980108人間菩提英文版 The Importance of Living Harmoniously with One Another

人間菩提--黷武殃民‧和睦致祥
The Importance of Living Harmoniously with One Another

Living on this planet, we should realize that (what happens to this Earth affects us all)
Many of us think that the Earth is enduring and everlasting.
But, how long is that? Is there a limit to it?
Indeed, to people, time may seem everlasting,
(but man’s knowledge of the Earth is limited)
Only the Buddha, who has attained enlightenment, is able to see the truth of everything in the universe with his wisdom eye.
That is also why the Buddha comes to this world to enlighten us to the truths so that we can enter into the Buddha’s knowledge.
That is to say that everyone also possesses such a “wisdom eye” and the Buddha wishes to open our “wisdom eye” so that we can comprehend the truth of everything in the world.
(See how blessed we are to be able to)
(come in contact with the Buddha’s teachings)
Indeed, we’re truly blessed to be able to be born as a human being and to hear the Buddha’s teachings and to further work together here in Tzu Chi.
When I watched Da Ai News at noon, I saw that Bolivia is being affected by floods again.
In Bolivia, (every year during the rainy season)
(which is from November through March,)
(there’ll be heavy rainfall across the country)
These past few years, there has been (severe flooding in many parts of Bolivia)
Seeing that Bolivia is once again being devastated by floods and mudslides my heart goes out to the people there.
(We now have local volunteers there)
But before last year, there were no local Tzu Chi volunteers in Bolivia.
Because of the floods last year, Tzu Chi members from the U.S. Argentina, and Paraguay went to Bolivia to provide aid.
Since then, some people in Bolivia have been inspired to carry out Tzu Chi’s work there.
After our relief work there that time, some local businesspeople from Taiwan as well as some Chinese people were inspired and now, they regularly go to nursing homes, orphanages, etc to care for to people there and to bring them supplies
Bolivia is a very poor country and is often affected by disasters.
Ever since I saw the news about Bolivia at noon, I have been very worried, and I immediately asked our staff in Hualien to see if they had contacted our local volunteers there as we now have local Tzu Chi volunteers serving very mindfully there in Bolivia.
The other thing that worries me is that since the end of last year there has been ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Israeli forces have launched an air raid on the Palestinian governed Gaza Strip.
Yesterday, I saw in the news that apart from the air strikes ground troops have also entered Gaza.
See how many innocent civilians are experiencing unspeakable suffering.
I saw footage in the midday news where very young children were so terrified by the bombs and tanks that they would not stop running in fear.
There were also mothers carrying children with panic-stricken expressions on their faces.
It is truly heartbreaking to see.
I also saw that the Israeli army plans to
(open army recruitment offices in several cities)
(around the world so that reservists)
(can be mobilized if there is a long war)
It makes me feel that though natural disasters can harm the world., such as the way torrential rain, mudslides, and strong winds can destroy many houses in Bolivia people’s delusion and ignorance which leads to conflicts between countries and
(the ensuing attacks and destruction of the land,)
(is just as devastating and heartrending)
I can’t help but think, “Why do this?”
This is a question that’s often in my mind.
People should love one another and coexist together in peace.
Even if it is a long-standing dispute, what hatred and bitterness is there truly and who has hatred against whom?
In truth, it’s really just a political matter.
This long-standing dispute has lasted for hundreds of years and has been continuing generation after generation as wars and conflicts repeatedly break out.
Seeing this often makes us wonder.
Why do this?
The Buddha came to this world to guide us to see that everyone is equal, hoping that everyone could live harmoniously with respect and mutual love for one another.
He hoped that everyone could treat one another with loving kindness compassion, joy, and equanimity.
Indeed, religion is about (teaching people life’s truths)
(All religions have good intentions) which is to guide living beings toward the right direction in life so that we can find our wary in this world.
So, every religion teaches life’s principles.
Buddhism teaches us to harbor a pure, broad, and simple heart.
So, the Buddha taught us to have a broad and spacious heart that can embrace the whole universe and to spread our love to every corner of the world.
To do that, we must work to reduce all our desires and cravings so that we no longer give rise to any desires.
So, I often share with every one of you that we must eliminate all of our desires and open up our hearts to love one another.
Only then can every family live in harmony and there be peace and safety in society.
If people in every corner of the world in every walk of life including those in politically leading positions could all open up their hears to love others wouldn’t the world be free of manmade disasters?
Wouldn’t the world be free of conflicts?
And wouldn’t the world then become a pureland filled with love?
So, every one of us must work very hard (to inspire love in others)
We must be very grateful for the peace and safety we have in Taiwan.
Everyone, in life, we must always remind ourselves (of impermanence) and be grateful for each day of peace and safety.
To have favorable weather and land conditions, people must get along in harmony.
When natural disasters happen, we are helpless against them.
Look at the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
See how people are fleeing in a state of panic and are getting injured.
We truly must be very grateful that we are safe and well today and we must also pray piously for this coming year to be a peaceful and auspicious year of blessings and wisdom.