need to work together.
Only when everyone works together can harmony be achieved; only when there is harmony among people can the weather and land conditions be favorable.
Only in this way can blessings be brought to the society and the whole country.
But see how many disasters are occurring around the world.
This is the result of the Four Elements being unbalanced, thereby causing the climate conditions to be erratic.
Why are the Four Elements imbalanced and the climate conditions erratic?
They are a result of human behaviors.
Look at the effect of global warming.
Nowadays, aren’t we encouraging everyone to be frugal and to save electricity?
As I am standing here, in order to let you see me, they had to turn on so many lights.
But, in my own daily living, when I am in my study, I only use a very small desk lamp.
I try to conserve as much as possible be it when using water or electricity.
I’ve been living like this since I was young because I think being diligent and frugal is a fundamental value we need to have in life.
So, we should return to these fundamentals.
(In the past, people)
(didn’t borrow money to expand their business)
(They only did as much business)
(as they had the money for)
But nowadays, people draw up large plans for their business, and then they borrow money to expand their business.
That’s how the economy bubble is created.
We see today’s young people spending money without check.
(So,) we must return to the fundamental values of living frugally, especially in conserving energy so as to cut down carbon emissions.
How much resources does our planet have left?
As everyone keeps consuming the resources and industries keep polluting our environment the climate has become abnormal as carbon emissions from human activities have increased the greenhouse effect worldwide
I am sure everyone already knows.
(how this has led to global warming)and causes climate conditions to become erratic with drought hitting some areas so that crops cannot grow, while other places are hit by heavy rainfall that leads to devastating landslides.
It’s truly horrifying to see what is happening.
Everyone, Taiwan is a small island.
We should live in harmony with one another and be calm and peaceful at all times.
We must also be diligent and frugal.
Most importantly, we must give of our love to benefit others and thereby sow blessings.
We must also be sincerely pious and vigilant---
The year 2008 is coming to an end, and the new year will come soon.
Everyone, we must be grateful for each day in the past that, we’ve passed in peace and safety.
Let us welcome the new year with a heart filled with utmost piety and stay vigilant at all times.
May the new year be filled with peace, auspiciousness. Blessings, and wisdom.
In the new year, may everyone dedicate more of yourself to serving others.
Our Jing Si principles are about diligently following the way of Truth and the path of Tzu Chi is about going into the community---
We must go into the community to serve people in need.
Such is the way of living bodhisattvas.
May every one of you be someone (who can transform others’ lives for the better)
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