980104人間菩提英文版 A Peaceful Mind Brings About a Peaceful World

人間菩提--心平和‧萬象安
A Peaceful Mind Brings About a Peaceful World


If our mind can be at peace everything will be peaceful, safe, and well.
The Buddha told us that everything results from our minds.
So, if we want to live in peace and safety we have to keep our minds peaceful and calm at all times.
For those of us living in Taiwan, we should really be grateful because Taiwan is a good place to be.
It has good land and favorable climate conditions.
Look at what has happened recently in the United States, Europe, and Australia.
There were snow storms or ice storms
In some places, there wasn’t only snow, but freezing rain as well.
The climate has become really abnormal.
We also heard news that there was a snow storm in a desert area.(in Las Vegas, U.S.)
The climate has truly become abnormal.
The Buddha has said that (things are ever-changing)
Material things in this world undergo. formation, continuation, decay, and annihilation. and are changing at every moment.
So now, the climate has become abnormal.
We need to be very aware of this and on our guard as it means that Nature’s Four Elements are no longer in equilibrium.
That is why recently, we’ve seen major disasters of fire, water, and wind, as well as epidemics. wars, and famines all occurring at the same time.
This is the kind of “ear of degeneration” that the Buddha, over 2,000 years ago had said would come about in a future time.
(It’s an “era of degeneration” because) human morality and ethics is on the decline, almost to the point of completely disappearing.
So, at this time now, we must all raise our awareness and work hard to restore morality and ethics and the Dharma.
Our time now is already such an era of decline.
In such an age, the world is already gradually on is way toward the point of falling apart.
So, major disasters of fire, water, and wind will occur. Look at how Nature’s four Elements are now all out of equilibrium.
Take Cyclone Nargis which cased floods in Myanmar and the earthquake in Sichuan. China in May 2008.
What suffering it brought.
Words alone cannot describe that kind of suffering
I’m very grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers for promptly going to the disaster areas to provide aid and care all the way up till now.
See, we recently held winter distributions in Sichuan.
Many survivors have lost their loved ones and this is their first new year & winter since the quake.
Though the weather is cold, it’s not their bodies but their hearts that feel the greatest cold.
So, for this first winter, we’ve brought them supplies that include a blanket, winter clothing, food supplies, etc.
(These are material supplies) but most importantly in bringing them supplies, we also bring them love and use this opportunity to give them care and comfort them.
So, because of this distribution in Sichuan, we feel a little less worried about the survivors.
The supplies are material things, and there’s only so much that can be given, but what we really give them is something formless.
We help them to open up their hearts and we’ve sown seeds of love into the inner field of their minds.
With these seeds planted in their inner field, they will cultivate this field on their own.
See, for the past six months, many of them have continued to serve as volunteers and help others.
So, they are cultivating their inner field themselves.
Indeed, our suffering (can only be dispelled) if we can get involved in helping others and learn about (the suffering there is around the world)
As I often say, we can breathe now but we never know what the next second will bring.
That’s why I tell all of you that we must be grateful for every second that we have passed through safely that enables us to be where we are now.
I myself do not know what may happen to me in the next second.
So, no matter what, we must be grateful.
Who can guarantee that they will be safe?
That’s impossible.
So, all of us must seize every minute and second that we have
Most importantly, though everyone now says that the economy is bad that’s nothing to be frightened about
The true cause for worry is if we have bad tempers.
So, we must always look after our hearts and keep our hearts calm and peaceful.
Then, we will naturally be at peace and be well.
Look at the recent news. Besides natural disasters there has been man-made disasters, too.
In December 2008, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict flared up again and the Gaza Strip has been under air raids.
The situation is a rather complicated one.
This conflict has been going on for decades.
The hatred they have forward one another runs deep.
The United Nations has worked repeatedly to try and broker a peace agreement.
But changing people’s mindsets is the hardest (and it’s hard to get them to let go of hatred)
(So, lasting peace is hard to achieve)
(It’s like a fire that hasn’t been fully put out) so it can flare up at anytime into a raging blaze.
Yet, it’s only a minority that has this deep hatred and resentment.
They are a minority but once armed conflict breaks out.
It’s the innocent civilians that suffer.
Their homes get destroyed, and people get killed and they even have to flee to safer areas.
Why do people create such situations?
I have said earlier that Taiwan has good land and favorable climate.
But what we need most is harmony among people.
While there’s good land and climate (harmony is all the more important)
See, when there’s hatred buried in people’s hearts once something happens and the hatred flares up the ensuing conflict will escalate uncontrollably.
Even though the United Nations has called on both sides to stop fighting, the fighting still continues.
When will the fighting stop?
By the time the fighting stops, people’s homes will have been destroyed.
Rebuilding is not an easy thing to do.
Plus, with the fighting, how many people will be injured and become physically disabled for life or even lose their lives?
Their suffering is truly great.
So, for us living in Taiwan, we really need to count our blessings.
To cherish our blessings, we need to tame our mind.
I hope that for this new year, we can have favorable weather, good land, and harmony.
If we can have all three of these, even in an economic downturn, we will be able to pass through it safely.
People in Taiwan are really blessed.
So, we need to be grateful at all times.
We should always “bless ourselves” by staying positive and being grateful always
Then, blessings will come to us.
So, everyone please be mindful in this.