人間菩提--呵護大地澤蒼生
Thinking for the Wellbeing of Our Planet and All Living on It
We see what drought and dry weather has done to Argentina and Paraguay where there are big drops in harvests.
Thought they have large farming lands without rain or water, crops cannot grow.
Food shortage is a crisis the world is facing.
Taiwan is a small island so there’s not as much land for farming. Should we have water shortage it would cause a dire situation.
Therefore, we really need to be aware of the food crisis that our world is facing.
There are a lot of people starving in this world.
It is estimated that the world population is around 6.75 billion.
It is estimated that around 920 million people are going hungry worldwide 920 million people.
Therefore, we should really be on the alert.
Perhaps some people feel that the food shortage won’t reach them and that things won’t get so bad in their lifetime.
(But, we cannot be sure of this)
Plus, what of our children?
If we continue to develop roads and excavate mountains---look what happened with the Hsuehshan Tunnel which bore through the mountain’s waterways causing massive loss of water.
(Why do we need to damage more mountains)
(to develop roads when there are enough already?)
I cannot reason it out.
Everyone, we should consider the wellbeing of our future generations and what kind of planet we are leaving to them.
Looking around the world, there are already over 900 million people experiencing food and water shortage.
This is reality that is happening right now on this planet that we’re living on.
Therefore, we should really be on the alert.
(and strive to change these circumstances)
(through acts of love)
This love should be the spirit of Great Love which is love that is selfless.
We should not live our life for fame, personnel gain, comforts and pleasure, etc.
When we do things only for self-gain.
(and don’t consider the greater consequences)
We bring huge harm to our world.
I often say that natural disasters have their cause in human activities.
Disasters such as droughts or floods are all caused by humans.
Look at Haiti, (the conditions there are a vicious cycle)
Because of political strife and the struggle for power people are continually in conflict.
This has created all sorts of problems such as shortage of material goods and serious deforestation and serious deforestation.
This is a vicious cycle.
See, the root cause of the problem lies with people’s minds.
Many of the problems are man-made
People, however, can also be inspired to do good.
Look at the UN peacekeepers in Haiti
Because Haiti has no military, it relies on UN peacekeepers from different countries to maintain peace and stability.
Doesn’t this country face a lot of problems?
When Tzu Chi volunteers went to Haiti, they gave aid and with love, inspired people to get involved.
Even the tough UN peacekeeper from Brazil were moved by the love and caring ways of our volunteers.
See, even the tough soldier (can be moved)
When he saw how our volunteers were helping the Haiti people his heart softened and he joined in to help.
He helped place the goods on the people’s heads so that they could carry it home.
(This shows that) people can be inspired.
But, for people to get inspired, the love that we give must be selfless and unconditional.
Only when we help others with gratitude can it touch and inspire others.
Our mind can be like the lotus flower that rises out form the mud, untainted by it.
There is a couplet I often speak of:
“Inviting kind-hearted people everywhere”
“to join us in cultivating the field of blessings”
“The world of Tzu Chi is created by“
“the gathering of countless “lotus hearts”’
How wonderful such a world is
Even though in our world, there is a lot of impurity and delusion in this world which has created a lot of problems and disasters yet in such an impure world as ours with Tzu Chi’s spirit of Great Love and people giving of themselves with pure love the world is gradually being purified.
(Take Indonesia, for example)
In Indonesia, Tzu Chi’s Four Missions are all being carried out
For Medicine, there is a large group of medical personnel in our medical association, TIMA.
For Education, Tzu Chi has schools in Indonesia.
For Culture, there is a TV station DAAI TV Indonesia is fulfilling a very beneficial role locally.
It is bringing peace to people’s hearts and purifying hearts and minds.
Yesterday, Tzu Chi volunteers from Indonesia returned to the Abode, including the heads of Tzu Chi Indonesia and the main officers of each of our four missions there.
(Although, there were around thirty of them)
DAAI TV Indonesia head, Mr. Tandiono, updated me on our television station there.
He said that DAAI TV Indonesia is having a lot of impact locally.
There was ap person who could not see whom we had been helping to get medical treatment.
While he was receiving treatment, we introduced him to DAAI TV Indonesia.
After watching it, it has changed his life. In his heart, love for others has been inspired.
A very prominent and successful businessman has also been inspired along with an attorney and others.
In Indonesia, people of all backgrounds have been inspired after watching DAAI TV Indonesia and aspire to the same values.
So, their hearts are being purified
There was a businessman who liked to gamble.
He sometimes lost tens of millions at one go
After watching DAAI TV Indonesia and coming in contact with Tzu Chi’s values.
(he has been inspired to change). Yesterday, he vowed to me that he will quit gambling and will instead donate all that money
I said, “Yes, that’s the right idea”
“If you donate all that money”
“you won’t need to worry about it”
See, as long as we have the will, we can do things that can purify hearts and minds and that can make our society more peaceful. harmonious, and beautiful.
We see such a Tzu Chi world created by people with pure hearts who are truly serving as farmers and cultivating fields of blessings.
I’m truly grateful that we really have farmers and seeds.
The farmers are continually sowing seeds and cultivating this field of blessings.
Of course, for this field to flourish, there needs to be ample ”Dharma water” just as the land needs water and there needs to be good soil and water for crops to grow well.
Everyone, it is the same principle.
The principles that apply to the land in nature also apply to the land of our mind.
So, the water of Dharma is necessary to cultivate the field that is Tzu Chi.
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