人間菩提--雖貧猶富‧質純其心
Stories of Love and Spiritual Richness in Tzu Chi's Winter Distributions
The weather was very good yesterday as the winter sun shone across the land.
It was very warm.
(for the winter distribution)
(at the Jing Si Abode yesterday,)
We saw everyone, be they the elderly, women or children, all beaming with beautiful smiles.
It truly made me feel very grateful.
Yesterday, when it was nearly lunch time, I took some time to walk around to the back of the Abode.
It was bustling with people.
I saw over 100 of our volunteer bodhisattvas helping to prepare lunch.
Set out on the tables were steaming hotpots along with many other delicious dishes.
What touched me even more was teachers from our schools, including the vice chancellor and professors of our Tzu Chi University and teachers of our primary and secondary schools.
They brought their students with them and spread out to sit with our care recipients at each table.
There were one or two of them at each table.
Our teachers sat at the side of the elderly whose movements were a bit slow to help get the food for them and to eat with them.
It was truly very heartwarming.
It really felt like one big family.
Tzu Chi’s spirit of Great Love has truly brought everyone together like one big family.
It truly was very heartwarming.
These teachers have indeed set a fine example for our students to follow.
When I was walking around, there was an elderly man who stood up and introduced himself to me.
He said: I’m your most beloved one.
Yes, that’s right.
That’s what you told me.
I said, “Yes, that’s right”
“Everyone is my most beloved one”
See how endearing this grandpa was
Indeed, we should treat everyone in this world as our most beloved.
I was truly very happy yesterday.
All that I have heard and seen (has filed my heart with warmth)
(and I’m very touched)
Yesterday, there were 160 tables for lunch.
What a large crowd there was.
In Pingdong, there were also 55 tables of guests and there were even new-year cakes to give out to people.
These cakes were made by our care recipients to give to everyone as gifts.
It was their way of giving back.
(Doing so, they are actually spiritually rich) as they can give like the wealthy forming good affinities with everyone.
Our care recipients in Taichung also did the same.
One of our care recipients shared the turnips he grew with everyone---
He not only gave the turnips to our office in Taichung to make turnip cake with, he also gave some to the other care recipients for them to take home.
From that, we can see that our care recipients now also know to give and, with that, have become spiritually rich.
Seeing that, I’m truly moved.
Yesterday, there were 40 tables of guests at Guandu and 56 tables in Sanchong.
In Kaohsiung, there were 131 tables.
See, wherever there is a Tzu Chi branch or office, we will hold distributions and reunion meals.
We’ve been doing this ever since January.
After our care recipients had the meal.
(and enjoyed the warm, joyous gathering,) we’d also give out material supplies for them to take home for the Chinese New Year.
The most important thing about these supplies is the mindfulness that went into packaging them.
Seeing the goods being packaged make me think back to 1969 when we first moved in to the Abode and packed goods for the winter distribution that year.
At that time, I personally packaged the goods and showed others how to do it.
Every item, be it a towel or a toothbrush must be placed in the right spot, and everything had to be folded neatly.
The corners ad to be neatly tucked in without sticking out.
So, back in those days if any of the things weren’t packaged properly.
I’d ask them to take the things out and repackage them.
One has to be very mindful when packaging, and as I often say, it’s to package in one’s love along with goods.
So, in giving gifts to others, we must do so with sincerity and respect.
Our sincerity is expressed.
(through the respect we show) in the way we give the gifts.
We show our respect to our care recipients by packaging the goods very neatly and very carefully.
Now, not only in Hualien, but Tzu Chi volunteers all over the world are also doing the same.
When we present gifts to others, we do so with respect and sincerity.
What are the gifts that we give?
They are useful things prepared with sincerity.
What matters is not the goods’ monetary value but how useful they are to the people.
Be it food or material supplies every item we give must be useful to them.
(and is prepared and packaged with our sincerity)
So, these gifts are of the best quality.
Although the goods may not cost a lot of money, the supplies we chose are of the best quality.
They are very useful and are quality goods.
That’s what we have been doing for over 40 years.
When presenting the gifts, we show our sincerity though our manner and display of courtesy.
(See how our volunteers) carefully supported and guided the elderly and the young.
When handing them the supplies, we bowed to them humbly to show our utmost sincerity and respect.
This is the Tzu Chi way.
Among the care recipients who came to the Abode yesterday.
There was a lady called Jiang Xiu-mei who is a single mother with two children.
Life has been very difficult for her.
She used to drink a lot as she was bitter about the hard lot she was given.
Later, Tzu Chi volunteers came to her aid, caring for her and giving her support.
Gradually, she gave up her bad habits.
Now, she donates money to Tzu Chi regularly.
Yesterday, she collected her consumption voucher.
We’ve collected our consumption vouchers and I donated NT$ 200 (US$6) to Tzu Chi.
Master and Tzu Chi have given us Great Love, so what we give in return is truly nothing.
She donated NT$200 out of the NT$3,60 worth of vouchers that she received
I am very grateful to her.
Yesterday, I saw on Da Ai News---
You were working in the fields and now you’re here.
Yes, I wanted to come over quickly to donate the vouchers.
If I still kept the vouchers, I’d keep thinking about them. So I wanted to donate them now so that I don’t have to worry about anything.
I have everything I need at home.
So, I think that I should donate these.
If I keep them to myself, I still won’t use them.
So, I might as well give them to those in need.
Why are you rushing to collect the vouchers early in the morning?
Because I want to donate them to Tzu Chi for them to help people in need.
I am not lacking in anything.
If I spend the vouchers on something that I don’t really need, it’d be……
I think it’s more meaningful to donate them to those who are in need.
(These people have truly set a very good example)
If everyone can do so, wouldn’t everyone in society be rich.
(as they know to be content?)
Some people said they’re now.
(less well-to-do and unable to donate) because of he economic downturn.
We should truly lead a more diligent, frugal and simple, and (tame our desires)
Indeed, he who is content is the richest.
As long as we know to be content, we’ll be able to live a rich life.
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