Dharma

人間菩提英文版981021-知苦長慧自運命The Need to Inspire Love in People and Nurture Wisdom in the Face of Obstacles

2009-10-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

The Need to Inspire Love in People and Nurture Wisdom in the Face of Obstacles

人間菩提--知苦長慧自運命

Wherever there are Tzu Chi volunteers, even if disaster strikes the people there will still be blessed.

(Take the recent floods)

(in the Philippines for example)

(Because of he scale of the disaster,)

Bringing aid to the disaster survivors the way

our local volunteers usually do to help the poor would not have worked.

That's why I often say that ever-changing circumstances serve as a chance for us to test our wisdom.

So, how we usually provide aid to the poor is different from how we bring relief in times of disaster.

(So, in the face of obstacles,) we must nurture our wisdom

And, when faced with ever-changing circumstances, we must use our wisdom
So, this time, with disasters occurring one after another, the locals didn't know what to do.

Though they had had shelters to stay in, they had nothing to do every day and not much food to eat.

Living in the crowded shelters all they saw around them was garbage and flooded streets.

It was truly hard for them to pass each day like that

So, I told our Tzu Chi volunteers there that they could introduce a relief program whereby we could provide monetary aid by paying those who helped with the cleanup work.

See, with such an incentive, more and more people came to clean up every day more and more people came to clean up every day.

What makes me happiest is to see that through inviting the locals to help with the cleanup work to love in them has been inspired.

I told our volunteers in the Philippines that besides paying them to clean up the streets, we should also provide meals for them.

We should provide them with lunch and give them our love and care.

So, that's how our volunteers cared for them and inspired them to give

See how everyone rushed to sign up for work and was all very conscientious.

They were not even deterred by the dirt and filth.

When I saw that, my heart went out to them as they're only paid 400 pesos (US$8.60) a day.

I told our volunteers there that once the cleanup work is completed, in addition to their daily pay, we should also hand out bonuses according to how many days they have worked.

Because the wages there are very low and there are not many job opportunities, we should help them and guide them to get back on their feet.

This morning I saw on Da Ai News that the villagers had contributed a peso each and collected 700 pesos (approx, US$15) to make a banner.

On the banner, (every signed their names) to thank Tzu Chi for (helping them clean up their homes)

They also held a parade

It was not a parade to protest against something.

What was this parade for then?

They wanted to go to all the streets and alleys that had been cleaned with the banner and posters they made(to show their gratitude to Tzu Chi)

(for helping them with the cleanup work)

Did you make this?

There was a lot of garbage here before but it's all gone now.

Many of us had no work to do before, but thanks to Tzu Chi, we have work to do

After being devastated by the typhoon, I thought there was no hope anymore.

Everyone had given up doing the cleanup work, but then Tzu Chi Foundation came to help us.

I am very happy.

These people are truly genuine and sincere, and are easily inspired and touched.

That's why they know to give back.

People there are truly genuine and sincere.

Everyone, it's been three weeks since our volunteers began helping these typhoon-stricken areas.

So, these areas that we had helped have how been cleaned and restored, and that is why the locals wanted to have this parade.

There are, however, still many communities that require our help because they do not have bulldozers or excavators to speed up the cleanup.

In fact, Tzu Chi volunteers have also drawn on the help of local entrepreneurs to borrow such heavy machinery but it wasn't easy.

So, through this, we now realize how fortunate we are with the resources we have here in Taiwan.

Take the Aug. 8 flood disaster for example.

(After Typhoon Morakot brought)

severe devastation to southern Taiwan, those who were not affected by the disaster were able to mobilize and go to the disaster areas and within a few days, 150,000 people had gone there to help with the cleanup work.

Tens of thousands of people went to help clean up the flood-stricken areas every day .

(The way people united together truly)

brought much hope and life to the disaster areas.

Our volunteer form Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung and other parts of Taiwan.

all went to southern Taiwan to help. Seeing that, the locals were also inspired to take part in cleaning up the flood-stricken areas.

That was they everything was able to return to normal so quickly.

But for those in the mountains whose homes had been buried or was washed away by landslides, such losses could not be recovered.

However, we are now also working to help survivors who had lost their homes to landslides by building them new homes to settle into

Everyone is working very mindfully

People in Taiwan are truly full of love as they not only donated money and gave of their time and effort to help with the cleanup work regardless of how tiring it was, but they even paid for all the expenses themselves.

(This is the love that)

(we've witnessed here in Taiwan)

Sometimes, when I think of the way people unite to help one another, my heart is filled with gratitude.

Such a sense of gratitude is not something words alone can express as it is gratitude from deep within my heart.

In Taiwan, when you first join Tzu Chi, I always give you one principle to follow.

That is give with selfless Great Love. We mustn't be afraid of hard work as giving of ourselves to benefit others is a blessing. When it's the right thing to do, we must do it without hesitation.

We shouldn't be attached to what's we've done for others and just give of ourselves with selfless Great Love.

This is what we must do year in and year out from the time we start training to become certified Tzu Chi volunteers.

Wherever disasters occur, everyone quickly teams up into groups to visit those affected by disasters, hold aid distributions, etc.

This is what we do in Taiwan.

So, despite being affected, the disaster survivors are still very blessed.

Everyone, I have said all this to you because I would like to say "Thank you" to all of you.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot, you have all reached out to bring care to the villages of Taimali, Dawu and Jinlun.

However, I must also remind all of you that disasters like these will become more common in the future.

(because people have brought much damage)

(to the environment, and that's why)

The climate has also become more erratic.

So, we must all be more alert and cautious

Our karma follows us wherever we go, so when our karmic retributions come to bear.

We must accept them willingly as they are

(simply the consequences of our own actions)

Life is full of suffering

In this "era of degeneration"

(when human morality and ethics is)

(on the decline,)

We must all heighten our vigilance and be on the alert.

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人間菩提--知苦長慧自運命
The Need to Inspire Love in People and Nurture Wisdom in the Face of Obstacles

末法之世災尤甚
淨化市容遊街行
知苦長慧自運命
重現榮景眾殷期
2009/10/20

980215人間菩提英文版 A Story of Gratitude and Goodness in Indonesia

2009-02-15T16:25:00.000-08:00

A Story of Gratitude and Goodness in Indonesia每日播出內容｜ 300K 300K ｜
人間菩提--勤護一念．感恩圖報

These past few years, Indonesia Tzu Chi volunteers have been very active in helping the community

When an accident happens, Tzu Chi volunteers will rush to the scene to provide care and aid

Ever since Tzu Chi began its work in Indonesia over a decade ago the local volunteers have been very dedicated

When they learn of people who are poor and ill, they will reach out to offer care & aid over the long-term with love

However, (there are all different kinds of people)

Some, after receiving Tzu Chi's help, will try to give back, out of gratitude

But, there are some who, despite receiving aid, are not satisfied with the aid they're given and would want even more

(So, they start to have bad thought & intentions)

We encountered a case like this in Indonesia

There was a man who was poor so he sought help from Tzu Chi

Our volunteers went to visit him to better understand his situation

After assessing his needs and circumstances, they found he only needed partial aid. So, Tzu Chi helped pay for half of his medical fees

The man was unhappy about that (and felt Tzu Chi should've done more)

Meanwhile, there is another impoverished family. The father does odd jobs at a temple to support his family of eight

This family leads an impoverished life

Among the six children, the youngest one is called Budi

He is nine years old this year

In 2006, when he was at the age of six, a tumor developed in his lower jaw and it started to grow bigger

The doctor said that if Budi does not undergo surgery, his jaw will only grow bigger

But his family is very poor and cannot afford the surgery

Then, someone suggested to them to seek help from Tzu Chi

So, the mother contacted Tzu Chi

Our volunteer went to visit this family and determined that this family qualifies for our full assistance

Unfortunately, this mother met the person I mentioned earlier, the one who was unhappy that Tzu Chi hadn't paid for all his medical fees

This person said to her:

"You think Tzu Chi will help you,"

"but Tzu Chi won't pay for all of it"

"Plus, the surgery might not even help"

("and Budi might end up with a split lip")

This scared Budi's mother

So, every time our volunteers contacted her on the phone, she rejected our help

Instead, she turned to a folk medicine doctor

(A woman had offered to help pay for part of)

(the treatment, but in the middle of it,)

(she backed out of her promise)

Meanwhile, Tzu Chi members didn't give up on them because Budi really needed

So, they kept trying to convince

Budi's mother to let them help Budi

It was only in December 2007 that she finally accepted our help

Budi underwent three surgeries to remove the tumor in his jaw

Even though there are scars left on his face, he is very content because when he was at the hospital, he saw people who suffered from illnesses more severe than his

Some had a brain tumor, and some were paralyzed and disabled

Seeing all this, he felt that he was much more fortunate than those people

Indeed, illness causes a lot of suffering

So, Budi vowed to become a doctor when he grows up to help those who are suffering

So, after he went home from the hospital, he started thinking about earning money

But he needs to go to school, in order to become a doctor in the future

So, he studies very hard

He is also very smart and wise

(He started selling bread on the street)

Each day he can sell 50 pieces of bread and makes 10,000 rupiahs total (US$0.85)

Of the money he earns, he gives half of it to his mother ad donates the other half to Tzu Chi

Actually, 5,000 rupiahs is only (US$0.42)

However, a good deed cannot be measured by its monetary value

His wanting to do good deed is precious

(Where did his inspiration come from?)

After the Chinese New Year celebration, Tzu Chi volunteers had visited him often to see how he was doing after the surgery

After the Chinese New Year, our volunteers in Indonesia held a Prayer Celebration event

After event, Budi saw videos of Tzu Chi's work and saw how hard it is to raise money to help the poor

He was especially moved by the program about Tzu Chi's bamboo banks

It inspired him

So, after the Prayer Celebration, he asked for a coin bank

He also wants to save money everyday

No matter how much money he has, he wants to save some money everyday

This boy is really adorable

He is grateful for the aid he received and wants to do good in return

His father (is also like this)

Seeing that Budi has fully recovered and is cured of his illness, his father too is grateful

(and wants to do something to give back)

He learned that Tzu Chi does recycling

So, besides his job at the temple, began to do recycling work

He is very devoted to it

(Despite some people's negative comments,) he is determined to continue the recycling work

Even Budi's mother started to help raise funds for Tzu Chi when she sells noodles at her noodle stand

So, Budi's parents and Budi all work (to contribute to Tzu Chi)

(Though they can't contribute a lot,) they're very committed to making a contribution

It makes us most happy to see that this child is studying hard and is very good to his parents

Such is the "cycle of goodness" between people

This is where our hope lies and this child is a seed

Perhaps twenty years form now, he will be a doctor working to save lives

That could happen. As long as he holds on to his good intentions and convictions, Tzu Chi people will certainly help him to fulfill his aspiration

As we can see, in this world, there are many different kinds of people

So, we really must take care to preserve our good thoughts

Look at that man who spoke ill of Tzu Chi out of spite because he was dissatisfied with the amount of aid he received

What he did didn't help himself as it damaged his character

At the same time, it also caused Budi's treatment to be delayed for over a year

So, what he did injured himself and others

So, we must always keep a good heart and good thoughts and speak good words

One small good deed can help relieve suffering

We should strive to be someone who can be respected by others by facing poverty and hardship bravely

A person who does that will be loved by others

Though in poverty, he will nevertheless be "rich"

首播每日19:45
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重播週六
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重播週日
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勤護一念淨三業
罹病少年遇貴人
知足感恩思圖報
貧中之富福慧增

印尼一位窮困家庭的孩子布迪，因為下顎不斷腫大，父母求助慈濟，終於得以順利接受治療，全家人相當感恩。九歲的小布迪已經開始賺錢，他把賺來的錢一半給媽媽，另外一半存進竹筒裡；現在他們全家都是環保志工，要回饋社會大眾的愛心。證嚴上人說，儘管他們的力量微小，卻堅定心志，啟動了善循環。

頂著鐵盤，沿街兜售麵包，年僅九歲的布迪，雖然下顎有著明顯的疤痕，他卻不以為意，因為在慈濟人的幫助下，他才得以就醫治療。現在他將賺來的錢，一半給媽媽，另外一半就存進竹筒裡，而他的家人也在工作之餘，投入環保做回收，希望盡微薄心力幫助人。

證嚴上人開示：「這個窮困的家庭，因為他受恩，他圖報，所以親子立願要回饋大愛，雖然力量微小，可是他卻是堅定心志。最高興就是看到孩子，他的成績也不錯，很貼心，這都是人與人之間善的循環。」

同樣啟動善的循環，還有在四川的漢旺。慈濟志工在這裡成立了四川第一個環保站，帶著鄉親，從分類到壓縮，所有動作一步步學。而這些別人眼中的垃圾，卻能化做愛心暖流，成了當地慈善基金，鄉親們不但熱烈響應，愛護地球的理念，也在這悄悄地萌芽。

證嚴上人開示：「看了很有希望，現在整個地球不都是環保議題？這是國際性的，大陸假如也能帶動起來，人口這麼多，土地這麼大片，對地球的幫助真大！所以看到他們帶動起來，有大學生，有企業家，有當地的居民，不管老奶奶、老爺爺，還有小志工，都帶動起來，看來真的是很開心。」

一念心的啟發，讓原本手心向上的人變成手心向下，可以付出，貧中之富、愛的推動，讓人間善的循環永不止息。
2009/02/15

人間菩提英文版"刊登網站: http://master-dharma.blogspot.com/

Regards, Jenny
思慧合十
Today's Jing Si Aphorisms: How bitter life is when we have desires! Our demands on others bring endless misery.

靜思語:人生有求即多苦!如果只是一味地要求他人,會為自己招來無窮的痛苦

980209人間菩提英文版Tzu Chi's Tuition Aid Program: Helping to Create a Future of Hope

2009-02-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

Tzu Chi's Tuition Aid Program: Helping to Create a Future of Hope

每日播出內容｜ 300K 300K ｜

人間菩提--慈濟助學•新芽計畫

Education, needs to be based on the principles of Great Love

Instilling such an education requires the joint efforts of three parties---

The first is family

The family is where children start their life

(And first learn about the world)

So, family education is very important and has great impact on children

Is the quality of family education based on how rich or poor the family is?

Not necessarily

A well-to-do-family doesn't necessarily guarantee a good, wholesome environment because parents in well-off families may have more social activities care more about enjoying life and tend to spend without check

Can children in such families be brought up to have correct values?

It'd be very hard

Apart from the family, school education is also important

It is the school's duty to teach children knowledge and principles

Be it preschool, elementary or middle school, the aim of education should be to instill selfless Great Love (love for one's fellow man)

This is should be a very important mission of school education

That is why when we build schools, we call it "Project Hope"

As the name suggests, education is what bring hope for the future

It holds the family's hope, the hope for society, and the hope for a world where all are one

These hopes all essentially come down to education

That is why education must take care to give children correct values and guide them toward love

The education provided by the family, society and school must all share this same direction and aim

However, in these times that we live in, it is most important that children learn to have love and respect for themselves

What makes others feel her the most is that when her mother passed away, she withdrew into herself for some time, but she never gave up on herself

She know that she's the eldest among her siblings and that if she could get a scholarship, she's be able to help her dad a lot, financially

I would not feel happy or proud simply because I got the top score on an exam

I am more practical---

If ranking first means I can get a scholarship that'd be helpful to my family

(So, I think about it more pragmatically)

She'd not like some children who in the course of pursuing their studies have parents who're constantly by their sides, (and who overprotect them to the degree) that they can't bear to see their child endure any discomfort, such as fearing that their child might drink a cup of milk that is too hot or too cold (which would not be very good for)

(their body)

That's how overprotective and pampering some parents are

The spoil their children and don't know the right way to love their children

This girl in Taidong, Wu Shi-yi is very self-respecting

Her family is very poor

Her mother passed away in 2003, and her father makes a living by doing odd jobs

Although he could have found a job had he left the mountains, he couldn't bear to see his children have no one to attend to them

(with their having already lost their mother)

So, with not much work being available in the mountains, and te wages there being quite low to begin with, the family inevitably became a low-income family

So, you remained here because of them?

Or you'd have left the mountains to look for a job long ago

If I didn't worry about them, I would've headed for Taipei a long time ago

But, I couldn't do that because there are no adults to look after them

What has your dad done that touches you the most?

His providing for us up to now and working so earnestly and so hard every day

Shi-yi's father has to support 3 children on his meager income

Shi-yi had ranked first among her peers in Taidong in the nation-wide high school entrance exam and could have gotten into Taiwan's best girls' high school in Taipei

However, thinking of her father and not wanting to burden him even more, she gave up the chance to study in Taipei and chose to study in her hometown

At the time, all three of us children needed to pay tuition for our schooling, and Dad, of course, had to take care of it all

But, he didn't actually have regular income,

(so at the time, I truly didn't know what to do)

Because she gave up the chance to study in Taipei and enrolled in a vocational school in Taidong, newspapers reported her story

When Tzu Chi volunteers learned of her story, they went to visit her family at once. That was when Tzu Chi began to care for the family, and even provided her with a scholarship

Apart from loving her father dearly, Shi-yi also very grateful to her teacher Mr. Xu

That's why she often says that she has two dads with the other being Mr. Xu

Mr. Xu is like a second dad to me

My own dad can't come to se me in the city often, but Mr. Xu lives in downtown Taidong, so he can come see me often

Once, out of curiosity, I asked her

"Shi-yi, you ranked first again for this exam,"

"and your score is always so much higher"

"than the score that ranked second"

"won't you ever slack off sometimes?"

She told me:

"Mr. Xu, I only complete with"

"the score I received last time"

"and tell myself to do better and not to slack off"

I tell her that in giving her a helping hand, I hope she'll return her debt of gratitude by reaching out to help others in the future

Mr. Xu has been tutoring Shi-yi in math and has kept encouraging her to strive forward

Isn't he a very good teacher who cares for Shi-yi like a father and educates her with love?

He knows that Shi-yi is a good girl with a promising future and that she is kindhearted and diligent

So, he thinks that she is someone he must help nurture

That's why he has been caring for her and tutoring her all these years

This is an education based on love---selfless Great Love

Such an education based on love and children who know to love and respect themselves are really what give our society and bright future as these children whom we work so hard to nurture for our society and the world

(will grow up to become upright people who can)

(help bring about a world based on moral values)

If everyone can educate our children this way and give them correct values, I'm sure that the ideal society where people uphold ethics & common decency will not be far off, and a world where all are one will not just be rhetoric

As long as everyone has correct values

(and works for the collective good,)

I'm sure that we'll be able to create a world of great harmony

(Then, there will be hope for our society)

Their requires the joint forces of family, school, and society, together creating a greater environment that teaches love

So, if all three can share this same aim and work closely in concert, I'm sure that our hope for

(an enlightened society based on correct values) and a united world in harmony will not be hard to achieve

The worst is for children to have wrong values

If so, even if their families are well-off, they won't grow up to become upright people

For children in poor families as long as they know to respect themselves no matter what difficulties they encounter, they'll still have a promising future

Living in this world in their the greater environment we're in today, we all share in the responsibility

Fulfilling this responsibility is about

(mindfully living out & promoting correct values)

首播每日19:45
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重播週六
　　　07:45　11:45　15:18　23:00
重播週日
　　　02:45　07:45　11:45　23:00

作育英才愛之教
良師授業助於學
勤奮品潔盡孝思
新芽計畫期有成

有了文明的社會，世界大同的理想才能實現，要有文明的社會，就要靠大愛的教育，把家庭、學校、社會，三個教育環節合一，不過在現在的大環境下，最重要的還是要孩子們自己的自愛。

在台東有一位女學生詩怡，考量到家裡的經濟環境，放棄就讀北一女的機會，留在台東讀書，認真不放棄的用功，感動社會大眾，慈濟人也為詩怡提供助學金。上人在開示中，呼籲大家要負起社會責任，共同為世界大同努力。

住在台東的詩怡，母親因為意外往生後，就姊代母職的照顧弟妹，雖然因為經濟因素，放棄就讀北一女的機會，詩怡還是在老師與父親的支持下，用功讀書，堅持的用心令人感動，而慈濟人也為詩怡帶來希望，提供助學金。

證嚴上人開示：教育一定要好好的方向導正，那用愛來教育，不管是家庭，社會跟教育的環境，要這三個條件合在一起，不過在這樣的大時代，這個大環境裡，最重要的還是自愛。

人助自愛自助者，慈濟人的愛心不只在台灣，全球包括馬來西亞，四川，江西…等地，都能看到藍天白雲的身影，發放助學金，要用教育所有困苦的家庭帶來希望。

證嚴上人開示：人世間，在這樣的大社會大環境裡，我們應該人人有責任，所以這分責任就是正確方向的用心，文明社會大同世界都不困難，怕的就是一些孩子方向偏差，那怕再富有的家庭，也教育不出好的孩子。

慈濟志工承擔起提燈照路的社會責任，以靜思法脈點起一盞盞的智慧心燈，遍灑愛的種子，用慈悲善念溫暖人間。
2009/02/09

人間菩提英文版"刊登網站: http://master-dharma.blogspot.com/

Regards, Jenny
思慧合十
Today's Jing Si Aphorisms: People who are preoccupied with past achievements cannot humble themselves.

靜思語: 不能低頭的人, 是因為一再回顧過去的成就

980204人間菩提英文版The Example of a Great Buddhist Master,Inner & Outer Cultivation on the Path

2009-02-04T15:02:00.000-08:00

The Example of a Great Buddhist Master,Inner & Outer Cultivation on the Path 每日播出內容｜ 300K 300K ｜

人間菩提--救援拔苦•寂滅為樂

We invited everyone here to ring the bell together with us to pray for peace for our world for safety for our country for the wellbeing of our society and for everyone to live in peace and happiness in the coming new year

Throughout his life, Dharma Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, had dedicated himself to

(teaching Buddhism around the world)

Though very busy, his inner state was that of perfect stillness of the mind when

(the flames of affliction are extinguished)

Master Sheng Yen was born to a very poor family in Jiangus Province of China

At a young age, he saw through life

He became a monk at age 13

(Due to the civil war in China)

(he joined the army and came to Taiwan in 1949)

During that experience, he realized many truths about life and saw through human conflict and strife

After retiring for the army, (he entered the monkhood once more) to seek Truth and enlightenment

He also pursued

(further studies in Buddhism and obtained) a doctorate in Buddhist literature in Japan at 45.

I truly admire and respect him for his spirit

(He dedicated himself to spreading the Dharma) his entire life

Wherever I go to expound the Dharma, I never think about how many people would come to listen to my speech or how much money people would donate to me

I've never taken those issues into consideration

All I consider is how I can benefit them when I go there

To spread the Dharma to benefit living beings

(he traveled around the world to expound)

(the Buddha's teachings)

In his 80 years of life, he had

(bore witness to many major events of the world)

He passed away yesterday

Many Buddhists and Dharma masters are all very grieved at the news that such a venerable Dharma master of our times has passed away

However, this is but the natural course of life

His death should serve to remind us that life is impermanent and so we should awaken to the truth of life's impermanence and seize the present moment (to do what is right)

As I saw the words he left for everyone:

"Nirvana is Bliss"---

Isn't that the inner state of utter purity and peace that we often speak of in Tzu Chi

Indeed, this is what we Buddhist practitioners should aspire to--- an inner mind of utter purity with great selfless vows, and abiding by our vows for endless time to come

That's the pure and clean state of mind we should keep while going into the community to serve

This is what the Buddha comes to this world for---to purify people's minds, and guide people to do good and gain joy from it

This is what we should do in the course of our life

So, "Nirvana is Bliss"---

Though we may be very busy, our mind should always be in the state of utter purity and tranquility

Turning to Jordan which is so far from us here in Taiwan

There aren't many Tzu Chi volunteers in Jordan but the love in their hearts is very broad, one transcends all borders and boundaries

In winter, there is a large difference between day and night temperatures in Jordan

The temperature can drop as much as over 20 degrees Celsius during the night

So, one of our local volunteers suggested that, with it being so cold, they provide those in need with hot food

So, they quickly prepared bean soup and all kinds of food

They brought over steaming hot soup and food to the Madi Abdoun tent area in Amman

The children were delighted at the sight of this

It had been so long since they had had steaming hot soup that was so tasty and nutritious

The children were very happy

Of course, the elderly and women were also very grateful

See, these are the conditions they've been living in since birth

It's truly very heartbreaking to see

Tzu Chi volunteers in Jordan have truly fulfilled the task of bringing food and clothing to the poor in the cold winter

Previously, at their regular aid distributions when it was cold, they'd give out clothes and blankets

Now, they can even give out hot food

How heartwarming that is

Also, around the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, the Gaza Strip has been under aid raids & shelling and many people have been injured

Some injured Gazans were sent to

(Egypt for medical treatment)

Jordan's Prince El Hassan was very compassionate and concerned about these injured Gazans and the King of Jordan also sent a military plane to Egypt to bring these injured Gazans to Jordan's Queen Alia Military Hospital for treatment

Tzu Chi volunteers also went to the hospital o visit the Gazan patients, giving them thermal blankets and chocolate warming the patients' hearts

So, (learning of that,) the superintendent of the hospital came to see our Tzu Chi volunteers when they visited again

He said that the patients were all very grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers for giving them emotional support and they all felt very respected and loved

So, the superintendent was very grateful as well

I am very grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers for bringing care to people in their time of need no matter how far away these people are They seize the chance and give of themselves wherever help is needed

In life, we may fell helpless about many things that we can't do anything about

We never know when impermanence will strike

However, what we can do is to seize every moment

(and make use of our limited lifetime)

(for the greater good)

That's why I often share with you that we must seize the good resolutions of the moment and hold on to them forever

Doing meaningful things

(that bring good to humanity) is to live out the value of our lives

See how our volunteers so far away in Jordan have the same selfless Great Love as you and I which brings us all very close together in heart

When we give without asking anything in return, isn't our mind in a state of purity and peace since we ask nothing in return?

See how in a country like Jordan which is a predominantly Muslim country, people of different religions, including Roman Catholics, Christians, and Muslims gathered together along with our volunteers for the Year-end Blessings Ceremony

Holding a light in their palms, everyone prayed with one heart for there to e peace and harmony on Earth and for the victims of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip

They all have a common wish which is that the conflict in the Gaza Strip

(between Israel and Hamas) can be reconciled and that the world can be free of disasters

See how people with different religious beliefs gathered together in a prayer ceremony

Isn't this a starting point for peace?

So, as long as people do not discriminate between religions, and everyone dedicates themselves to inspiring love in others with sincere piety wouldn't there be peace and harmony everywhere and the world be free of disasters?

So, the pureland isn't far from us---

(The pureland is actually very close at hand)

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一代宗師身示寂
寂滅為樂恆清澄
救援拔苦無疆界
人間淨土期現前

法鼓山創辦人聖嚴法師圓寂，享壽八十歲。證嚴上人今天在志工早會上表示，儘管佛教界不捨一代宗師離開，但這就是大自然的法則；從中體悟人生無常，更應該要把握時間，分秒不空過，讓自己的生命發揮最大良能。

佛教界的一代宗師聖嚴法師，二月三號下午四點由於器官衰竭，捨報圓寂，享壽八十歲。以「寂滅為樂」作為最後的叮囑語，聖嚴法師超然的生死觀，一生致力求知弘法，以及推動人間佛教的用心，為佛弟子樹立了實踐人間菩薩的典範。

遠在約旦的慈濟人，定期送上物資、關懷生活困苦的居民，探視受無情戰火波及的傷患，親手奉上溫暖和祝福。儘管宗教種族大不同，大愛仍然跨越了有形的界線，齊聚一堂，共同傳達心中用之不盡的愛。

體悟人生的無常悲苦，就更要把握時間，分秒不空過，讓生命在每一刻都發揮良能。
2009/02/04

人間菩提英文版"刊登網站: http://master-dharma.blogspot.com/

Regards, Jenny
思慧合十
Today's Jing Si Aphorisms: Do not ask for less responsibility to be free and relaxed- ask for more strength

靜思語: 不要因為貪求清閒, 而希求減輕責任; 應該增強自己的力量,擔當更重大的責任

980203人間菩提英文版Spreading Seeds of Love in Sweden

2009-02-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

Spreading Seeds of Love in Sweden每日播出內容｜ 300K 300K ｜
人間菩提--看大愛•傳法髓

We see that in Kenya, Africa, a major accident occurred two days ago

A petrol tanker overturned along a highway spilling gallons of gas

The locals there are poor so when they learned that fuel had spilt from the tanker, hundreds of them rushed to scoop up the fuel

So, a huge flock of people pushed and shoved just to collect as much fuel as they could

(When the police saw crowds of people)

(trying to collect the fuel,)

(they tried to keep them away from the tanker)

It was at this time for reasons unclear that the tanker caught fire and exploded

More than 110 people were killed while more than 200 were injured

Just think, in an instant, so many people were killed or injured

Indeed, because of extreme poverty,

(people were pushed into doing desperate things)

(just to try to get through one more day)

It truly is very heartrending to see

This morning, I saw on the news that places like Spain, England, and Italy have all been affected by heavy snowfall, paralyzing the transport systems in many areas

Because of slippery road conditions, there have also been many cases of car accidents and power outages.

These are disasters caused by snow

These countries are often hailed as heaven on earth

Sweden is also one of the counties that have been hailed as heaven on earth

People there enjoy very good welfare benefits.

However, the Buddha says that it is difficult to learn the Dharma in heaven as well as in hell, so it is very difficult to reach enlightenment either in heaven or hell

This is because the beings in heaven have too good a life so they know nothing of life's suffering

As for those in hell, their suffering is already more than they can cope with

So, how could they have the time and energy to listen to the Dharma or to do good and walk the Bodhisattva Path?

It's hard.

Nevertheless, the Buddha also tells us that everything results from the mind

In this world, all is created by the mind alone

Take Sweden for example in such a beautiful country, there is a couple who are both Tzu Chi volunteers. They are both immigrants from Taiwan

They met and got married in Sweden

Together, Mr. and Mrs. Lin run an eatery in Sweden and have a comfortable and carefree life

But while they were able to enjoy a very good quality of life in this country, they've always felt that something was missing

Being so far away from Taiwan, they would inevitably feel homesick

In 2000, a customer who came to dine at their eatery told him:

"If you install a satellite dish,"

"you'll be able to watch a Chinese channel"

So, in 2000, they installed a satellite dish and saw Da Ai TV

From Da Ai TV, they not only could learn news about Taiwan (but could also learn the Buddhist teachings)

(that can purify people's hearts and minds, and)

(learn ways to apply the teachings to this world)

So, from then on, they were inspired and resolved to spread seeds of love in Sweden

They hope that in a place like Sweden where life is like heaven on earth, people can also have the chance to learn that Buddha's teachings so that the seed of love can sprout in the field of their minds

Sweden treats us immigrants very well so we are very grateful, and with this heart of gratitude, (we're glad that) we are able to give of ourselves today

Just think how large Sweden is

It is about 12 times the size of Taiwan, but it only has a population of over 9.2 million

(Given its low population density) the people there must truly enjoy a very comfortable and spacious living environment

Because of that, inspiring people there to give rise to altruistic love is more difficult

Despite that, having vowed to do Tzu Chi's work, Mrs. Lin is resolved to overcome all obstacles she encounters

She truly has taken the Dharma to heart and is resolved to overcome any difficulties while working on this vast piece of land to spread seeds of love

Every time she goes out to collect donations, she'll visit over 40 donating members

How far does she travel each time?

Over 1,000 kilometers

It's hard to imagine

Think about it, could you do that?

She has to travel over 1,000 kilometers to collect donations every month

However, she doesn't consider it hard work at all

They wonder why I have to travel so far to collect donations

In Taiwan, they can collect all their donations just by going down the street but in Taiwan, I have to travel across the country

See how she travels across Sweden, traversing over 1,000 kilometers to collect donations unlike us in Taiwan

(where most donating members)

(live in the same neighborhood)

So, it truly isn't an easy task

Moreover, in view of the current global financial crisis which has also affected Sweden, some of the donating members have stopped making donations

Collecting donations is now even more difficult

However much people donate is fine, yet when they stop making donations, it makes me……

She is worried that I would be very saddened to see that people have stopped donating

She is right. It is heartbreaking for me to see a seed that has just started to sprout wither away so quickly

It's truly hard to hold on to our initial good thoughts

So, truly, it is not easy for those enjoying the good life

(to develop selfless compassion for others)

However, (we do see cases of people being inspired---)

When our Da Ai TV staff went to Sweden,

(Mr. Zhang served as their interpreter)

After being with our Tzu Chi volunteers for only one day, he was already very moved, as he saw how Tzu Chi volunteers conducted themselves with such uprightness by not smoking, eating vegetarian, etc.

Being with our volunteers he tried very hard to refrain from smoking and he did overcome his craving for cigarettes

So, after serving as our interpreter for 20 days, he quit smoking

See, as long as we're willing, we'll be able to touch and inspire others

(All it takes is the will and resolve to do so)

It's quite cold here, (so everything goes slowly)

But, there is still hope

There are many people here

It's just that we haven't found them yet

They are out there and they'll show up one by one

There are still many bodhisattvas here

It is my hope that this bodhisattva couple can persevere in their efforts

Where there is a will, there is a way

It is truly a bit difficult for this couple to guide people in such a well-to-do country to walk on the Bodhisattva Path and to discover their Buddha-nature within

Even the Buddha described it as difficult much less us mundane beings

However, we must also believe in what the Buddha teaches us---though it may be difficult, everyone has the Buddha-nature

(As long as we don't give up on these people)

(and on this mission)

I'm sure that we'll be able to find the way to inspire people

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警策無常於瞬息
菩薩伴侶承師志
富中之富耘福田
天堂有愛善啟發

北歐國家瑞典，國民年平均所得是台灣的兩倍之多，是富裕的先進國家，在這裡也有慈濟人的足跡，他們是黃蓁羚和林碧芳夫婦。從家裡裝的天線收看大愛台認識慈濟，進而感動發心加入志工行列，現在他們在瑞典經營餐廳生意。

在瑞典做慈濟，收善款，必須親自開車繞遍全瑞典，一趟至少一千公里路，夫妻倆甘之如飴，他們說，台灣推動的是「大愛一條街」，他們要做的是「大愛一條瑞典」。證嚴上人讚嘆，他們夫妻倆合心耕耘，把握殊勝因緣，真正做到有心就不難。

北歐的瑞典，地廣人稀，國民所得高，福利又好，是人人羨慕的人間天堂，一般人都想在這裡好好享受，不過，黃蓁羚、林碧芳這對華人夫妻，卻把慈濟人文大愛一點一滴的注入在這裡，成為這個天堂國度裡的第一顆菩提種子。

在瑞典推廣慈濟，需要恆持耐心與毅力，想收功德款，就得開車往返一千多公里的路程，好不容易累積了數十個會員，卻遇上金融海嘯，有人開始打退堂鼓，但他們堅定的心念不退轉，因為夫妻倆要努力的，就是要落實「大愛一條瑞典」。

慈濟從五毛錢起家，一念心就是一顆種子，念念心能成就大愛世界，克服重重困難立宏願，菩薩招生不間斷，才能讓愛心持續匯聚。
　
2009/02/03

人間菩提英文版"刊登網站: http://master-dharma.blogspot.com/

Regards, Jenny
思慧合十
Today's Jing Si Aphorisms: Always having nothing to do, you are a consumer of life. Only when you are constructive and useful can you be a creator of life.

靜思語: 每天無所事事, 是人生的消費者; 積極付出, 才是人生的創造者

980202人間菩提英文版The Free Clinic in Myanmar and

2009-02-02T14:41:00.001-08:00

The Free Clinic in Myanmar and the Mission of Spreading Great Love 每日播出內容｜ 300K 300K ｜

人間菩提--緬甸義診•大愛廣被

During the Chinese New Year, members from our med. assn. (TIMA) in four countries, including the Philippines. Malaysia. Thailand, and Taiwan gathered together in Myanmar to hold a free clinic.

They stayed there in Myanmar for 5 days from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1,

All the patients who received treatment, (truly benefited a lot from the free clinic)

Those with more serious conditions were referred to other hospitals for further medical treatment.

There were also those who received treatment on site---

These were cataract patients who had lived in darkness for many years.

However, with the help of our volunteer doctors from the Philippines they were able to see the world again after a 10-minute surgical procedure.

Moreover, during the free clinic this time, (our volunteers also put up posters)

(about Tzu Chi's Four Missions) Myodaw Hosptial, where the free clinic was held especially set aside space for us (to do this)

So, our volunteers put up posters that introduced Tzu Chi's Four Missions

There were many local volunteers who could speak the local language and also were knowledgeable about Tzu Chi and its spirit.

So, they served docents to share Tzu Chi's work with others.

One of them was a gentleman from India

He was moved by the work of Tzu Chi volunteers.

So, after learning more about Tzu Chi, he came to know the story behind every photo like the back of his hand and could explain them very well.

So, when providing medical services, we can also carry out our cultural mission at the same time.

There are many touching stories form the free clinic o share.

I'm sure everyone still remembers.

Mg Myo Wai Kyaw

Not long after Cyclone Nargis hit in May he accidentally knocked over an oil lamp.

(while studying one night)

So, he suffered severe burns on his face and shoulders.

(Learning about his conditions) our doctors transferred him to a better equipped hospital in Yangon for treatment.

After receiving treatment, he was discharged from the hospital.

However, (for a better recovery) he still has to wear a tight elastic fabric mask.

Our doctors in Taiwan prepared them for him and sent them to him from Taiwan.

He followed our doctors' directions very carefully and patiently endured all the discomfort.

Despite Myanmar's hot climate, he wears the mask all the time

This time when Supt. Chien went to Myanmar for the free clinic, he especially went to visit this boy.

There was another boy, Htet Wai Lin, who is just eight this year.

When he was just three months old, he ran a fever and after receiving an injection.

(he developed muscle weakness in his legs)

(and was still unable to stand at the age of 3)

From that moment onwards, doctors said tat he would be unable to stand or walk like everyone else

However, he expressed a very strong wish to go to school.

So, his mother carried him on her back to school every day

It's at least half an hour's walk from his home to his school.

With local road conditions being the way they are, many have to make it over streams by raft.

So, his mother carried him on her back to school every day.

When our volunteers first spoke to him---

We asked him, "What would you like to do'

"When you grow up?"

He said, "I hope I can walk"

"If I can't walk"

"I hope you can give me a horse"

"so that I can ride the horse to school"

"so that my mom won't be so tired"

"from having to carry me every day"

It was heartrending to hear

Tzu Chi volunteers were very moved by this child's resolve to receive an education and also by his mother's love for him.

So, upon taking on his case our volunteers immediately contacted our TIMA member in Yangon, Dr. Htin Myat and without hesitation, he went to visit Htet Wai Lin and examined him

When he saw this child---

This child asked:

"Please, can you heal my legs"

"so that I can walk"

See, how heartrending this child's heartfelt plea was

See, in a poverty-stricken place such as this all that this child asks is that he can walk again.

He doesn't ask for much.

So, I'm truly very grateful---

I'm very grateful to Dr. Htin Myat for being so committed to healing the boy's legs and for his confidence in this giving the boy a glimmer of hope for the future

He truly is the boy's savior in life.

The boy was brought to a stat-run hospital

The hospital superintendent and the doctors there were determined to help this boy stand again

The boy has undergone four operations since last November.

From this, we can see how much the boy wants to walk again, given the pain he has had to endure. (All he wants is to be able to walk again)

He wished Grand-master good health. He asked Grand-master to help him so that he can walk soon

He thanks Grand-master for helping him and if he can walk, some day, he's going to see Grand-master

In the footage we see that this child is now undergoing physical rehabilitation

We see how he is now using a walker to gradually take some steps.

Uncle, Amitabha

Amitabha

Say Amitabha to everyone

Amitabha, everyone

Speak kind words, think good thoughts and do good deeds

See, I am sure that this boy will also become a seed of love in Myanmar.

May this boy be able to stand up and walk to school with his own two feet and further become someone who can benefit others when he grows up

This is what we earnestly hope for

I'm very grateful for this three-day free clinic that treated over 1,700 people who are now able to recover form their conditions

I am also vey grateful to our TIMA members from five countries for giving of their love to care for those in need

In fact, this Myodaw Hospital is also a free clinic

(set up by a non-profit organization, USDA)

On a signboard, it says that doctor consultations and medication are free.

(and everyone is eligible)

From that, we can see that this is a hospital based on Great Love)

Besides this one in downtown Yangon USDA also set up 26 other free clinics in the outskirts of Yangon

Indeed, all around the world, there are truly many caring doctors who are serving with love

Seeing that, I am truly very grateful

I am grateful to all the doctors who serve without asking anything in return

Our doctors made use of their CNY holidays to go there to serve while also bringing together the local doctors to work together in reaching out to help those who are in need of help

This is in the hope that the medical culture of humanity can become even more widespread there in Myanmar

I sincerely wish the children in Myanmar a happy and carefree childhood

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緬甸義診聚仁醫
烈燄紋身遇貴人
復健助行圓心願
編織美善人間道

集合五個國家的慈濟人醫會醫師，在過年期間，來到緬甸參加當地醫院舉辦的義診活動，三天診療超過一千七百人次，其中有一百多位白內障病患，透過手術重見光明。證嚴上人感恩大醫王付出無所求，成為所有病患生命中的貴人。

慈濟人醫會年節期間來到緬甸義診，三天就診治超過一千七百人次，除了醫療救拔病苦，診間外牆上照片背後蘊含的醫病情，更感動了現場所有民眾，剛動完白內障手術的杜老太太，重見光明的這一刻，就發願認養兩個竹筒，要累積愛心。

醫療團隊也到個案家中往診，十四歲的密威喬，不畏緬甸悶熱的天氣，帶著台灣送來的燒傷彈性面罩，現在恢復狀況良好；還有八歲的特威林，重新站起來後最大的目標，就是努力讀書，將來能成為幫助人的慈濟人。

慈濟志工全年無休，愛心腳步不停歇，不說犧牲，全是誠心的奉獻，看到病患解除病痛後，展露的笑容，一切都是值得的。
2009/02/02

人間菩提英文版"刊登網站: http://master-dharma.blogspot.com/

Regards, Jenny
思慧合十
Today's Jing Si Aphorisms: Of all acts of goodness, first and foremost is filial piety

靜思語: 孝是為善之本

980201人間菩提英文版The Works of Living Bodhisattvas

2009-02-02T03:16:00.000-08:00

The Works of Living Bodhisattvas 每日播出內容｜ 300K 300K

人間菩提--人間菩薩•覺者之教

We see that Australia has been hit with the worst heatwave in 100 years.

How hot is it there?

It was 46 degrees Celsius in some places.

Twenty-two people have already died as a result and it was so hot that even rail lines buckled.

So, trains were cancelled, as they could not travel on the buckled rail lines.

But, on the other side of the world in the U.S., we see that ice and snow storms hav caused deaths.

Besides the storm, there was a bus crash in the U.S. state of Arizona.

The bus had suddenly overturned.

It was carrying Chinese tourists.

Steven died and 16 were injured, some critically.

They were rushed to the hospital.

But because these were tourists from China, they could not speak English well.

So, when Tzu Chi members learned of the crash, they quickly took it upon themselves to go to the hospital to comfort the inured & assist them.

(Really, why must people) travel abroad to go sightseeing on their holiday?

(In truth, it isn't the outside world that holds)

(the greatest beauties---it's what's within)

So, is there really a need to go away to sightsee?

In truth, the most sublime experience comes from within

From Da Ai TV, we see that in Sichuan, China.

Tzu Chi volunteers from Taiwan have been holding a three-day parent-child camp.

The volunteers designed an activity using a screen.

(to help children open up to their parents) so parent and child can have a closer relationship.

It was very moving to see.

(Through such activities) people are drawing ever closer to their true human nature full of goodness.

Being filial and doing good are things that can't wait.

Indeed, when the Dharma (true principles) is deep in our hearts, we will ace accordingly.

When the Dharma resides within, we can go among people (to help and inspire them) no matter where it is in the world.

But, China is truly very big and it is not so easy.

(to go into that country and reach)

(those that are in need)

It was especially difficult over a decade ago.

(when China-Taiwan relations were strained)

There were truly a lot of barriers and obstacles.

But, as long as we have the heart and the sincere intention (to help), it is possible to overcome these many obstacles.

Though the journey is trough and bumpy, our hearts are resolute

May the seeds that we've already sown there grow and multiply, spreading from Shanghai outward to kunming.

In Kunming, China there is a man named Du Wei.

In his teens, he started selling shoes by the roadside as a hawker.

Gradually, he was able to work his way up to owning his own shoe factory making his own brand of shoes.

Having achieved his dreams of success, he started leading a self-indulgent lifestyle.

Relations with his wife became strained.

Sometime later, he encountered Tzu Chi (and turned over a new leaf)

On the roof of his home, he built an addition made of wood which, like our Jing Si Abode is very simple.

He has never visited Taiwan but such is his love for me and for Tzu Chi.

He not only gave up smoking and drinking but even became vegetarian.

Besides being vegetarian himself, he also provides vegetarian meals so his employees can also eat vegetarian.

The lunch is only 4 RMB (US$0.60) and is all-you-can-eat.

So, he is very good to his employees.

Among his staff is a woman that everyone calls "Jia Da-ma" (meaning "Mama Jia")

She's the cook for the factory's cafeteria.

She doesn't know how to write her own name and cannot read.

But, she watches Da Ai TV and understands (the true values in life)

So, she's very active (in doing good)

Despite not being well-off since she works as a cook every year, she travel to Shanghai to help with Tzu Chi's annual charity sale.

(by making food to be sold)

When back in Kunming, where she lives when she gets off work, she would carry a basket on her back to collect recyclables in the street.

If she sees bottles lying on the street, she would bend down and pick them up.

I watch Da Ai TV to see how the Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan help the community.

(Then I follow their example)

Because I'm illiterate, I try to help by doing what physical work I can

Do you have bottles?

What kind of bottles?

Water bottles, I put the recyclables that I collect in one place.

After they pile up, I would sell them and get 100 RMB or 50 RMB.

I donate that money to Tzu Chi so that Tzu Chi can buy books and pencils for poor students who otherwise cannot afford to go to school.

You see, although she cannot read, she understands the true values in life.

She's already close to sixty, but she still makes use of whatever time she has to contribute and do good.

She's very diligent and frugal and does what se can to contribute.

This is Jia Da-ma.

Her spirit is truly inspiring

There's also our volunteer, Liu Mei

She is very mindful in carrying out Tzu Chi's work in Kunming.

There are 35 local volunteers there.

These volunteers will most likely enter training at some point to become certified Tzu Chi members. So, I see a lot of promise for Tzu Chi in Kunming.

There in Kunming, Tzu Chi volunteers also carry out charity work.

For example, they would visit the local senior home to provide care to the elderly.

There's a senior home with 40 elderly residents.

Tzu Chi volunteers visit them often and would help tidy up the place, wash the elderly's feet and help them get cleaned up.

They respect and care for these elderly just as if these elderly were their own elders.

Our volunteers also regularly care for 60 families.

This is how Tzu Chi volunteers in Kunming are helping the local people with love.

Some of the families they care for live in the mountains.

The area where they live is by the reservoir that provides the water for Kunming's 4 million residents.

(To ensure clean water,) the government has restricted the raising of livestock and bans crops that require pesticides and fertilizers.

(With limited opportunities) the local people are very poor.

The elderly and disabled have an especially hard lot Mr. Cai, can we see if you have padding underneath it?

Is the quilt thick enough?

This is damp

It feels damp.

You see, in such cold, freezing weather, they sleep in the attic.

The roof leaks when it rains.

All they do is cove their sleeping area with plastic sheets.

Their bed is so rudimentary and the quilt is so worn and tattered.

It's truly heartrending to see them live like this.

This is why we must have love.

Only with love can we bring warmth and care to people in hardship.

We must work mindfully at this.

The cases that I've talked about are all works done by Tzu Chi volunteers with the spirit of the Great Love.

(These volunteers are like)

(a cooling breeze in places suffering from heat) and warmth in places of bitter cold.

When accidents or disasters happen, Tzu Chi volunteers would quickly go to comfort and care for the people affected and calm their fear and anxiety.

See. aren't they living bodhisattvas who carry out the teachings of the Buddha?

(We are living out these teachings)

I'm very grateful to all Tzu Chi volunteers for their selfless love and dedication.

I'm truly very grateful.

首播每日19:45
重播週一到週五
　　　09:48　11:45　15:15　23:00
重播週六
　　　07:45　11:45　15:18　23:00
重播週日
　　　02:45　07:45　11:45　23:00

百年熱浪衍成災
意外橫禍樂生悲
馳援急難撫驚心
扶困慰老致溫情

不管是在緬甸、或是四川，慈濟志工在全球苦難角落付出愛心，真正做到讓法入心。而在中國大陸，推廣慈濟並不容易，但志工們克服重重困難，以不退轉的心，接引出許多人間菩薩。證嚴上人期許這一粒粒種子，能衍生出無限力量。

緬甸風災後，慈濟人踏上這片受傷的土地，從慈善而醫療，愛的腳步從不遠離，還帶入竹筒歲月，啟發當地人民的善心。

同樣在四川，512大地震後的第一個過年，志工用心用愛付出，還安排了溫馨的親子營，讓孩子們瞭解到，行善行孝不能等的道理。

在中國，藍天白雲克服重重困難，推廣慈濟理念，不只把愛遍撒在貧瘠的雲貴高原上，也接引像企業家杜偉及賈大媽等數十位當地志工；就像大樹成熟前，背後依靠的，就是一顆顆微小種子的力量。

珍惜每一塊福田因緣，慈濟人以佛陀的教義，和堅定的一念心，啟發人人善念，接引人間菩薩，共修智慧福德，齊心愛灑人間。
2009/02/01

人間菩提英文版"刊登網站: http://master-dharma.blogspot.com/

Regards, Jenny
思慧合十
Today's Jing Si Aphorisms: Be grateful to your parents and to all sentient beings, every day. In everything you do, never disappoint them.

靜思語: 每天要感謝父母與眾生, 一生所作不要辜負父母與眾生

980131人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Thinking for the Wellbeing of Our Planet and All Living on It

2009-02-01T00:41:00.000-08:00

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.

980130人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Learning the Way of Blessings & Wisdom in this New Year of the Ox

2009-02-01T00:40:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--勤儉固本耕福田
Learning the Way of Blessings & Wisdom in this New Year of the Ox

Today is the fifth day of the new lunar year.
So, there are 360 days left of the year.
In this new year, let us return to the fundamental values of life which are about leading a more grounded life by working hard and living frugally
(Only then can we attain the much-prayed-for)
(good and stable life of security)
However, we see how some people and very misguided---wanting to be “blessed,”
they pushed and shoved to be the first to place their incense in the burner.
If people can apply that kind of “diligence” to their life every day how good that would be.
If people could be this hardworking and diligent at work, I’m sure that there wouldn’t be an economic downturn like this.
(But everyone jostled to be the first to)
(put in their incense,)
(thinking that would give them blessings)
But, if we don’t work to sow blessings,
How could we possibly gain blessings?
It’s like if we don’t eat, how can our body be nourished?
When can this kind of superstitious belief be corrected?
People do this because they (have greed)
The Chinese characters for “greed” and “poverty” are a actually very similar in form.
With one stroke being moved from the top to the bottom of the upper half of the character, the word changes from “greed” to “poverty”
People shoved each other in the temple like that all because of their greed.
When people are greedy, they can never become rich because (greed makes us poor)
See how deluded people are in their views.
So, it is my hope that everyone will approach things with wisdom instead of misguidedly seeking wealth and good fortune in superstitious ways.
Instead, we must look within ourselves and see how we can give of our strength.
Only when we give of ourselves can we truly gain blessings.
We ought to explore and find out about the principles of life.
Look at how staff at our hospitals are (working during the CNY holidays) to safeguard people’s peace and safety and most importantly people’s health.
Take our hospitals in the rural areas of Guanshan and Yuli for example
Each day during the holidays, they treated over 100 patients who came to the ER.
These people had gone to their hometowns for the family reunion and injured themselves while having fun carelessly.
Others ate too much and had digestive conditions.
So, during the CNY holidays, Tzu Chi hospitals are never closed and there are still medical staff and volunteers taking turns to take care of people’s health.
We see how even the corridors of our hospital were filled with patients.
See how our doctors are busier than usual during the holidays.
Not only doctors, but nurses and the specialists in every dept. are all very busy.
As part of the medical team, our volunteers do not rest during the holidays either.
Some people think that going to the hospital during New Year’s is inauspicious, but our hospital volunteers.
(know that hospitals need more help)
(during the holidays, and so)
(they make time to volunteer in the hospital)
Not only are they not superstitious, but they further dedicate themselves to care for the sick in the hospitals out of great compassion and wisdom.
See, compared to those pushing and shoving in the temple---
If not for this group of volunteer bodhisattvas, when so many patients came to the ER to seek medical treatment who would’ve been there to care for them?
Our volunteers are truly living bodhisattvas who rise above superstition.
Such is compassion and wisdom.
Besides Hualien, our other hospitals in Taipei, Dalin, and Taichung are also doing the same.
The superintendents, asst. superintendents, went around to show their appreciation went around to show their appreciation to each of them medical staff who were on duty.
In the past, on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, I’d go to our hospital in Hualien to express my thanks to the medical staff.
However, in recent years, I have not been able to do so---
Now that we are encouraging people to reduce their carbon emissions, I have been telling Tzu Chi people they need not specially travel to Hualien for CNY, but can send their well-wishes via video conferencing.
So, every day during the New Year holidays.
There are Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide sending their greetings via video conferencing.
For example, yesterday, I received greetings from Singapore and Chicago, USA.
Chicago is 14 hours behind us.
It is very cold there.
Despite that, I saw a room full of volunteers from the Chicago area.
Everyone sincerely expressed how much they missed me and wished me a Happy New Year
It was all very touching to see.
There were also our US volunteers who live in Long Island, New York.
There were all very orderly and we can sense their unity.
From that, we know how our local chapter has grown.
A little girl represented everyone to sing the song “Our Vow” to me.
Precious is this karmic affinity with Tzu Chi.
The essence of the Jing Si Philosophy is the teaching of Innumerable Meanings.
Turing to Fuding in China---
This year, doctors from the Fuding Hospital gave a sign language performance
Our local Tzu Chi volunteers and students receiving our aid also performed onstage.
We, college students receiving aid form Tzu Chi, would like to wish Grand-master, Dharma maters of the Abode and Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide a Happy New Year,
Grand-master, Happy New Year.
We little bodhisattvas in Fuding with Grand-master a Happy New Year
It was truly very moving.
Among them were those whom we’ve aided in the past, and they are now also serving as our volunteers.
There were also those whom we’ve helped with tuition fees.
Tzu Chi’s Four Missions have all been carried out there.
Yesterday, when they offered CNY greetings to me via video conferencing, I was truly very moved.
So, Tzu Chi volunteers have spread seeds of love all around of the world.
I hope that every Tzu Chi chapter can carry out all four of Tzu Chi’s missions, and be very close to me in heart.
Yesterday, Tzu Chi volunteers in Pingdong also sent me New Year greetings via video conferencing.
At our cultural center in Taipei, entrepreneurs, journalists from a newspaper, and professors also gathered together (to send me New Year greetings)
Many thanks to them.
In all, we must truly face each day with wisdom.
Today is the 5th day of the new lunar year.
With it being the year of the ox, everyone must give rise to the persevering spirit of the ox in bringing forth endurance and forbearance.
In cultivating the field of blessings we must take each step firmly & steadfastly as an ox does.
In practicing spiritual cultivation, if everyone can have the spirit of endurance and forbearance like that of the ox.
I believe that the coming year will be one of auspiciousness and prosperity.
All in all, everyone must live each day with diligence and frugality and treat one another with courtesy and respect.
Living with these values. (will bring about peace & harmony in our society)
Therein lies both blessings and wisdom.

980129人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Simultaneously Carrying Out the Three Forms of Giving

2009-02-01T00:39:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--三施並行度群生
Simultaneously Carrying Out the Three Forms of Giving

“To all the Dharma masters of the Jing Si Abode”
“and Tzu Chi volunteers around the world:”
“May you have a happy and auspicious year”
“Volunteers form Modesto, USA”
“with Master and Abode’s Dharma masters”
“a Happy Chinese New Year”
“Happy Chinese New Year”
“We wish Master good health”
“Happy Chinese New Year”
Best wishes to Master.

There are Tzu Chi volunteers all around the world.
Thanks to modern technology.
(we’re able o connect to one another) via video conferencing.
Since the first day of the CNY (Jan 26) our volunteers have been giving me Chinese New Year greetings.
For our overseas volunteers, through video conferencing, they are able to see me just as though they’re here at the Abode and it’s just as if I’ve gone to visit them where they are.
For example, yesterday I connected with people in China’s Sichuan Province.
Thank you, Master for your loving-kindness and compassion in caring about us quake survivors in Sichuan and helping us rebuild our homes.
We promise to serve as bodhisattvas who light the way for others.
They wished me a Happy Chinese New Year.
Among them was a local official as well as three principals of a local school, our local Tzu Chi volunteers from the city of Chengdu, and or volunteers from Taiwan.
(It was truly a big reunion for the CNY)
Everyone was very happy to see one another
There was joy and harmony all around
Indeed, isn’t the world one big family?
At Sichuan’s Luoshui township we held a reunion meal at the Tzu Chi activity center.
Our Tzu Chi volunteers including those from Taiwan, went to Sichuan to be with quake survivors on this first Chinese New Year after the quake.
I’m also very grateful to many locals for helping to cook the reunion meal, cleaning up the place, and other work.
We can feel that in Sichuan, there is a big family there, and everyone is reuniting with great joy.
Besides Sichuan, we also see the city of Fuding in Fujina Province.
Local Tzu Chi volunteers in Fuding carry out all four Tzu Chi missions of Charity, Medicine. Education, and Culture, just as we do in Taiwan.
We see that they also serve as volunteers in the hospital and have gone throughout the hospital to express thanks to the medical personnel because the medical team are a great support to us in our charity work.
(They provide treatment to those under our care) enabling the people to get comprehensive care.
Right before the Chinese New Year a fire broke out in a village up in the mountains of Fuding City.
Upon learning of the fire, Tzu Chi people immediately went there to survey needs and prepared the needed supplies.
The supplies they gave were all necessities for daily life.
Many supplies were given so the people could have a good Chinese New Year.
Look at the way they cared for the people.
It was such heartwarming care.
These are all local volunteers
See, haven’t the seeds we planted with love already taken root locally?
These bodhi seeds planted there in that land have already grown into big trees.
We also see our volunteer, Lin Zhi. She is only in her thirties.
Four years ago, feeling unwell, she went to see a doctor, and was diagnosed with cancer in a late stage.
She encountered Tzu Chi sometime after that and began to bring life’s value into full play.
At that time, I thought that I was really unfortunate to have such a serious illness.
I had thought it was really a bad thing.
But, now that I think about it, I feel that I am quite fortunate.
I’m fortunate to have this illness because it enabled me to come to know Tzu Chi.
(Though she had cancer) which the doctors said was in the terminal stage, she still participated in Tzu Chi’s volunteer work.
Despite her physical condition, spiritually, she was always at peace and carefree and determined to live out the value of life.
Let us all sincerely pray for her and give her our best wishes.
I hope that with such a spirit as hers, (she can prevail against the cancer)
She is truly a remarkable person and I ‘m grateful for her contributions.
(She helps people to find courage)
This is called “the giving of fearlessness”
Tzu Chi people are very giving. (Firstly,) they give material aid.
We can see that many people in the world are impoverished.
Last night, I heard Dr.Ye speak about the recent aid mission to Guizhou, China and to Hebei, China.
He shared his experiences on the aid mission along with our volunteer. Mr. Gao.
Mr. Gao showed pictures of Guizhou to let us see how the local people’s lives have changed after having received.
Tzu Chi’s aid over the past decade or so.
See, this is the giving of material aid.
We gave people winter jackets, blankets, and built a residential community for them so they could come out of poverty.
These projects came to fruition through time and they represent material aid.
But the most important thing given is the giving of Dharma through sharing with them Tzu Chi’s principles and guiding them to understand important life values and the way we should live.
Without patience and love, Tzu Chi people slowly guided these people to learn how to live out a life full of beauty and meaning and guided them to know the selflessness the Buddha teaches and Tzu Chi people’s spirit of Great Love where one’s heart is so broad that it embraces the universe so there are no divisions of nationality or divisions of race and ethnicity.
Such a broad, all-embracing heart such Great Love that Tzu Chi people have is being carried out in countries around the world and with this spirit, Tzu Chi people
There is also another form of giving---the giving of fearlessness.
When people are suffering due to external circumstances be it because of hardship or disasters, Tzu Chi people will give people support.
They comfort them and soothe them, saying:
“Don’t be afraid. Come with me”
So, step by step, they lead people out of (their state of fear and helplessness)
They also guide people spiritually by sharing with them life’s meaning and encouraging them to face life’s challenges with courage.
“You may be helped by others, but you can also”
“help yourself and even help others, too”
Tzu Chi members are there for people and guide them and support them both physically and psychologically.
They do all three forms of giving---giving of material things, giving of Dharma and the giving of fearlessness.
Together, this is “great giving”
Such great giving is the first of the Six Paramitas, a method to guide people to of suffering.
Tzu Chi members practice the Six Paramitas and go into the community, employing various methods to gradually guide people to (a better life)
There are truly many cases of this.
We have spread the seeds of love around the world.
As long as there is land, our seeds can be sown. As we can see the Jing Si Dharma lineage and Tzu Chi path is about going into the world to uplift people both materially and spiritually.
I’m very grateful.
There are too many thanks to express.
Every day, Tzu Chi members are giving of themselves all across the world.
I am truly very grateful.

980128人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Loving-kindness, Compassion, Wisdom in the Time of Chinese New Year

2009-02-01T00:38:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--以慈運悲‧以智導慧
Loving-kindness, Compassion, Wisdom in the Time of Chinese New Year

I often say there’s much suffering in the world.
But on major festivals such as the Chinese New Year the poor feel their wretchedness even more acutely.
The sense of despair and anguish is even greater.
So, Tzu Chi volunteers strive to be there for these people in suffering.
This is loving-kindness
(I often speak of loving-kindness and compassion)
Loving-kindness is to offer care to people so that there’s someone they can turn to so they can be warmed knowing they are not alone.
What about compassion?
Compassion is to fulfill people’s needs so that they do not feel they are lacking in anything.
Tzu Chi volunteers embrace all people and while they might feel they are lacking something either materially or spiritually.
Tzu Chi volunteers enable them to feel satisfied.
This is what compassion is about
But, enabling people to feel that they lack nothing neither materially or psychologically is indeed hard to accomplish.
But Tzu Chi volunteers will try their best.
Because of their loving-kindness, they will be inspired to acts of compassion.
They cannot bear for people to suffer.
So, their loving-kindness inspires their compassion (and propels them into action)
For instance, in Malaysia, local Tzu chi volunteers apply their wisdom to bring their love to others.
(A few days before the Chinese New Year)
Tzu Chi volunteers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia went out into the streets to offer care to the homeless.
Every year, when Chinese New Year comes, ethnic Chinese will return to their hometowns to reunite with their families so the city becomes especially empty of people.
The place feels empty and forsaken.
For the homeless out on the streets, they feel even more alone and forlorn.
Even though Malaysia has a warmer climate and we can see from what people are wearing that it’s not too cold there out on the streets, but still, in their hearts, they feel abandoned.
When these homeless people saw our volunteers……
On Jan. 24, the day before Chinese New Year’s Eve, Tzu Chi people set out at 9 p.m.
The group of Tzu Chi people included staff of our foundation’s social welfare dept., our volunteers as well as doctors.
They delivered hot food as well as daily supplies.
Doctors also were on hand with their medical kits.
Tzu Chi people treated the homeless with great respect.
The first gently awakened them and then chatted with them.
Only when the homeless felt comfortable accepting goods from them did they offer them the supplies.
So, just to give the supplies, Tzu Chi people first spent time establishing rapport with them.
This is wisdom.
They don’t want to injure the people’s pride
After establishing rapport, they then asked about their health.
I think there’s something wrong with the inner part of your eye.
You ought to see a specialist.
I can’t see, but I don’t have any money.
Look at such a heartwarming scene
Tzu Chi people brought clothing, medicine an daily supplies and also delivered hot food so that they can enjoy he warmth of the Chinese New Year festival.
In this, we really see the Four Immeasurables. Loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.
This is Great Love and selfless compassion.
Tzu Chi people truly are walking the path of Great Love everywhere in the world.
Because such care for the homeless, the local social services agency would also refer those in need to Tzu Chi
For example, last December (a grandma was referred to Tzu Chi)
She has breast cancer and the doctor has pronounced that she has only three months left to live.
Learning that, Tzu Chi volunteers decided to care for her and bring her comfort at the last stage of her life.
So, Tzu Chi volunteers first went to help clean up her place so that she can have a comfortable environment to live in.
On her birthday, Tzu Chi volunteers invited her neighbors to celebrate her birthday with her.
On the Chinese New Year’s Eve, Tzu Chi volunteers also prepared a hot pot and had the reunion meal with her.
The grandma was very touched.
She said that in her 64 years of life, she has never had a reunion meal and didn’t know how CNY is celebrated because ever since her childhood, she has had a hard life.
Her parents gave her away to another couple.
Her parents gave her away to another couple and her adoptive parents didn’t treat her warmly.
So, her entire life has been very hard and full of suffering.
I come over to see her once every couple of days because I’m worried that something might happen to her.
She is very kind-hearted.
She often looks after y kids for me and even buys them gifts.
Fortunately, her neighbors would check on her once every 2 or 3 days and now, there are Tzu Chi volunteers caring for her and they guide her to donate a little every day so she can sow blessings at this last stage of her life.
Yesterday, (via video conferencing)
I saw our volunteers in Malaysia.
For the past two days, our staff and volunteer bodhisattvas in Malaysia gathered at the local Jing Si Hall.
(for the Lotus Sutra bowing practice)
Yesterday, there were around 1,000 people there engaging in the Lotus Sutra bowing ceremony.
Seeing such a large group of Tzu Chi members and seeing such unity and order, I was very touched.
Yesterday, our Tzu Chi volunteers from the U.S. and an official from the Embassy of the Republic of China to Haiti came to Taiwan to see me.
They’ve come to see me to ask about how to help the people of Haiti.
See, although the U.S. Tzu Chi volunteers live so far away from me, the compassion and Great Love that they have is very close to mine.
Haiti is quite far away from the U.S.
Yet they are wiling to travel such a far distance to help the people in Haiti.
Thus, I’m very grateful to all our Tzu Chi volunteers.
At the time of the Chinese New Year, they go out to bring warmth and love.
(no matter what country they are in)
What they’ve done is very touching.
I hope that everyone can tune into Da Ai News.
(Even when volunteering at the hospital,) if you have the time, I hope you can (catch the Da Ai News at noon or in the evening)
(Through the news,) though we’re in Taiwan we’re able to see what’s going on around the world.
How are other volunteers helping us to spread compassion and Great Love?
As Taiwan is Tzu Chi’s birthplace, Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan should all know this.
There are so many things to say, but not enough time to do so.
In all, I’m very grateful to everyone.

980127人間菩提英文版人間菩提-The Ever-turning Wheel of Dharma and the Wheel of the Mind

2009-02-01T00:37:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--心輪轉‧履妙法
The Ever-turning Wheel of Dharma and the Wheel of the Mind

(Turn the world into a better place)
Let us work together to bring harmony to this world
Bring harmony to this world and inspire beauty and goodness in people.
Master, please do not worry.
We wish Master good health and a long life, so you can continue to turn the wheel of Dharma.

We really see scenes of joy and festivity everywhere wished me a happy new year via video conferencing.
No matter what country it was, the Tzu Chi volunteers wished s in Taiwan a happy new year.
Though each expressed this in a different way, there’s one thing all of them will say.
“May Master continue to turn the wheel of Dharma”
In truth, the wheel of Dharma ahs never stopped turning
What is “Dharma”?
The laws and principles underpinning all things is Dharma. All mater undergo. formation, continuation , decay, and annihilation.
(This is an unceasing process that goes on)
(at every moment)
As time passes, all material things cycle through these phases
The blooming and wilting of a flower is also part of this cycle.
The changing of the seasons is as well.
This is the ever-turning wheel of Dharma.
(Without me) the wheel of Dharma is always turning
(because nothing in this world is at stasis)
Everything is undergoing change through time.
So, the wheel of Dharma is ever-turning
In truth, the wheel of our mind is also ever-turning.
Over this CNY holiday, Tzu Chi people have been dedicating themselves everywhere be it doing recycling work volunteering in the hospital leading the community special events or helping out at the Jing Si Abode.
Take yesterday, for example, the first day of the new lunar year.
Do you know how many people came to the Abode?
We had close to 200 tables at breakfast and over 300 tables at lunch.
So, you can see how big this big family is and how many people are in it.
I am very grateful to our food preparation team.
Do you know how good they are at responding to sudden changes and needs?
For instance, they originally prepared 200 tables.
But people kept coming in
So, they added 100 more tables.
But then, that wasn’t enough.
So, they served a buffet.
They had to keep adjusting to fulfill needs.
When rice ran out, they cooked noodles.
When that ran out, they used dried steamed rice.
In a word, they enabled everyone to be happy because no matter what people ate, it was a very good meal.
I am truly very grateful.
So, we can see that the wheel of time, the wheel of Dharma, and the wheel of the mind are all continually turning at the same time.
These past few days, it has been very festive everywhere
Beginning on Chinese New Year’s Eve to yesterday, the first day of the new year everyone everywhere is wishing one another well and wishing everyone peace and auspiciousness.
But while many people are happily enjoying their holiday break, do you know that accidents have happened, and as a result, many people have had to work very hard such as the firefighters.
They have to be on duty and go out to fight fires.
Medical personnel can’t go on holiday either.
They have to stay at their posts in the hospital.
Firefighters, police, and those whose job is in transportation all cannot go on holiday.
They have to stay at their posts to ensure safety because should something happen,
they have to immediately spring into action.
There is also one group of people who have no holidays whatsoever.
Who am I speaking of?
Tzu Chi people Tzu Chi people have no holidays either.
See, when fires broke out (in a few locations in Taiwan,) they immediately went to the scene.
Were you able to sleep well last night?
Thank you for asking.
We’re doing alright.
Thank you.
Best wishes to you.
They visited every family that was affected to offer them comfort and care and helped soothe those who had gotten a fright.
For those whose loved ones died in the accident, Tzu Chi volunteers are their shoulders to lean on.
They let the people let out their grief and pain.
They embrace the distraught family members and try to comfort them.
So, Tzu Chi people really never rest.
They are never “off-duty”
When others are on a holiday, that’s when Tzu Chi people are the busiest.
Our recycling volunteers never take a holiday either.
See, one of the volunteers was so immersed in it that when asked whether she needed to go home to prepare for the reunion meal, she said, “Oh! Is today New Year’s Eve?”
She had forgotten what day it was.
See, all these Tzu Chi volunteers dedicate themselves to the point that they forget about “self” and forget about the time or date.
All that’s in their minds is the principle behind recycling.
That’s because around the time of CNY, many people clean out their homes.
Also, many buy new things which produces a lot of garbage, be it empty bottles, cans, or cardboard boxes, etc. These can be recycled so Tzu Chi volunteers.
(can’t bear to let them just be thrown away)
I heard that in the flower market in Taipei, the garbage was ten times the usual amount.
With many events and many people out and about, there’s a lot more garbage. When our volunteers discovered this, they started recycling
Despite it being the CNY holiday, their hearts are still with the Dharma so they dedicate themselves and apply the Dharma to the present moment & situation.
So, they’re mindful about recycling
The Israeli Representative to Taiwan and his wife also worked with Tzu Chi volunteers to do recycling in the flower market and collect the cardboard boxes.
There is really a lot of it.
What they do is all done out of love---out of love for this earth and its resources.
This is the way the wheel of Dharma is continually turning in Tzu Chi’s people’s wheel of the mind.
This is something we should have gratitude for
We should be grateful that so many professions are providing services to our society without holiday and are in fact even busier during the holiday.
Tzu Chi volunteers are among these people
It’s because they see it as their mission.
So, everyone dedicates themselves without ceasing.

980126人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Chinese New Year in the Big Family of Tzu Chi

2009-02-01T00:35:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--慈心妙法迎新歲
Chinese New Year in the Big Family of Tzu Chi

There is really the festive air of the Chinese New Year.
Today is the first day of the new lunar year.
So, it is the start of a new year.
Indeed, there is a real air of joy and celebration.
When people see one another, they greet one another with well wishes for the new year.
Their words are all well wishes. (and words that make people feel nice)
Everyone is wishing one another well
Everyone has wishes and hopes for the new year.
But no matter what our wishes and hopes are, it is most important that we have a heart of piety and vigilance---a heart in continuous prayer.
We should pray at every moment but are we praying for ourselves?
Or for our loved ones?
No, we ought to open our hearts broadly and pray for all people in the world.
Isn’t all the world one family?
Look at last night’s New Year reunion dinner.
It really was one big family at the Jing Si Abode.
We had over 200 tables of people for dinner and many had brought their entire family.
My Jing Si disciples from eight countries all came back to the Jing Si Abode for the Chinese New Year.
It was very heartwarming.
But it’s not only in Taiwan
For lunch yesterday, Tzu Chi members who had traveled to Sichuan, China held a reunion meal for over 70 local senior citizens who lived alone.
Besides the volunteers who went there from Taiwan.
(about twenty of them) there were also many local volunteers who came to help.
Everyone joined together to cook the reunion meal so it would suit local tastes.
See, in Sichuan, these elderly we have karmic affinities with were able to enjoy a truly heartwarming and festive New Year’s Eve and feel like they are part of a big family.
On everyone’s face, there was a bright smile. (full of joy and happiness)
Doesn’t it snow us that in our hearts, spring has already come and renewed our hearts?
Indeed, what I mean by spring coming to our hearts is that I hope everyone’s hearts will be filled with joy from the Dharma.( Just as the New Year heralds the spring) which revitalizes the land, I hope that spiritually, our hearts can return to the inner state when we first vowed to walk the spiritual path.
If we keep this heart always, attaining Buddhahood won’t be difficult.
As Jing Si disciples, we must all resolve to diligently uphold the Jing Si principles and follow the way of Truth.
Indeed, we are part of the Jing Si Dharma lineage and the Jing Si abode is our spiritual home.
We must all pass on its principles and values.
These principles, of course, are rooted in the Buddha’s teachings.
So, we must all uphold the (principles & guidelines set down by the Buddha)
As a member of the Jing Si lineage, we must follow the principles of our Dharma lineage.
Our lineage isn’t about cultivating oneself in isolation.
Our lineage’s tenets is to have great selfless vows rooted in the inner state of “Jing Si”
That state is an inner stat of utter purity and tranquility full of selfless love for all--- Great Love.
This is our aspiration and we must move forward in this direction.
But as we walk forward, we must life up our back foot.
Just as we need to leave behind yesterday to move into a new day.
(we have to let go of the past)
At New Year, we send off the past year and welcome in a new year.
In the same way, every day, we send off the past day and welcome in a new day.
Every month, we send off the past month and welcome in a new month.
Every year, we send off the past year and welcome in a new year.
When we walk, the process is quite like this.
We must lift up the back foot to move forward.
(We can’t let our back foot stay rooted)
Spiritually, we must do the same.
We must let go of the past and take every new step with Dharma.
Only then can we progress on the spiritual path.
(So, when t comes to our hearts) we must not let the past weigh us down and become a self-hindrance as we get bogged down by our attachments to our views and our ego.
Then, our hearts can never be broad.
We need to go into the world---
The path of Tzu Chi is a path of this world.
The Buddha’s Dharma is about this very world.
To deeply understand the Dharma, we must deeply enter into this world to explore all its phenomena.
They are all Dharma.
I hope that everyone can strive to inspire more people to become bodhisattvas.
(Tzu Chi is meant to be a big family)
Last nights evening program was very adorable.
There were two little bodhisattvas.
See how they talked about how one should use.
(the government-issued consumption vouchers)
What to do with the NT$3,600 consumption vouchers?
Grand-master says we should live a simple life.
So we should spend the consumption vouchers on where it is most needed.
(This is how to make good use of the vouchers)
What things are considered the most needed?
(I know!)
I can buy more clothes.
There are better uses for it than buying clothes.
You can donate the voucher to charity.
With the global financial crisis going on the global economy is going down.
To boost the economy, consumption vouchers were given out.
Businesses all want the vouchers.
People cannot discern necessary vs. wasteful spending.
Hence, they produce a lot of garbage.
We need to keep in mind---spend on necessities and not on wants.
It was really a joy to see.
(I’m truly very grateful to everyone)
Also, this morning’s Da Ai News really warmed my heart.
In many different locations, Tzu Chi people were giving out hong-baos.
The head of our hospital in Dalin visited every part of the hospital.
Of course, it was the same at our other hospitals in Hualien, Taipei, and Taichung.
This is the culture of humanity in all of Tzu Chi’s six hospitals.
They all care for the patients very much.
Of course, it’s not only the patients who can’t go home for the Chinese New Year.
The medical staff also have to remain in the hospital.
In the Tzu Chi family, the staff all willingly.
(stay at their posts to fulfill their mission) be it our hospital staff or media personnel be it our hospital staff or media personnel.
In a word, in the big family of Tzu Chi the Chinese New Year is a very festive time.
Everyone is filled with genuine sincerity and Great Love for others.
So, when there’s harmony, we can be safe and grow in wisdom.

980125人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Celebrating the Chinese New Year

2009-02-01T00:34:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--辭舊歲‧迎新春
Celebrating the Chinese New Year

We wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year and prosperity year after year.
We wish the viewers of Da Ai TV a happy Chinese New Year.
Best wishes to everyone.
Grand-master, we love you.
Tzu Chi USA, San Francisco chapter Reno, Nevada. Fresno, California. Modesto, California. Northern California.
Tzu Chi young bodhisattvas.
We sincerely wish Master good health. May the Dharma wheel turn always
We will always follow Master.
May all gain blessings and wisdom and be filled with joy from the Dharma.
Happy Chinese New Year.

I am grateful to all Tzu Chi volunteers
Despite being in different places around the world, they all share the same heart and wish each other their best for the coming new year.
Seeing that, we can feel that the world is truly like one big family.
Here at the Jing Si Abode in Taiwan, I’d like to wish all Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide as well as everyone around the world a happy Chinese New Year. May everyone have a new year filled with auspiciousness.
Indeed, I wish everyone auspiciousness.
(May each and every coming year) be filled with auspiciousness.
May every day be one where all is safe and well, with favorable weather, (and with no disasters in the world)
This is what I sincerely pray every day---
May there be favorable weather around the world disasters be eliminated, the world be peaceful and society be filled with peace and harmony.
(To achieve all that,) everyone’s mind must be purified.
This is what I have been wishing for at every moment of every day.
We often speak of good climate and land conditions.
But, what’s most important is harmony among people.
When there is harmony between people and people can love and respect Nature, the weather will naturally be favorable.
With that, the people will be safe and well.
That is what we should wish for everyone at all times.
Every one of us must be grateful for every day. every month. and every year in the past.
For everything that we’ve encountered, we must be grateful for it.
Of course, for the sake of passing on the goodness in humanity, we must further work to spread the seeds of love around the world.
Happy Chinese New Year.
Best wishes to everyone.
Happy Chinese New Year.
Thank you, Grand-master for rebuilding our school.
We love you.
“Grand-master,”
“we’ve received the tuition assistance form Tzu Chi”
“Thank you, Grand-master”
“Thank you, Grand-master for the tuition assistance”
“We have the confidence, willpower, and courage to spread the Great Love of Tzu Chi”
“We wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year”
May everyone be safe and well.
What we see in the footage makes me think of how we’ve been working hard to sow the seeds of Great Love one by one in different countries around the world.
During the past 40 years or so, we see that some (senior) volunteers, who joined Tzu Chi when they were young are still healthy now in both body and mind.
Through doing Tzu Chi’s work, they’ve accumulated a lot of merits.
They make good use of every second of their day, and live a very meaningful life.
(in helping and serving people)In life, they learned to help themselves and make their own life better.
At the same time, they also guide other people to see the true value of life.
Thanks to their efforts, Tzu Chi is able to care for so many people around the world today.
Everyone worked very hard to pass on Tzu Chi’s mission and values.
This is why Tzu Chi volunteers around the world all carry themselves in the same way.
This is the result of 43 years of work.
Through the course of time, we’re able to accumulate our work and extend it worldwide.
This is why I express gratitude to all our volunteers everyday.
At every second, (my heart is filled with gratitude)
(and I can never say enough thanks)
Time truly files.
At this time, we must truly welcome the new year with a heart of piety.
As spring comes and revitalizes the earth, (in our inner world, may t also be spring) where we experience a spiritual renewal and have new prospects for the future.
I hope everyone will have (a “new” mind and a spiritual renewal)
By “new”, I mean that if we have accumulated any spiritual garbage.
(such as afflictions, unwholesome thoughts, etc.) we need to clean them out, in the same way that we would clear out the garbage in our house. (and give it a thorough cleaning)
(To do that, we need to) use the water of Dharma to clean our minds.
We need to thoroughly clean out the afflictions and spiritual defilements within and from now on, we must begin anew and live in accordance with the Dharma.
Our Jing Si principles are about diligently living out the teachings of the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings every day.
This Dharma is in our everyday life. (In this new year, let us) resolutely follow the way of Innumerable Meanings.
The Dharma is to be found within. If our mind is always with the Dharma, at every moment, our mind will be clean and renewed.
The Chinese classics teach that every day we should renew ourselves.
Every day, our mind should be very clean and pure so it can reside in a state of purity and tranquility where our mind is very pure with selfless vows that are infinitely vast which we uphold unwaveringly for countless eons of time.
(We must also come together as one)
(with pure hearts) and be like a forest of bodhi trees growing from the same foot.
United, we must cultivate a field of blessings and let our roots of wisdom grow deeply by walking the Bodhisattva Path.
I hope that our hearts and minds are all like this.
If we can do that how peaceful and spiritually free we would be
Blessed would we be because of the joy we attain from giving and with wisdom, we can shift our perspective and attain peace and contentment.
This is Dharma---isn’t this Dharma something that we can all attain wherever we are in the world?
If we can live that way, ours will be the most peaceful and blessed life.

980124人間菩提英文版人間菩提- With the Inner Light Shining Always, Every Day Becomes Auspicious

2009-02-01T00:33:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--心燈朗照‧日日吉祥
With the Inner Light Shining Always, Every Day Becomes Auspicious

Everyone is immersed in the spirit of the Chinese New Year celebration.
Everyone is praying sincerely and wishes that the new year will bring auspiciousness, harmony, and blessings.
This is the blessing that people are offering to one another.
With regards to blessings, is it true that we would gain blessings if people offer us blessings?
(No, blessings aren’t gained that way)
When people give us their blessings, it serves to remind us that we need to create blessings by helping people.
Therefore, we must be grateful for their blessings.
We should gratefully accept their blessings and at the same time give them our blessings.
So, when everyone gives blessings to one another, it creates a harmonious atmosphere.
Indeed, when the Chinese New Year comes, (it means spring is coming)
But what is most important, (is the state of our inner world)
When we are sincere and pious, our heart will be bright.
If our heart is bright, we would have light within our heart, an inner light.
Then we can pass on, this inner light of blessings and wisdom.
If our heart is filled with (the New Year spirit)
(of blessings and pious sincerity)
Just as spring renews and revitalizes the earth, sincerity does the same--- it brightens our heart so that the light of Dharma can shine within.
If we have pious sincerity, we’ll be able to have the Dharma.
When our heart is bright, the Dharma can enter our hearts.
For everyone to come together like this to pray for society and for humanity---this gathering is a very big thing.
It’s even more so because all the major religions are here together.
(They’ve set the place up very well)
This is a very good ceremony.
See, besides Taiwan, we have Tzu Chi volunteers in over 40 countries.
They live in different countries among different ethnic groups and under different governments.
Yet our volunteers are able to pass on the light of blessings and wisdom to the local people.
For the Year-end Blessings Ceremony, just like the volunteers in Taiwan, our overseas Tzu Chi volunteers from 25 countries produced and showed a video of the work they had done for the year.
I’m very, very happy.
It was very touching.
I’ve brought back the coin bank, filled with coins.
(They also got involved in making)
(Tzu Chi’s hong-bao just as we do in Taiwan)
The six grains inside the hong-bao represent the Six Paramitas.
(and the coin signifies forming good affinities)
The hong-baos were sent to countries worldwide where Tzu Chi volunteers reside.
They held the ceremony to offer everyone blessings and to light people’s inner light with the Dharma.
They are passing on the inner light and spreading the seeds of love.
Outside of Taiwan, we see Vietnam.
Do you know that because Vietnam is a socialist republic gatherings require government permission.
In these past ten or so years, Tzu Chi people have dedicated themselves with love.
So, Tzu Chi has gained the government’s approval and when we hold aid distributions or free clinics the government readily provides needed assistance.
For this yea’s Year-end Blessings Ceremony, we were able to put on a theatrical performance and were even allowed to show a video of Tzu Chi’s works in the year 2008.
Over a thousand people were in attendance and a musical theater adaptation of the sutra about filial piety was performed.
There was also a performance by doctors.
All the people onstage in white doctor’s coats are real doctors.
They are doctors who have participated in Tzu Chi’s free clinics there these past few years. For this performance, they rehearsed for over two months.
It is truly a joy to see.
In China, on Jan.1, in the city of Xiamen, we also held two Year-end Blessings Ceremonies.
Local officials, Tzu Chi volunteers as well as local residents attended the ceremonies which was held at (the Xiamen International Conference Center)
Altogether, over 3,500 people attended.
We were also able to have an exhibition on Tzu Chi’s works.
It really makes us happy to see this.
With so many people in attendance and with everyone praying sincerely, our collective piety will surely reach all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
I believe that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have heard our sincere prayers and our selfless Great Love.
We saw how people’s love was inspired.
Our volunteers had previously encouraged people to save up money in coin banks and donate it. This time, some people brought their full coin banks.
Some took many coin banks back home with them so they can donate a coin every day.
This is how we are spreading seeds of love on this earth.
Don’t all these people each represent a seed of love?
This year, we’re doing this in Sichuan, China also
There are over 20 Tzu Chi members now in Sichuan.
(to spend the Chinese New Year there)
(with local quake survivors). Yesterday, I saw them decorating the activity center we built.
When local officials such as the mayor and deputy mayor learned that Tzu Chi volunteers had come, these local officials personally went there bearing gifts of apples (symbolizing well wishes) to express their sincere welcome and New Year well wishes to Tzu Chi members.
It was very heartwarming.
When Tzu Chi volunteers went there, they expressed their wish to hold the traditional New Year reunion meal with local quake survivors. The officials gave Tzu Chi the list of local residents.
Yesterday, our volunteers went door to door to personally invite them to the traditional CNY reunion dinner.
Everyone was delighted
We see that there in Sichuan, the big family of Tzu Chi will be celebrating the CNY with the locals
I believe New Year’s Eve will be very festive.
Seeing them setting up the place, it seems just as if it was in Taiwan.
(So, in Sichuan, we can likewise find)
(the spiritual home of the Tzu Chi family)
While we’re at our reunion dinners in Taiwan, there in Sichuan, they will be doing the same.
I’m very truly grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers.(for going there to be with the quake survivors)
(for going there to be with the quake survivors)
(There are really so many moving deeds being done)
I hope that everyone will treat every day like the New Year and every day, have that same sense of piety and offer people blessings with selfless Great Love.
If everyone is like that, I believe that the coming year will be an auspicious year where everyone enjoys peace and good fortune and grows in blessings and wisdom.
If, in daily life, we continually pass on the inner light wouldn’t our society become bright and prosperous?
So, we don’t need to worry about the economy.
So long as everyone prays sincerely every day by doing good every day, following Nature’s laws and creating good karma---if everyone does that, I believe that just as time moves, bringing us into the new year.(the economy will also move smoothly)
This is our hope and our well wishes.

980123人間菩提英文版人間菩提- The Efforts of Tzu Chi's Four Missions

2009-02-01T00:32:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--除舊迎新弘宗門
The Efforts of Tzu Chi's Four Missions

The image we see is truly filled with peace and harmony.
The Chinese New Year is just around the corner.
With each passing day, the time we have left on this Earth decreases by one.
So, we truly must seize every moment we have (to do good)
With the passing of time the work of our Four Missions becomes increasingly grounded through their service to the people.
That is what I am very grateful for at every moment of every day---
Thanks to this large group of Tzu Chi members, our Four Missions and Eight Footprints are able to be carried out worldwide because everyone has been dedicating themselves to the work wholeheartedly.
Tzu Chi’s Four Missions are truly united in their efforts to safeguard humanity.
Take our mission of Charity for example.
In view of the approaching, Chinese New Year, Tzu Chi volunteers mobilized to help with the spring cleaning at charitable institutions such as leprosy homes as well as the homes of those living in poverty.
These disadvantaged groups could not clean up their living environment on their own.
In giving of their love, Tzu Chi volunteers do not differentiate between nationality or ethnicity.
(Wherever they may be, these people) are all known as Tzu Chi volunteers.
They dedicate themselves to caring for living beings in every corner of the world.
That’s what Tzu Chi’s charity mission is all about
How about our medical mission?
See how our doctors care for their patients with love.
At one ceremony where Tzu Chi members were certified Dr. Wu Kun-ji supported a man onto the stage to be certified.
It was his patient, Mr. Li whom he has been treating and caring for
(Touched by Dr. Wu’s love for him,)

980122人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Making Use of Our Limited Lifeetime to Cultivate Eternal Wisdom-life

2009-02-01T00:31:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--病痛淬鍊心鏡明
Making Use of Our Limited Lifeetime to Cultivate Eternal Wisdom-life

“The results of my checkup last Monday” showed that my liver was fine.
So, there’s nothing wrong with my liver because I’m “kind-livered” (kind-hearted in Chinese)
It’s the glandular cancer.
In any case, I’ll be a good patient.
I’m going to be a very good patient.
(I’ll listen to the doctor) and try my best to get well as soon as possible.
We should seize every moment (to do good) as life’s impermanent.
So, I treasure each and every day that I have

In this world, there are so many Tzu Chi volunteer bodhisattvas who have vowed to carry out my missions and follow me in walking on the Bodhisattva Path
Every one of them is very important to me& has helped me very much.
Needless o say, I also care and worry about every one of them.
Xue-e, my disciple and a brave warrior of life, came back to the Jing Si Abode yesterday.
In the past, when she came back, she could smile at me and talk to me.
She would proudly share with me the work they had done in Kaohsiung.
She would say: “Master, do not worry”
“Everyone is working together in harmony”
“with one heart and mind”
She would report to me what they have been doing in the community.
That’s how spirited she was when she came back to the Abode in the past.
However, when she came back yesterday, she was lying in an ambulance.
She had passed away and her body was brought directly to he Abode.
You’ve returned to the Abode now.
I hope you will come back as a little bodhisattva, a cute, well-behaved, and smiling child.
You’ve formed good affinities with a lot of people.
See, there are so many people here to see you off and that’s because of the good affinities and that’s because of the good affinities you’ve formed with everyone.
So, you must continue forming good affinities.
I give you my best wishes.
The morning before yesterday, her husband, Dr. Lin Rong-zong was still chatting with her and she was still concerned about me.
She knew Master often gets mouth ulcers, so she asked me to give Master this salve.
She knew that injections hurt, so she wanted me o pass this ointment to Master.
And after receiving injections, there’s often bruising or swelling, so there’s another ointment for that.
She was still thinking of me at that time. Almost a fortnight ago when I was in Taichung, I heard that she had passed into unconsciousness.
But being at a Year-end Blessings Ceremony, I could not leave the ceremony and talk to her.
However, when I called in the evening.
However, when I called in the evening, it was she who personally spoke to me.
I asked her, “How are you feeling now?”
She said: “Master, hearing you talking to me now,”
“I feel a lot better already”
“I feel quite energetic now”
“I feel I’ve gained some strength”
I said to her: “You’ve been working hard”
“Don’t overexert yourself”
“You should relax and be more at ease”
Hearing that, she said to me:
“Master, I cannot bear to leave you”
“and I cannot bear to leave before”
“everything is in order”
“at Kaohsiung’s Jing Si Hall”
“I must keep working”
I told her, ”I understand how you feel”
“You have worked very hard”
“but you need to stop worrying so much”
Then, she said: I will follow you life after life, Master”
I said, “Okay,”
“then you must take care of yourself”
“I am very busy right now”
“and cannot visit you in Kaohsiung”
“but you can come back to the abode”
Although I kept encouraging her:
“You must be strong and be at ease”---
However, in my heart, could I possibly feel at ease?”
It was very hard.
Although I said to her:
“You will have the chance to see me again”
“You will”
“If you come back after the Chinese New Year,”
“I will of course be very happy”---
But, I clearly knew that it was not going to happen.
I knew that when she did come back, it would mean that she had already passed away.
In this lifetime, she dedicated herself to Tzu Chi’s work without letting any second slip by emptily even when her body was ravaged by cancer.
These past two years or so her prognosis wasn’t good.
She underwent chemotherapy, and it was hard on her.
Her husband did everything he could, and no matter how costly her medication was or how difficult it was to obtain, he’d get it for her.
(They spent a lot of money of her medication)
So, our health is not something that can be bought with money.
The diseases that afflict our body are due to the karma we created in past lives, so how long we live is not up to us.
Fortunately, Xue-e chose to walk on the Tzu Chi in this lifetime, and see how she had formed good affinities with so many
Yesterday, some staff at our offices around Taiwan, volunteers from Tzu Chi Humanitarian Aid Assn. as well as our honorary board members all happened to be here at the Abode.
When Xue-e was brought back yesterday so many people happened to be here to see her off.
See what a large and orderly group there was
What a dignified scene it was
She had formed good karmic affinities with many people in this lifetime so when she passed away, her circumstances were such that (there happened to be many people at the Abode)
(How inconceivable karmic affinities are)
When she arrived at our university, the chancellor, some professors, and department heads of our university were all there to give her their best wishes.
Wasn’t that a consequence of her deeds in this lifetime?
(With every step she took, she lived out)
(the meaning and value of her life)thus sowing a field of blessings. She did this broadly and deeply.
Although her life has ended, I’m sure her wisdom-life has grown.
Indeed, everyone must face death one day.
That’s true for everyone.
We don’t know when that time will come and we don’t know how long we can live.
But, what’s important is for our wisdom-life to grow continually.
(Before passing away,)
(Xue-e was still worried about Tzu Chi’s work)
This mission was part of her consciousness.
(as she left this world) and she has gone to be.
(reincarnated in another family)
So, let us wish her our best.
See how she was able to get go.
(and leave behind all worldly attachments)
What she brought away with her is a seed of enlightened love which is pure and untainted.
In the family she is reborn to may she be loved by all, always beam with smiles and help guide more people onto the right path.
She will continue to walk the Bodhisattva Path of Tzu Chi in this world.
(She had lived a life of great breadth and depth) and the seed she planted will lead her to the very path that she had paved.
So, I am not worried.
Indeed, our body is not ours to possess, and we have no control over the time we have in life.
Despite that, we can still make use of our body and the time we have, and live our life to its fullest (by serving others)
So, in life, we can only make use of our body, and (we have no control over how long we will live)
By making use of our body, we can add to the breadth and depth of our life.
(through working to benefit others)
That is something we can control and decide to do.
Our life can be filled with love---
As long as we know to give, we can be a living bodhisattvas in this world.
If we don’t know to make use of our life, our only contribution is to add to earth’s pollution.
So, it’s very important that we lead a life of purity and nurture our wisdom-life.
through making use of our abilities to benefit others.

980121人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Seeds of Goodness Growing in the Philippines

2009-02-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--清淨善種遍成林
Seeds of Goodness Growing in the Philippines

For people in suffering, bodhisattvas are their hope.
(Relieving suffering) is also what bodhisattvas come to his world to do.
But, in order to relieve people’s suffering, certain conditions must come together for the bodhisattva to be able to reach them to help. The place we see is Isla Putting Bato near Manila in the Philippines.
The residents there are very impoverished.
How can I describe how impoverished they are?
In the past, it was said that even the police dared not go near there.
It was a notorious area.
Poor as the residents were, they were nevertheless very combative and bellicose, so outsiders stayed away as much as possible.
However, in June 2008, Typhoon Fengshen devastated this area, damaging hundreds of houses.
(Learning that) our volunteers went there to survey the disaster situation.
See despite the difficult roads to travel on and the dirty environment,
Tzu Chi volunteers still went there to provide aid leaving footprints of bodhisattvas there.
Truly, wherever our volunteers set foot on,
(the local people’s life will be improved)
Our volunteers went there to distribute material supplies.
Tzu Chi volunteers’ humble and gentle manner (truly touched the local residents)
Furthermore, the supplies we gave out were what they most urgently needed.
So the first impression they had of our volunteers was our volunteers’ genuine and sincere love.
Touched by our volunteers’ love, the people there softened.
(and gradually opened up their hearts)
Tzu Chi volunteers (were not afraid of them) and shared with them.
How Tzu Chi started over 40 years ago with 30 people putting money aside every day to help the poor.
After finishing telling the story, our volunteers asked them.
“Would any of you like to give of your love?”
“Every tiny contribution when pooled together”
“can do a lot to help those in need”
“Does anyone want a coin bank?”
“Does anyone want to give of their love?”
See, so many people raised their hands, I want to donate and help others.
I want to put money n it and give it to the Tzu Chi chapter to help others.
As we’re receiving aid, we should also help those more in need than we are
No matter how bellicose or how unyielding they may appear, so long as you are determined to help them, and your heart is pure without selfish intentions.
(people can be moved)
We must have a pure heart of wisdom and help them without asking anything in return.
With a heart of respect, we regard all living beings as bodhisattvas who have come into our lives to teach us something.
This is why we respect them and are also grateful to them.
Harboring a pure heart such as this, even the most unyielding of living beings would be moved and inspired.
Then, we can guide them to open their hearts and to give of their love.
In so doing, we’re turning principles into paths for people to walk on along with us.
This is the Tzu Chi path that we’re walking on
See how the love in these people was inspired.
So many of them raised their hands to collect a coin bank.
See, this is an example of causes and conditions.
(coming together to produce consequences)
We see the power of love.
Our love stems from our aspiration (to help all suffering beings)
With good aspirations, blessings come
With vows, strength comes, and so we’re able to open their hearts and guide them to give of their love.
Though they are very impoverished, when we provide care for them and guide them and sow the seeds of love no matter how barren the land was.
(it can still be revived) with seeds growing in it.
Also, during this period of time, for those who were poor and ill, we’d take them to the hospital for treatment.
Among them is Freddie Manzanes.
When he was young, he murdered four people and was put in jail for 23 years.
When he was finally released form prison, his children would not accept him and his relatives also refused to take him in.
He was in his forties at the time.
From then on, he lived in such poverty
Several years ago, a tumor started to grow on his right foot,
but he was too poor to see a doctor.
So, the tumor grew bigger and bigger.
Later, the skin broke and blood and pus kept oozing out
(Though it was very painful,) when asked if it hurt, he said that the pain from that was nothing compared to the pain of being cast off by his family.
Tzu Chi volunteers couldn’t bear to see him suffer so they took him to the Chinese General Hospital to see Dr. Leh (the son of the Dr. Leh who)
(organized Tzu Chi’s first free clinics in) the Philippines. The younger Dr. Leh is also a member of our medical association in the Philippines. When Tzu Chi refers any patient to him he’d always treat the patient with love.
So, when Dr. Leh saw Freddie’s condition, he told Freddie, “To save your life”
“and prevent the infection from spreading,”
“the only solution is to amputate your foot”
“Are you willing?”
When Freddie heard that amputation was needed, he was not afraid at all.
Instead, he agreed to it with a smile.
So, his right foot was amputated.
A few days later, he was discharged from the hosp.
Ever since then, he has been very grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers.
(who came to his aid, helped him get treatment.) and thereby gave him a new life.
(Their love touched him so deeply that)
(his mindset has been transformed)
He is no longer bitter about what he has suffered and faces every day with a smile.
As his heart began to open to others, he has also received much love in return.
In order to show his gratitude to Tzu Chi, he sculptured a boat.
(like that in Tzu Chi’s logo) and asked our volunteer, Mr. Li, to bring it back to me.
When I saw it, I was very touched and I very grateful.
(Others who have received Tzu Chi’s aid are also)
(giving back by donating money they had saved up)
I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.
I didn’t know where to find you.
Now that you’ve come again, I’m giving you the coin bank you had given me.
I’ve been wanting to do that although the bank is not completely full yet.
Although there were only 60 plus pesos in the coin bank (which is a little more than US$1) that’s want she has been saving coin by coin.
Their giving back is truly no easy thing.
Every tiny contribution that the poor make contains their utmost sincerity within( and sows a wholesome seed)
This seed contains incalculable merits.
In the Buddhist sutras, there is a story about a poor old woman who offered to the Buddha a tatter of her clothes.
Her meager offering was of incalculable merit.
(Similarly,)
(for these people in the Philippines,) despite how difficult their lives are, they still save a coin every day. (to help those more in need than they are)
That is truly not easy for them to do.
All in all, no matter how barren a piece of land may be, it still contains hidden potential.
So, we should never overlook a land that is barren and think that it is infertile and useless.
Every inch of land contains the potential for things to grow in it.
(It is the same with people’s hearts)
We should not look down on people simply because they are poor, have bad ways or have done had things.
Deep inside their heart, there is a pure seed of love.
Look at these people who were affected by the typhoon.
Not only has their living condition been improved but most importantly, their innate goodness has been inspired.
(and they are now)
(taking action to give and help others)
This is what makes me happiest.
I am very grateful.

980120人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Seeds of Goodness Growing in the Philippines

2009-02-01T00:29:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--清淨善種遍成林
Seeds of Goodness Growing in the Philippines

By seeing this crisis in a different light, I can make use of this time to devote myself to Tzu Chi’s work or to prepare myself for future jobs.
I see it as a chance for me to make adjustments.

We truly should be very grateful for the times that we are living in
Given the economic downturn, we’re like fish swimming against the tide.
But we should make the most of the lessons that these times can teach us.
Take for example our Tzu Chi volunteer, who had recently been laid off.
He is now making use of his time by devoting himself to community service.
His family has always lived simply and fugally.
They only eat one or two dishes per meal.
(and they never throw away any leftovers)
We’ve always lived very simply.
So, although the economy is slow now.
We don’t seem to feel much impact from it.
Not having a lot of wants and desires makes their lives the richest.
So, in the face of the economic slowdown, despite being unemployed
(his heart is still filled with contentment)
He can still lead a spiritually rich life and his family lives very happily and harmoniously.
His entire family even dedicate themselves to Tzu Chi’s work and live a life filled with joy every day.
See, aren’t they living a rich life?
So, although we’re experiencing (an economic downturn at the moment,) we should all the more make use of this time to teach ourselves not to be greedy.
Indeed, (isn’t greed that leads us to have suffering?)
Be it physical or spiritual suffering, it’s almost always derived from people’s greed.
Here’s a story from the Buddha’s time to illustrate this.
One time, the Buddha and his disciple, Ananda, were walking by a gutter.
The Buddha suddenly turned to Ananda and said, “Ananda, there’s a poisonous snake in there”
Ananda looked into the gutter and said to the Buddha very respectfully:
Buddha, it is indeed a poisonous snake”
They then moved on.
A father and son heard what the Buddha and Ananda said, so they also looked into the gutter.
They didn’t see any snake, only an urn of gold.
So, this father and son worked together to carry this heavy urn of gold back home.
They were very happy to find this gold.
Not long after that, an officer came to their home and said:
“An urn of gold at the state treasury was stolen”
“We’re informed that it’s here at your place”
The father and son denied stealing the gold, and said that they had found it in the gutter.
But, (the gold was there in their house) so that father and son were arrested.
After their arrest, the father lamented to his son:
“What we took home is truly a poisonous snake”
The son agreed with his father and said:
“Yes, Father”
“It is indeed a poisonous snake”
Isn’t that so?
(The object of his greed) was in fact just like a poisonous snake
Because of his greed, (he was bitten)
If we can eliminate our greed, (we’ll be safe and well) as we won’t bring harm upon ourselves.
So, at a time when the economy is slow like this what we need to do now is to lead a diligent life.
This is how living a simpler life can lead us to richness.
Only when we work to eliminate our greed can we make it through this downturn unscathed.
So, like a bird flying against the wind and a fish swimming against the current a time like this is the best time for us to train and discipline ourselves.
So, we should learn to be diligent and frugal and respond to the circumstances with a peaceful and harmonious mind thus letting this economic downturn pass peacefully (without turmoil)
Currently, in Taiwan we see a craze in spending consumption vouchers.
Everyone is thinking about what they will do with the consumption vouchers that the government gives out to them.
They all have their own plans for how they will spend these vouchers.
Yesterday, I read in a news report that when one child was asked what “stimulating consumption” means, he replied:”
“Spend like crazy”
He said something along these lines.
This is very frightening.
Doesn’t this show that people’s approach to spending money is misguilded”
If the adults are spend like this
(Without proper planning)
This will only fuel their ignorant ways as they give rise to greed. hatred as they give rise to greed, hatred, and ignorance.
It doesn’t bring benefit to their family.
For those who don’t know how to manager the money when they spend the consumption vouchers.
Businesses might be booked for the time being but it won’t help bring peace and stability to society and to people’s minds.
It is truly regrettable.
If these consumption vouchers of NT$90 billion (US$2.6 billion) in total can be used to help iow-income families. the less well-to-do or those who have recently become unemployed---
IF we can use such a large sum of money to help, ease people’s worries by helping to ease their economic difficulties that would be very good.
So, only when we can bear in mind the need to live a diligent and frugal life will we have peace and safety and grow in wisdom and blessings.
So, yesterday, be it at our hospital in Taichung or our cultural center in Taipei.
I saw our staff.
(donating their consumption vouchers)
See, so many were donating their vouchers
With department heads at our missions taking the lead many of our staff have also donated their consumption vouchers to help those in need.
We also saw Yao Xin, who’s just in the first grade at our elementary school.
He previously wrote in an essay:
“When I receive my consumption vouchers,”
“I’d like to donate them all to Grand-master”
“for her to help the children of South Africa”
He hoped that by doing so, the local children could have clothes to wear,
Beds to sleep in, toys to play with, flush toilets to use, a house to live in lots of food to eat, clean water to drink, etc.
That’s what he wishes for the many children in South Africa.
So, he’s donating his consumption vouchers to help them
See, a child’s heart is so pure and innocent without selfish greed and desire.
So, this is a good opportunity to educate the public (to live frugally)
If we can purify our mind by getting rid of our greed, we will be able to safely make it through the current economic downturn.
So, everyone having been given these consumption vouchers, you must truly cherish them.
When we put the vouchers to good use. (by donating them to help those in need,)
we’d be cultivating both blessings and wisdom.

980119人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Stories of Love and Spiritual Richness in Tzu Chi's Winter Distributions

2009-02-01T00:28:00.000-08:00

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.

980118人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Entering Tzu Chi's Bodhisattva Path

2009-02-01T00:27:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--心寬入法度群迷
Entering Tzu Chi's Bodhisattva Path

In November of last year, we held our first Year-end Blessings Ceremony at the Jing Si Hall in Hualien, and yesterday and last of the Year-end Blessings Ceremonies was again held at the Jing Si Hall in Hualien.
There was really the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year.
(because with the approach of the CNY,)
(we will be starting a new year soon)
So, in celebrating the Chinese New Year, I sincerely give everyone my blessings and wish everyone has an auspicious year filled with blessings and wisdom and may everyone create blessings in this world.
(Our Year-end Blessings Ceremony is also our)
(certification ceremony,)Everyone was filled with great joy--- a deep inner joy that comes from the Dharma.
In yesterday’s two ceremonies, the story behind the Water Repentance text was dramatized. Who wrote this text?
Dharma Master Wu Da. In the text’s preface he told about this nemesis following him for ten lifetimes to seek vengeance
It showed how the law of karma plays out
So, the preface encapsulated. the Buddhist teaching of karma.
On stage, however, they conveyed this teaching with their bodies.
This year, I am truly grateful to our volunteer, Ci Yue, for designing this program and inviting the heads of our hospitals, schools, and cultural center to be involved in the performance where they conveyed the teaching with their bodies.
At every ceremony a different pair of department heads took the stage, but they all displayed the same movements to express the teaching.
Every one of them really brought their roles to life, e it the role of Dharma Master Wu Da or Ven. Kanaka.
It was as if these two cultivators had come back to this world again
When the superintendent of each of our hospitals played the role, they really got into character.
It was truly touching. They enabled everyone to enter deeply into the Dharma and experienced the joy.
Be it the heads of our hospitals or the heads of or university and technical college.
(they are not performers one could have hired)
Yet, they had no pride or ego as they (willingly let themselves)
(be molded into performers)
I am truly very grateful to them for enabling us to take in the Dharma from their performance and experience spiritual joy.
This year, there are 5,000 new living bodhisattvas.
It is truly a very moving thing.
Just think, doesn’t every new bodhisattva lead to the arising of many more bodhisattvas?
(that’s because who inspired to walk the path) will in turn inspire others to walk the path also
With more bodhisattvas, there will be greater strength to realize the mission of purifying the hearts of humanity.
(This is the Buddha’s mission. The Buddha) came into the world to enlighten living beings.
(This mission is the origin of Tzu Chi)
(We practice the Buddha’s teachings) and nurture our spiritual wisdom-life.
Everyone makes great, selfless vows
(to walk the Bodhisattva Path in this world)
This is the way of Tzu Chi
Everyone willingly goes into the community to serve with the pure heart and mind of a bodhisattva
Their spirit inspires & purifies people’s hearts
In learning to become a bodhisattva, everyone first purifies their own heart and mind.
The certification ceremony only serves to signify that the person has already “passed the test”
In the past, everyone had unwholesome habits.
(be it gambling, drinking, smoking, etc)
But when they’re inspired to join Tzu Chi---
Just wanting to join doesn’t make you a certified member right away. No, to be certified one has to truly enter the core of (Tzu Chi’s Bodhisattva practice)
(So, one has to follow the precepts of)
(our Jing Si Dharma lineage)
One has to purify his or her mind and get rid of unwholesome habits.
That’s why they first go through a trial year.
They need to first understand our moral standard and determine whether they can live up to it and whether they can endure the spiritual training and follow our rules and precepts.
They have a year to try it out.
This period is called “jian xi”
(If after that year) they decide to commit to this path, then, they enter the next stage of training where they have the conviction to undergo training to become a certified member.
During this period, we let them know that as we serve others, we must do so with gratitude and be grateful to those we help
(because in order to realize the Dharma,) we must learn the Buddha’s teachings
In the first period of his teaching, the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths.
(which is about suffering)
To understand the ultimate truth the Buddha taught, we must first understand the reality of suffering
If we don’t know this, we will easily go astray
So, to truly understand the truths that the Buddha taught, we must first know about the suffering in life.
But people think, “I’m not poor or starving”
“I’m not lacking in anything”
“I’m enjoying my life. I’m not suffering”
But while you may not suffer, others are experiencing all kinds of suffering
Some people are very wealthy & have a lot of money and have all they could want
But spiritually, they full of afflictions.
(They suffer form wants and desires and)
(the feelings of love, hate, and resentment)
So, though wealthy, they still experience suffering
To come out of suffering, they must learn the Dharma. Then, they can open their hearts and expand their love.
One should treat one’s loved ones with the (wisdom) of a Bodhisattva and embrace all the people in the world with the unconditional love of a parent.
If they can do this, they’ll be able to broaden their hearts.
So, by engaging in worldly affairs and seeing others’ suffering, we learn to count our blessings.
That’s why in serving others, we have gratitude in our hearts.
So, when we help others, we bow lower than the people we give the aid to because we are very grateful to them for showing us the suffering in this world so we can understand it.
So, serving as a living bodhisattva in this world, we should use a pure heart in passing on the Dharma and in increasing our wisdom-life.
Therefore, we should spread selfless Great Love all around the world.
We ought to take all the suffering in the world into our heart.
(and realize what is really the important thing) and seize the present to help relieve suffering
Otherwise, look at Dharma Master Wu Da
Even though he had both blessings and wisdom in the moment that he gave rise to unwholesome thoughts his negative karma manifested.
So, he had to suffer the karmic retribution
All in all, we need to understand the law of karma
If we’ve formed bad karmic affinities with others, we need to know how to resolve it.
(and not create more negative karma)
For people who have blessings, they should utilize their blessings to create more blessings everyday
This is how we can nurture wisdom and eliminate misfortunes and disasters

980117人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Compassion Giving Rise to Wisdom -- Tzu Chi's Aid Mission in Haiti

2009-02-01T00:26:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--以慈啟智修福慧
Compassion Giving Rise to Wisdom -- Tzu Chi's Aid Mission in Haiti

Although Taiwan is not very big, with population of only around 23 million, there are many living bodhisattvas here.
Recently, we’ve been (preparing our winter distributions)
Tzu Chi volunteers al around Taiwan have been packing relief goods for low-income families and those in need (whom we’ve been giving monthly aid)
If they can come to the distribution, we’d give them the relief goods then
For those who connot come, we’ll deliver the goods to their homes.
For some elderly care recipients, we would also hold a simple “reunion meal” with them.
So, around the time of the Chinese New Year, we can see people coming together like one big family.
Throughout different parts of Taiwan, our volunteers would help the elderly and children (at the distribution site) and treat them like family. It was very heartwarming.
Tzu Chi volunteers do not think of all this as hard work but consider it a blessing.
This is what we’re doing in Taiwan.
We should all help other people with willingness, gratitude, respect, and love.
Indeed, having loving-kindness, we have no regrets because we can see that (our efforts) have enabled people to (gain what they need)
In giving of ourselves to help them, we harbor no regrets.
This is the meaning of them phrase:
“With loving-kindness, we have no regrets”
With great compassion, we have no complaints
For the sake of helping people out of suffering and hardship, we’re very willing to take on the work
No matter how tiring the work is, we have no complaints, only willingness
It is our wish to help these people. So, no matter how hard the work is, we do not complain about it.
This is the meaning of:
“With compassion, we have no complaints”
See, we not only hold aid distributions in Taiwan, we also do it in other countries as well.
Look at Haiti. To carry out charity work in Haiti is indeed full of challenges.
On Jan. 15 and 16, we conducted two aid distributions in Haiti.
The first distribution was held at an elementary school in Port-au-Prince.
Today in Haiti, we completed our second distribution.
It was very successful
Our volunteers distributed aid to around 1,400 families yesterday (Jan. 15)
Today (Jan. 16), they will be distributing aid to around 1,800 families.
(In conducting aid in the poor neighborhood,) our Tzu Chi volunteers have to be very cautious.
Even though it’s difficult, with the love and determination of our volunteers, and with the Four Immeasurables Minds of loving kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, they overcame the obstacles and turned this rocky path into a smooth one.
From the information that they sent me, a lot of people came to receive the aid, but the site couldn’t hold so many people.
Those waiting outside started worrying that they might not receive the goods.
So, some became restless.
Fortunately, there were UN peacekeepers the security personnel of the company OECC and local police on site maintaining order so the distribution went smoothly and was completed successfully.
When our volunteers were leaving, they said that the local people were very grateful.
When they were leaving, the local expressed sadness at seeing them go.
(They saw our volunteers off, with some standing) on the roof and some standing by the road.
All in all, they all waved good-bye to our Tzu Chi volunteers with gratitude and respect.
This time, Tzu Chi volunteers from three countries joined together to carry out the aid distribution.
Everyone involved in the mission felt a deep sense of inner joy.
As I often say:
“with a joyful mind, we have no worries”
There is no worry because living beings have come out of their wrong thinking
As you can see, Tzu Chi volunteers not only show compassion.
(but also promote humanity and love)
Before the distribution began, they first got the crowd involved in songs to lift people’s spirits and bring them joy.
In that moment, their unhappiness due to poverty and feelings of want and desire are all gone.
So, we can see that when living beings have such interactions, the pure feelings of love can be inspired and this love comes from wisdom.
Our volunteers devoted a lot of thought to planning the details of our distribution so that we can imbue it with humanity and spread this spirit to everyone.
As a result, people’s unwholesome thought & feelings disappear.
So, when we distribute aid there, imbuing it with humanity is very important.
For this end, our aid team will strive to overcome all challenges, and inside, they feel great joy.
Despite all the thought and planning required, they don’t feel troubled.
They are filled with peace and joy as they carry out the distribution.
When they present the goods, moreover, they bow to the point that they’re even lower than the recipients.
Their giving is done with great respect.
As I often say, “With equanimity”
“we give without seeking anything in return”
All we hope for is to see people live in security and well-being and to see them let go of unwholesome thinking and walk correctly on life’s path based on right views and thinking.
(This first starts with) our love which wakens our compassion inspiring us to sincerely give of ourselves unconditionally.
As a consequence of that, the recipients are experiencing. peace, security, and happiness.
It is truly a very moving thing.
It’s no wonder that the local volunteers were so happy.
(despite the hard work)
They said they are very happy to be able to do something to help fellow Haitians.
(So, we can see that people in Haiti can)
(open their hearts to work in unity)
It makes me see hope in Haiti. In a word, nothing is impossible to achieve as long as we truly have the heart---the heart of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Having this we can practice the Six Paramitas.
In doing so, we cherish ourselves and others.
To cherish ourselves, we must be disciplined and give without seeking anything in return so that our heart is pure and clean with only love (and no selfish motives)
This is the Four Immeasurable Minds great kindness without regrets. Great compassion without complaints. Great joy without troubles, and great equanimity (without selfish desires)
When we have these Four Immeasurables within, we can make the paths in our world become smooth.
I’m really grateful to our Tzu Chi volunteers now in Haiti.
I’m very grateful to you all
Your joined together form three different countries to spread Tzu Chi’s love and values of humanity
You’ve overcome the obstacles to providing aid in Haiti and have opened the door for further aid.
You’ve truly done a thing of great merit.
I’m very grateful to you for your mindfulness, love, and giving.
It’s a very successful beginning and marks a milestone for Tzu Chi
I’m very grateful and very moved.
Compassion can give rise to wisdom.
Wisdom is awakened because of compassion Tzu Chi’s work allows us to learn numerous truths and Dharma. But, if we don’t go amongst the people to serve it would be difficult for us to understand the suffering in life.
Only when we witness the suffering can our altruism & selfless Great Love be inspired.
With Great Love, we’ll be able to develop wisdom.
Everyone, this how we cultivate both blessings and wisdom.
I’m truly grateful.
(I could never finish speaking on this)

980116人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Bringing Aid and Care to Haiti

2009-02-01T00:25:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--援輸海地雲來集
Bringing Aid and Care to Haiti

Tzu Chi volunteers in Haiti, thank you
“Greetings”
It’s finally connected. That’s great.
We’re communicating via two ways.
Thank the dharma masters at the Abode for sending the messages to us via instant messaging when we lose reception so we were able to know what Master was saying and take her words to our hearts
It’s really great.

Yesterday, I had a meeting with our volunteers from the U.S. the Dominican Republic, and Saint Martin.(who had just arrived in Haiti the day before) via videoconferencing.
I saw these living bodhisattvas gathering together in Haiti
It testified to the way Tzu Chi members are one in heart while each carries out work in different parts of the world at the same time.
But our hearts are one.
Truly, all day yesterday, I was very concerned about how the distribution was going in Haiti.
Just now, I received news of how our first day of distributions went, and the news set my mind at ease.
Our first day of distributions went relatively smoothly.
Over 1,000 impoverished school children’s families came to receive goods.
Then on January 16, local time, the second day of distributions will be held with an estimated 1,800 families to be aided.
So, the first day of distribution went quite well
However, despite everything going smoothly our volunteers were a bit concerned because the school where the distribution was held is very small and there were a lot of people coming to get the supplies.
So, a lot of people had to wait outside.
Fortunately, there were security guards form the company OECC, UN peacekeepers, and the local police who were there to maintain order.
(and make sure everything went smoothly)
This, of course, required a lot of manpower.
Moreover, to make sure that the distribution could go smoothly the street leading to the school was cordoned off so the residents there would be inconvenienced.
However, our Tzu Chi volunteers truly handled this with great wisdom and love as they had taken all this into consideration.
So before the distribution, they went door-to-door and visited the residents (to express thanks) and gave each family the gift of a thermal blanket
(They likewise gave such a gift) to people doing business on that street.
These people all understood that this group of people (our volunteers) came from another country to provide aid to their fellow countrymen in Haiti.
So, they were all very understanding especially since our volunteers had visited them beforehand one by one.
So, they willingly bore with the inconveniences caused by the distribution.
The elementary school where the distribution was held is not very big and the grounds are very uneven as it is covered in rocks and pebbles.
As Tzu Chi volunteers wish to present the recipients with a clean and tidy environment to show our respect towards them our volunteers set out to clean the school grounds.
When the children saw Tzu Chi volunteers cleaning their school grounds, they voluntarily joined our volunteers in cleaning up the place.
They were all very happy doing this.
Isn’t this education on keeping a clean environment?
This is the first time that Tzu Chi volunteers have held a relief distribution in Haiti and it can be said to be a pilot project.
(to see how we can help there) since it is such an impoverished country
Apart from distributing aid supplies this time, we also wish to learn more about their medical and, more importantly, their educational needs
In November of last year a school in Haiti collapsed and killed nearly 100 students.
It was because the school was constructed.
(with hardly any structural steel or cement)
(I heard that only five days after the incident,) another school there also collapsed partially.
Only a few people were injured that time
So, for our trip this time, apart from distributing aid supplies to help the impoverished what’s most important is to explore possible aid projects for the future.
So, the mission this time serves to help us pave the way for future missions
I’m truly very grateful.
In the world of Tzu Chi our work is carried out without top night and day because just as volunteers in one place are about to call it a day those in another are getting ready to begin the day’s work
Just as we’re about to begin with our day’s work here in Taiwan it’s already evening there in Haiti.
While they are making preparations to distribute aid the next day we’re also about to begin our day’s work here
That’s how Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide alternate to continue Tzu Chi’s work day and night.
Everyone’s hearts are as one as they carry out Tzu Chi’s mission in a continuous relay following the rotation of night and day.
Remember 10 years ago, we had first formed affinities with Haiti
(When Hurricane Georges devastated the country)
I hope that our affinities with Haiti can continue and seeds of love can be spread on that land.
It’s great to share in your joy of gratitude.
Hopefully, these seeds of love will take firm roots in the local area.
(so that we can nurture local volunteers) who will help lift this country out of poverty by carrying out our missions such as Charity. Medicine, Education, and Environmental Protection.
(I believe these are needs that the country has)
Indeed, as I just said on the same day wherever our volunteers may be, and whatever season it is there, Tzu Chi volunteers are giving of their love (to those in need)
For example, on January 9, a group of our U.S. Tzu Chi volunteers left for Haiti (for the aid distribution)
On that same day, another group of our U.S. volunteers went to the flooded areas in Seattle of the state of Washington in the U.S.
When the local people saw how Tzu Chi volunteers made it there despite all the difficulties that must have been experiencing along the trip, they were all very grateful, although it has already been many days after the flood hit.
They were grateful because Tzu Chi was the first aid group to be there.
Usually, before Tzu Chi volunteers provide aid they’d visit those affected from door to door to determine what help people are in need of
So, when our volunteers came back from Seattle, the CEO of Tzu Chi U.S.A. immediately mobilized over 50 volunteers to conduct surveys and to see what supplies the flood victims needed.
After visiting over 100 families, our volunteers began to prepare the supplies for them.
On January 17 local time, our volunteers will be going there to give out cash cards and blankets among other things
See, during the same period of time, be it in the U.S. where it is icy cold or in Haiti where the weather is warm.
Tzu Chi volunteers are there giving of themselves to care for the suffering
It is very touching to see
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Kuching and nearby areas have also been hit by floods.
Even today, Tzu Chi volunteers are still providing hot meals and supplies to those affected by the flood.
This is in Southeast Asia
See, with so many disasters happening around the world which place haven’t Tzu Chi volunteers set foot on?
That’s what I am very grateful for every day
So, within the same day, at the same time, my spirit travels to many parts of the world as what’s happening around the world.
(at every moment deeply concerns me) and I need to know how we can help
At every moment, my heart is filled with gratitude and I am deeply moved.

980115人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Tzu Chi Volunteers' Love in China, the Importance of Love and Harmony

2009-02-01T00:24:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--人心平則天下安
Tzu Chi Volunteers' Love in China, the Importance of Love and Harmony

I saw on Da Ai News that another earthquake hit China’s Sichuan at 2:23 this morning, local time.
Its epicenter was around 90 kilometers away from Chengdu.
Because the quake was relatively shallow, (its impact is greater, so it’s more worrying)
As I haven’t received word of the actual situation yet, I’m truly very worried.
The Four Elements of Earth, Water, Fire , and Air are truly imbalanced.
In this world, only love can bring about harmony and allow everything on this land to thrive.
For example, in this bitter cold winter, warmth can still be found, and this is due to people’s selfless Great Love which is like the warm sunshine in winter.
Such love is the most touching.
The footage we see is about the winter aid distributions we held in China from December 2008 till January 2009.
All the volunteers, be they volunteers from Taiwan, Taiwanese businessmen in China or the locals worked together to bring love and warmth to those in need.
They truly are living bodhisattvas who cannot bear to see others suffer and feel others’ suffering as their very own
So, despite the bitter cold, everyone willingly went there to give of themselves because they sincerely cared about these locals and thought about them just as if they were family.
(So, they were deeply concerned about)
(these people’s circumstances)
Be it those living in the remote areas, the elderly who live by themselves those who are physically impaired or those who have been living in poverty.
Our volunteers truly couldn’t bear to see them suffer.
(Tzu Chi volunteers went to provide aid)
(to people in different parts of China)
Given the large area of China several teams of volunteers were formed to carry out distributions in 12 counties.
For the winter distributions this year, we aided over 74,800 families in 12 counties across 6 provinces in China.
I am also very grateful to the local authorities for their help.
The name list they provided was very detailed and accurate so we were able to follow up with home visits after the aid distributions.
We saw the aid recipients put away the supplies in places they thought were safest.
Some said that in their entire lives, they had never seen such high quality goods and so many useful things of such good quality that would keep them warm.
Many of them were moved to tears.
There were also local volunteers
The more they helped with the work the more inspired they were to give of their love.
The way they helped support the old and the young and cared for them like their own family was exactly like that of our volunteers in Taiwan.
Seeing the care they give is very touching.
(We can see that) these local volunteers’ love truly has been inspired and it comes from the bottom of their hearts.
Indeed, despite the freezing cold, we could also feel the warmth of their love which was just like the warm sunshine in winter.
What’s even more touching to see was how children have benefited from the financial aid we provided.
Yesterday, I heard from Mr. Gao, our volunteer, who has been leading the way in providing aid to Guizhou Province for over 10 years.
He told me that Tzu Chi has helped over 40,000 children in Guizhou to go to school.
Over the past 10 or so years, (thanks to our financial aid,)
Many were able to go all the way from primary school to college .
This shows that history can be changed---
(Though Guizhou ahs historically been poor,) it is possible to help give them a future of unlimited promise as well as a chance to leave poverty behind.
They all know that only by receiving an education will they be able to overcome poverty.
What’s even more touching is that construction of the 10th Tzu Chi village to relocate the locals will soon begin
More than 300 families have been relocated to the other 9 villages that Tzu Chi built.
The houses were all very beautifully built
I am also very grateful to the local authorities for working so mindfully with us to find such favorable and beautiful locations for Tzu Chi to build these villages for the locals.
See how the villagers and our volunteers had the reunion meal together outdoors.
It was very cold, but see how everyone sang and danced before having the steaming hot food together.
See how happy everyone was
Isn’t Tzu Chi volunteers’ love like warm sunshine during snowy winters?
I’m even more grateful to the close to 20 doctors who went to provide free medical services.
We see this elderly grandpa who had a car accident over 10 years ago.
At the time, doctors had wanted to amputate his foot but he refused.
Having left it for 10 years, this is what has become of his foot.
See how Dr. Ye immediately helped to clean and treat his sore.
Actually, we are still very worried, so we will continue to care for this grandpa and help him receive medical treatment.
I am truly grateful---
In such cold places, these are also Tzu Chi volunteers giving of themselves to care for those in need.
If people around the world can all give of their love to others like this, wouldn’t the Four Elements of Nature be in balance and people live in peace and harmony?
Isn’t such a scene where everything is thriving very beautiful?
Although there are people living in poverty, as long as there are people with love the poor would be able to receive love and care and give rise to warmth and gratitude from the bottom of their hearts.
Such is the power of love
Although they are poor, they are (content with the peace and safety they have)
So, when they receive a little form others, they’d be very happy already
Such joy doesn’t come from how many supplies they get but from the love they receive.
Their sense of joy is greater than the joy felt by the well-off.
(when they get something they’ve been desiring)
So, being poor is nothing to be afraid of
What’s most fearful is the lack of peace & harmony
See how more intensive airstrikes continue in the Gaza Strip with the number of casualties rising every day.
It’s truly very worrying to see.
What can we do to help bring peace and harmony to the world?
As long as there is peace and harmony, no matter how poor people are, there will still be a chance for them to improve their conditions.
That’s why I said that poverty is nothing to be feared.
What’s most fearful is disharmony.
So long as there is love in the world people can live in peace & everything will thrive.
With such harmony, everything can be changed.
So, we must continue our efforts and call upon others to work together with us so that there’ll be peace in the world so that people’s welfare can be safeguarded.

980114人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Giving of Love to Bring about a World Free of Disasters

2009-02-01T00:23:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--以愛平息災難
Giving of Love to Bring about a World Free of Disasters

There truly have been many disasters happening around the world.
Yesterday, I learned that several places in Malaysia have been affected by floods.
Likewise, Fiji also suffered from its worst flooding in recent history.
Days of torrential rain have resulted in several casualties and injuries and around 10,000 Fijians have been evacuated.
The local government has declared a state of emergency in the worst-hit areas.
However, there are also things to be grateful for
Our volunteers have already arrived in Haiti to prepare for the oncoming aid distribution.
We see that Mr. Chang’s employees have all mobilized to join or volunteers (in the preparatory work)
They didn’t stop to rest even when they were already drenched in sweat from working.
According to Mr.Chang, this was originally supposed to be overtime but who’d have known that everyone would join in so willingly.
Mr. Chang almost couldn’t believe it.
So, I’m truly grateful to them for dedicating themselves so willingly out of love.
Indeed, only when people give love and care can everything in the world be in balance.
Otherwise, the Four Elements would be imbalanced.
When the Four Elements are imbalanced, (there’d be disasters and trouble would)
(break out among people)
See how such imbalance has led to so many natural and manmade disasters around the world.
Moreover, the spiritual unrest in people’s minds has created the global financial crisis.
This spiritual unrest was brought on by the greed in people’s minds.
This insatiable greed is what has led to the financial crisis of today.
But, as long as we treat all equally with the spirit of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, we’d be able to give of our love, and help to bring balance and harmony to the minds of the suffering and further inspire them to give too.
Take a look at the local volunteers in Haiti
They gave of themselves so joyfully working all day to the point where their shirts were all drenched in sweat.
They also shared their feelings with us---
When asked why they were giving of themselves so willingly, they said:
“Tzu Chi volunteers came all the way here”
“to help our fellow people, so”
“we are very happy and willing to help as well”
See, everyone can be inspired to help others.
As long as we give them a wholesome environment, be honest, trustworthy, sincere, and upright and give of ourselves sincere and give of ourselves sincerely with respect and love from the bottom of our hearts.
I am sure that the unrest in people’s minds can also be balanced and tamed.
It’s not an impossible thing.
It’s just that nowadays most people’s minds are covered with ignorance and delusions and so they are not able to open up their hearts to give of their love and bring out the kindness that is inherent to human nature.
When people’s loving-kindness is inspired so that they know to benefit others, society and people would be in peace and safety.
But truly, most people still think that doing good is one thing while having fun is another.
So, despite the fact that they’re doing good, they spend most of their time having fun.
Given that, I’d be a surprise.
If an economic downturn didn’t come about.
This is because people give rise to greed and seek to indulge themselves.
This truly isn’t good.
The time they spend having fun could be used to benefit those in need instead.
If they saved up the money from taking vacations, the money could help many families in need.
In the footage, we see that in Japan a large group of Tzu Chi volunteers braved the cold winter to cook and serve hot miso soup for the homeless in Hibiya Part in Tokyo.
Why is it that this group of people came to be homeless?
Why did they become unemployed?
I heard many of their stories, and they’re all very repentant now.
When the economy was good, they aimed very high and were very picky about the jobs they took on.
So, they kept changing jobs and this carried on until one day they really couldn’t find a job and ended up homeless on the streets.
That’s the story behind some people.
There are also those who were laid off because they didn’t work hard enough
In all, there are many stories.
(behind the plight of these people)
Among this group of homeless people, most are repentant and regret having been the way they were.
They used to be too arrogant.
(and weren’t satisfied with what they had) so now, in the cold winter.
They have to suffer such hunger.
(It’s truly too late to turn back)
But Tzu Chi volunteers show such kindness and compassion---
They not only gave them steaming hot food, but also hope that they can have self-respect.
So, because the toilets in the park are very dirty.
Tzu Chi volunteers helped to clean it for them as a way of teaching by way of example.
So, they were very moved from the bottom of their hearts.
They were not only moved but also repentant.
Seeing that, Tzu Chi volunteers began to share with them that when they have a job.
(they must cherish it and work diligently) no matter how hard the work is
Our volunteers further told them about Tzu Chi’s spirit of diligence, frugality, and persevering in the face of hardship.
Most of them were receptive to this message.
As I often say, when the Four Elements are imbalanced, there’d be natural disasters.
When people’s minds are in disharmony, there’d be manmade disasters.
When people give rise to greed it’d lead to the financial crisis facing us now.
When the gap between the rich and the poor widens, the economy would be affected eventually.
So, we must treat all equally with kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity and help to bring balance and harmony to people’s minds, especially at a time like this.
To do that, we must give of our love.
Only love can achieve that.
See how the large group of Tzu Chi volunteers work in concerted efforts.
Isn’t it very beautiful?
For a large group to work in such concerted efforts, everyone’s body and mind must be in balance.
When everyone’s body and mind are in balance, I am sure that the Four Elements would be in equilibrium as well.
Whether the difficulties we face can be overcome all depends on the state of people’s minds.
If people’s minds are peaceful and harmonious, and they care for people equally with compassion many more people could be inspired to give of their love and thereby help to bring about a world free of disasters.
So, be it natural or manmade disasters or the financial crisis affecting us what’s most important now is for everyone to calm and pacify their minds.
(and lead a simpler lifestyle)
(by being more diligent and frugal)
If everyone can be like this, (they would still be able to get by)
All in all, how to bring balance and harmony to the body and mind
(of people we serve in every part of the world) is a very important task.
So, we must seize time to carry it out.

980113人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Cleansing Away Impurities to Attain the Bodhi Mind

2009-02-01T00:22:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--淨心袪垢入菩提
Cleansing Away Impurities to Attain the Bodhi Mind

We see floods affecting western Washington, U.S.A.
(Snow from the arctic snow storms in December) is starting to melt due to warmer weather.
On top of that, it has also been raining heavily,
(leading to floods, landslides, and avalanches)
So, Tzu Chi volunteers in Seattle have already gone into the disaster area to survey the situation and are planning to give out aid materials
This is what’s happening in one part of the world where erratic climate conditions have caused a natural disaster with people suffering the consequences.
(In other parts of the world,) there are also manmade disasters
Look at the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
(with Gaza becoming a battlefield)
See how bombings and rocket fire attacks continue all day long.
See how many have been injured or killed.
Because of this, more and more seeds of hatred are being sown in people’s hearts.
(Such hatred is like a landmine)
Due to the way they’ve been educated, subconsciously, Israeli and Palestinian children harbor a sense of hatred and vengeance toward one another.
Such hatred and vengeance has been long established and passed on from generation to generation deeply imbedded in people’s minds.
Some even claimed that school children’s textbooks contain incitement to hatred between Israel and Palestine.
This attitude of hatred and vengeance becomes deeply ingrained in their minds.
Because of this hatred, Israeli forces are now continuously bombarding Gaza.
Will any “Victory” be true, lasting victory?
Actually, psychologists say that any “victory” would only be momentary because the conflict is only deepening people’s sense of hatred and vengeance.
This is hate deeply imbedded into their consciousness.
Like a landmine, it’d blow up at the slightest provocation---
Just as landmines can be buried in war zones, “landmines” have also been buried internally, and this hatred that’s imbedded is being carried forth generation after generation.
This is what’s truly frightening.
So, I often say when our sense organs make contact with the external world, our consciousness gives rise to greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt.
Upon contact between our sense organs and sensory objects, we give rise to love, hate, strife, etc.
Accumulating these, our mind becomes covered with afflictions and ignorance.
In cultivating ourselves, how can we transform what happens when our sense organs meet sensory objects so that it becomes pure so that encountering the external phenomena, we’d be able to be understanding and tolerant.
Only by being understanding would we be able to transform our mindset.
So, in cultivating ourselves, we need to purify our six sense organs.
If we can do that then we will not give rise to anger inwardly.
(When we encounter obstacles or unwelcome events)
In turn, this requires us to listen to the Dharma.
We should moreover know to make use of the Dharma so as to filter out impurities of our complicated world and transform negative thoughts into positive ones and actively refrain from evil and do all that is good. Then, we’d be very clear as to what’s right and wrong and know to filter out the unwholesome and work diligently to do all that’s good.
If we could do that, we’d be bodhisattvas with pure enlightened love.
In the footage we see our volunteer, Sheng-xiu
It’s truly heartbreaking to see him.
(suffer from Alzheimer’s)
Fortunately, the seed of Tzu Chi has been planted in his mind, so he does not think about unwholesome things.
In his heart and mind, there is always this seed of Tzu Chi
One time---
He rode a bike to Houli and saw a fence fall to its side.
So, he parked his bike and went over to erect the fence.
A policeman happened to be passing by and asked him:
“What are you doing here?”
He had kind intentions, so he replied:
“The fence is down”
“It’s dangerous for cars passing by”
“So, I’m erecting it”
“but I can’t put it up”
The policeman saw a name embroidered on his shirt, and asked him:
“Did you steal this shirt from others?”
“Is your name You Sheng-xiu?”
Fortunately, he is a Tzu Chi volunteer and he still remembers the Tzu Chi spirit and Master’s teachings.
So, he told the policeman, “How can you say that?”
“I am a Tzu Chi volunteer”
“How could I possibly steal another’s shirt?”
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
It is a form of dementia and cause memory loss.
However, it’s not a bad thing to forget all the strife with others.
If he can eliminate all unwholesome thoughts form his mind, what’s left is his original pure nature hope that he can always harbor the Bodhisattva spirit within so that his delusions and ignorance can be cleansed away.
(So, we need to be more mindful)
(in guarding or mind)
The Buddha’s teachings are very comprehensive and penetrating as it allows us to clearly understand how we come to this world and where our consciousness (spirit) will go after we die.
So, we truly must be mindful and vigilant because we never know what disease will occur in our body.
We never know
So, in not knowing what our future holds, we must seize the time we have now.
We do not know what will become of us.
While we still have a clear mind, we must seize the present to nurture an understanding and embracing heart.
We mustn’t let external circumstances cause us to give rise to afflictions.
(That’s what we must guard against)
(We must take good care of our mind) so that the impurities from the external circumstances do not enter and taint our heart and mind.
So, we must listen to the Dharma more, carefully contemplate on what we’ve heard, and take the teachings to heart.
(That’s how we come to understand the Dharma)
We should also mindfully observe the phenomena of the world, filtering out the human bickering and differences to become more aware of the truth of impermanence in life.
(By observing and pondering)
(the phenomena of the world,) we’d realize that as life is so impermanent what is there to dispute about?
And fame and wealth are just as transient and ephemeral as a fleeting cloud.
So, we must (transform our consciousness) by dispelling and filtering out the unwholesome and only taking in the pure, good, and true.
Only then can we transform our consciousness so that it’s the consciousness of a Bodhisattva.
Can you understand what I am saying?
In a word, we must carefully reflect and (be mindful about transforming our consciousness)
Seeing so much suffering in the world……
People are truly suffering unspeakably.
All in all, everything is a product of
(what has been accumulated through time)
So, we must know to seize time.
I’d also like to give Mr. You my best wishes.
May he harbor a pure and simple heart and be healthy always.
May more seeds of love be sown into his consciousness, may his bad karma be depleted completely in this lifetime and the seeds of purity be sown in his mind.
(to sprout in his future lives)

980112人間菩提英文版人間菩提-Inspiring Stories and Performances in the Year-end Blessings Ceremonies

2009-02-01T00:21:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--以身說法．融通經義
Inspiring Stories and Performances in the Year-end Blessings Ceremonies

My trip around Taiwan this time spanned over from last year to this year, and I came back to the Abode only yesterday.
My first stop this tie was llan. When I arrived in llan, I saw that the two actors who would play the parts of Master Wu Da and Ven. Kanaka at the Year-end Blessings Ceremony that day were already there waiting for me.
Who were they? They were Mr. Zhang and Mr. Yin from our cultural center in Taipei.
(They were there in llan to greet me)
That Year-end Blessings Ceremony in llan was very heartwarming.
In a previous lifetime, Master Wu Da was the Chinese official Yuan Ang (who had the politician Chao Cuo beheaded)
For the next ten lifetimes, Chao Cuo waited to work this his revenge against Yuan Ang.
In the 10th lifetime, he finally had the chance when Master Wu Da had a momentary lapse (of purity) by giving rise to pride and conceit opening the door to his bad karma.
This story was in the preface of the Water Repentance text.
From it, we can see that the bad karma that we’ve created (can’t simply be wiped clean or eliminated)
As I often say, we ultimately have to undergo the retribution for the karma we’ve created.
See, even Master Wu Da who had been a well-cultivated monk for then lifetimes could not escape his karmic retribution
So, no matter what circumstances we come across, we must see them as a chance for us to gradually rid of our bad habits, and endure our karmic retribution willingly while persisting in heading in the right direction in life.
In our past lives since we had done whatever we felt like doing without considering the karmic law of cause and effect. We must now endure the karmic retribution willingly when it comes to bear.
If we accept it willingly, (we will not get too entangled)
(in the karmic retribution)
The more we struggle, however, (the more bad karmic will engulf us)
So, in learning the Buddha’s way, we must know about the karmic law of cause and effect.
I hope everyone can seize whatever opportunities we have to benefit others because doing good and being filial cannot wait.
Look at Master Wu Da. When young, he traveled about to study Dharma and met a sick monk who was actually Ven. Kanaka, (who later helped heal him when he was)
(suffering a painful disease due to his bad karma)
If he hadn’t compassionately cared for Ven. Kanaka later, when he was suffering his karmic retribution who would’ve been there to help him?
Ven. Kanaka had manifested as a sick monk because he knew Master Wu Da would become well-cultivated one day and become the empire’s Dharma teacher.
So, he was worried that Master Wu Da would become arrogant and wanted to test him by manifesting as a sick monk.
That connection between them( was what led to Ven. Kanaka healing him later)
That is the origin of the Water Repentance text
Though their short performance of this story, our staff were able to convey the profound teachings of this text through their physical movements.
I always say that it is not acting, but expressing the Dharma through our body’s movements.
At our hospital in Xindian, we saw Supt. Chao and Asst. Supt. You performing, and Asst. Supt. You, especially, is already getting on in his age.
Whether playing the part of Master Wu Da or Ven. Kanaka, (everyone was very mindful)
Those who played Master Wu Da got bruises from having to fall on the stage.
They truly worked very hard to rehearse, and their performance really drew the audience into the performance Staff of our cultural center took part in the performance also.
Many of our heads of departments played the parts of Master Wu Da or Ven. Kanaka.
Different pairs performed in different ceremonies, and every performance was captivating.
Every one of them truly performed very well, conveying the Dharma deeply to the audience through their movements and gestures.
What they have done is very admirable, (and their performance was very inspiring)
(and benefited many who watched it)
At our hospital in Taichung, many also took part in the performance, including Supt. Hsu, Asst. Supt. Hsu, Asst. Supt. Chen, and the two Dr. Chens and Dr. Wu who are heads of departments.
One ceremony after another, their performances were truly captivating as they have taken the Dharma to heart, and they each felt they had learned something.
There truly are many touching things.
From these performances, we can truly witness the humanistic spirit in the staff of our missions of Medicine and Culture.
The medical mission saves physical lives while the cultural mission saves wisdom-lives. (Though the work of doctors)
(is to save lives, they have gone onstage)to help nurture the wisdom-life of others.
They have truly captivated many hearts through their performances where they expounded the Dharma through body movements.
I truly am very grateful.
Of course, I’m also grateful to our documentary volunteers for filming all the footage for our EYar-end Blessings Ceremonies.
In these 2 months, I’ve held nearly 100 Year-end Blessings Ceremonies across Taiwan.
At each, there were two films about the stories of our volunteers to watch. These films were all made by our documentary volunteers who spent many months beforehand filming and editing the footage.
Though we could see the heartwarming stories of our volunteers what we couldn’t see was the hard work of the group of people behind the scenes who had put time and effort into filming, editing, and writing the scripts.
So, I’m truly very grateful to all our documentary volunteers for capturing all these (images and pictures) all these images and pictures particularly as they’ll serve as part of Tzu Chi’s Sutra Treasury for all of time.
I’m truly very grateful for that
(This is especially as the footage they took)
(of our exemplary volunteers can serve)
(to guide people toward good)
(What’s more, these volunteers in the footage all)
(went onstage to share their feelings with others)
So, (in spreading Tzu Chi’s spirit,)
(our Four Missions truly have to go hand in hand)
What I saw on my trip this time truly touched me a lot and filled me with gratitude, and I was truly very impressed and touched from the bottom of my heart.
Words truly cannot describe how I felt.
Though I’ve been very moved and filled with gratitude by what I’ve seen, the disasters that have been happening in the international community lately have also filled me with much pain be it the earthquake in Costa Rica or the clnflict in the
Gaza Strip between Israel and the Hamas or the poverty-stricken people of Haiti.
Our aid team already arrived in Haiti the day before yesterday.
Though they have already arrived safe and sound, the goods they had purchased for aid distribution were transported to Haiti via freight.
So, it had to undergo customs clearance and other such complicated procedures.
I’m particularly worried (about riots erupting) when we begin distributing aid on January 16.
So, let us pray sincerely that with so many goods to be distributed everyone will maintain peace and order, and come to receive the goods in an orderly fashion.
All in all, it’s truly heartbreaking for me to see the suffering that goes on throughout the world.
(In view of all the suffering that goes on,) every single one of our doctors and living bodhisattvas in our four missions is very mindful in doing their work to benefit people, and so my heart is warmed and filled with gratitude just like how the sunshine on a winter’s day fills people with warmth.

980111人間菩提英文版人間菩提- The Path to Awakening

2009-02-01T00:20:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--覺悟之道
The Path to Awakening

At the time when the lottery was really popular, (everyone was playing, so I started playing, too)
The more I played, the more addicted I got.
(He played it so much that we got into debt)
So, I told him:
“Please don’t gamble on the lottery anymore”
“If we work hard,”
“we can pay back our debt very quickly”
But he wouldn’t listen to me.
He told me not to meddle
I kept gambling on the lottery.
For a period of time, I didn’t win.
Yet I continued to play because I wanted to win money.
I was greedy.
(The man we just saw, Mr. Liao,)
(used to gamble on the lottery) and was very addicted to it.
Such is the delusion of mundane beings.
It was very difficult for him to wake up form it since his heart and mind had already been tainted that is like a forest--- there isn’t only one tree, but a whole forest of trees.
(It is a forest of bodhi trees, and these trees) all grew out of the same root. That root.
(is what we call “the root of awakening”)
(I hope Tzu Chi members can become)a bodhi forest growing form the same bodhi root and work united to cultivate a field of blessings.
We’re all part of the Jing Si lineage.
Why do we speak of (the Jing Si lineage and Jing Si principles)?
Our monastery, the Jing Si Abode, is the spiritual home of Tzu Chi members.
(The principles of or monastery) actually began form when I was cultivating in my small wooden hut. I was very poor then and had nothing to my name.
All I had was the aspiration to seek the path to enlightenment.
(I took the Lotus Sutra as my direction and)
(aspired to the Bodhisattva Path it taught)
Back then, though I was by myself as I cultivated in solitude in search for the path to enlightenment later, causes and conditions came together which gradually led to my founding of Tzu Chi with the practice of the bamboo banks where people donated 50 NT cents a day (US$0.02)
That was 43 years ago.
We started from nothing but persevered on with diligence, frugality, and resilience in the face of hardship.
To this day, we still follow this spirit.
This is the spirit of our Jing Si lineage.
(Spiritually, this means that we cultivate) a pure, selfless mind without selfish desires.
Having no selfish desires, we won’t have greed.
Having no selfish desires, naturally, we can lead a very simple life.where we are at peace and covet nothing.
When we covet nothing our life will naturally be very rich
Though the monastics at the Jing Si Abode live a very simple life, yet they are Tzu Chi members’ backbone of support.
When worldwide Tzu Chi members return to Hualien, it is our monastics who joyfully provide for everyone though their frugal and hardworking ways.
They’re joyful because as monastics, their goal is to help living beings onto the path.
(Spiritual cultivation is about)
(inner cultivation but also)helping one another onto the path.
Those already walking the path in turn guide those not yet on the path.
(That is how we can)
(bring many people onto the path)
As I often say, no one knows how long they will live
No one can say how long they will live
But, if you should as me about the scope of all that I am concerned about, I can give you an answer.
(My heart reaches out to embrace the universe)
There’s no corner of the Earth.
(that I don’t have my heart on)
I saw that in China’s Guizhou Province, I saw that in China’s Guizhou Province, there is a girl with only one leg.
She has to cross over mountains (to get to school) and she does this on one leg.
It all started with a tumor in her leg when she was a child.
Her family could not afford medical treatment.
Later, her leg was amputated.
She said she has been hopping around on one leg ever since the first grade.
But when our reporters filmed her, they couldn’t keep up with her though they have two healthy legs.
Look at how she has trained herself and look at her strength of will
When you ask her:
“Why do you make that journey when it’s so hard?”
She said,” I must get an education”
“Education is my only hope out of poverty”
“If I stay illiterate,”
“I can only stay in the mountains forever”
“So, I have to go to school”
“so I can leave the mountains”
“Only then can I possibly leave poverty”
Look at the strength of her will.
Meanwhile, look at the children (in Taiwan)
They’re driven to school by their parents and they are always spending money.
(So, though the economy may be bad now,) that is just part of the economic cycle.
We should take this opportunity to teach our kids to be more frugal and hardworking.
In a word, (to uphold the Jing principles means that)we must keep our hearts very clean.
We should have selfless Great Love and be hardworking, frugal and resilient in enduring hardship.
We must furthermore go into the world to care for people who are suffering.
That is our mission
So, everyone, please take up this responsibility.
On one shoulder, take up the Buddha’s spirit and mission.
On the other, shoulder the work of Tzu Chi.
At the same time, you must maintain a good character and disposition.
Only by doing that can we truly return to our Buddha-nature and truly awaken and become enlightened.

980110人間菩提英文版人間菩提-- Humanitarian Aid Transcends National Boundaries

2009-02-01T00:19:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--人道伸援無藩籬
Humanitarian Aid Transcends National Boundaries

When Tzu Chi started 43 years ago, we had no resources at all.
So, we encouraged people to put a coin into a bamboo bank every day and told them that the money that everyone pooled together could help the poor.
By saving a little every day, people’s daily living wouldn’t be affected.
(So, many people were inspired and) put away 50 NT cents every day in the coin bank.
Because people continue to pool their love together like this, Tzu Chi has been able to carry out its relief work to this day in every part of the world.
Lately, we’ve often heard people talk about the global financial crisis or financial storm.
In truth, what’s worse is the spiritual storm in people’s minds.
Such a spiritual storm of greed, hatred, and delusion constantly rages in people’s minds and that is indeed very worrying.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen many disasters occurring all around the world.
To rebuild places that have been devastated by disaster we must first help people recover spiritually.
Take California in the U.S. for example.
When wildfires occurred in Southern California again in November our volunteers immediately gave out cash cards and blankets to those affected.
(While the material aid was helpful,)
(most important was the spiritual support)
The Tzu Chi volunteers were truly sincere and showed the people genuine respect
Before giving the aid, they comforted the people by speaking to them gently with love and warmly embracing them in their arms.
At the same time, our volunteers also told people the story about Tzu Chi and how it started 43 years ago in Taiwan with people saving a little every day.
Hearing that, a woman named Lisa was very touched.
So, she took home a coin bank with her.
Later, when she went grocery shopping, she told people in the store about the story of Tzu Chi’s bamboo coin bank.
After listening to her, the store owner was very touched and made his contribution by putting coins in Lisa’s coin bank.
Seeing that, several people there in the store followed suit
With that, Lisa became even more confident so she began to solicit donations from her friends and neighbors.
Everyone supported her and donated money.
So, she was full of confidence and joy.
The next day, she went back to our volunteers with a coin bank full of coins
Before she left, she took another coin bank.
The next day, she returned it full of coins again.
She continued to do this for several days.
With a heart full of love, she went around introducing Tzu Chi to people she knew hoping to inspire their love and pool everyone’s contributions together no matter how tiny the amount was because even a penny was helpful.
What’s even more touching was that when Lisa’s daughter saw how Tzu Chi volunteers cared for those affected by the fire she also asked for a coin bank and brought it to her school.
So, both Lisa and her daughter collected donations for Tzu Chi very happily.
Truly, the love we give. Gives people a sense of self-respect
In the face of sudden disaster, we not only provide material supplies, but what’s most important is we help them regain self-respect.
But self-respect shouldn’t turn into arrogance instead, they should give rise to love for others
So, this is how Tzu Chi volunteers care for people all over the world---
Whatever their ethnicity or religious belief, we embrace all with the same spirit of Great Love.
(This is the “mindset of equality” in Buddhism)
In practicing kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, we treat all equally.
In truth, this can inspire live in those we aid.
For example, in Myanmar, out of the 4,000 coin banks we distributed over 700 have been returned full of money.
Apart from donating money the locals also donate their rice.
They put aside some rice every day and put it in a plastic jar or an urn
(to donate to hose in need in their village)
A farmer said that the rice they put aside each day could help those in their village who were worse off than him---
What wisdom he has
With Buddhism being the predominant religion in Myanmar they used to just pray to the Buddha for blessings and pray for the Buddha to keep them safe and well.
After Tzu Chi volunteers went there, (they learned that they had to sow blessings)
(by benefiting others)
Behind the rice seeds that Tzu Chi volunteers gave them, lies their love and care.
(that will last into eternity to come)
Receiving such pure love from our volunteers, the locals in turn give of their love to others by donating money and rice to those in need.
So, one seed can give rise to innumerable seeds.
The rice seeds we gave them have flourished giving rise to golden fields of rice plants and an abundant and plentiful harvest.
Seeing that, I am truly very grateful.
This is an example showing that when there are favorable climate and land conditions and moreover, harmony between people, people’s lives can be restored.
However, recently, we have been hearing people talk about how they will make use of
the shopping vouchers what Taiwan’s government plants to give out soon.
Yesterday, I saw a news report on Da Ai TV about students from Taichung Elementary (talking about how they’ll use the money)
Their teacher asked them to write about what they would do with their shopping vouchers what they would do with their shopping vouchers.
One student very wisely said:
I saw on the news that many charity organizations and orphanages now receive less donations than before because the economy has been slow lately.
So, I want to donate the voucher to them.
Then, you’’ll have no voucher to use.
I talked to my sister and she’ll share her voucher with me.
See, such is wisdom.
How exactly should we use our shopping vouchers?
We should return to an industrious and frugal lifestyle and work hard to cultivate the field of our mind.
(by eliminating greed from mind)
To do that, we must only buy things that we need in our daily life rather than things that we want.
(When we keep having wants)
(our greed and craving will grow)
Everyone, we truly must uphold the spirit of Tzu Chi’s humble beginnings.
Many donors now say:
“The economy is doing badly now,”
“so I’d like to stop donating for the time being”
There are many people like that.
If we can inspire them to continue their acts of love then their Bodhi seed within won’t wither and their Bodhi mind will be nurtured and continue to grow.
(and the donations accrued can help others)
Wouldn’t it be better if this can happen?
So, the present circumstances provide a good opportunity to educate them on this concept.
We must give of our love and when every small donation is pooled together.
Those in need can be helped.

980109人間菩提英文版To Persevere in What is Good and Work Diligently to Sow Blessings

2009-02-01T00:18:00.000-08:00

人間菩提--擇善恆持勤造福
To Persevere in What is Good and Work Diligently to Sow Blessings

In the past 13 days, I have been traveling around Taiwan and beginning in Zhanghua County this years Year-end Blessings Ceremony unfolded.

After that, I traveled southwards, holding a series of Year-end Blessings Ceremonies.

By the time I returned to the Abode yesterday.

It was already evening.

All that I saw and heard during these days made me feel that our Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan are truly very endearing.

Be it adult bodhisattvas or little bodhisattvas all that they did and how they carried themselves truly touched me as well as set my mind at ease and seeing them.

I truly felt much hope for the future.

“Thank you, Grand-master”

“Thank you, Tzu Chi aunts and uncles.” For giving us such a beautiful school to study in.

Thank you, teachers, for teaching us.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for loving us.

Welcome to Tzu Chi Elementary School.

Thank you for coming.

Thank you all.

These are students from our elementary school in Tainan.

See how young they are

They were very happy, and one child held onto each of my fingers.

So, holding my fingers in their tiny hands, they gave me a tour of their school.

One of them said to the others:

“Careful! Hold Grand-master’s hands gently”

“Don’t squeeze too hard”

……as if I were very fragile.

They were truly very careful with me and kept reminding each other.

They were truly like small Tzu Cheng members.

Also, in guiding me on to the next place

They wouldn’t point, but would use the graceful and polite gesture saying:

“Grand-master, this way. Please”

They explained each classroom to me in detail including what it was used for, like the music room, as well as many others.

They especially took me to visit the restroom and said:

“Grand-master, please stop and look at this”

I thought to myself, “What’s so special here?”

This is our restroom.

You have to change into slippers before going in so that it can be kept clean.

Do you students wash it?

Yes, and we change into slippers before going in so that the restroom can be kept clean.

I wondered what was so special about the restroom so I glanced inside

Fearing that I’d go inside with my shoes on.

He said, “You have to”

“change into the slippers before going inside”

I said, “I know, I’m not going inside”

He said, “But it’s very clean inside”

“At our school, only students with good grades”

“and who have good conduct”

“get to clean the restroom”

I said, “Have you cleaned it before?”

He assured me, “Yes. Everyone here”

“wants to do it, but our grades”

“have to be good enough o get the chance”

I asked, “So, it’s not a punishment?”

They said, “No, it’s an honor”

That truly was very special.

After staying there for a while, he then led me to the music room.

Before going into the classroom, he said:

“Grand-master, when you go inside in a minute,”

“you can have a seat”

“but do be prepared because”

“the drums can be really loud”

He first cautioned me that the drums can be very loud and told me to watch ou.

That’s how considerate he was.

I also asked them questions but nothing was too difficult for them to answer.

They answered all my questions readily and in a very thoughtful manner.

From that, we can see how our teachers have been guiding the children with love to give them a quality education.

Just look at their library.

It’s only an elementary school library, and yet there are books in the oriental languages Spanish, French, German, etc.

Truly, just by looking at their library:

We can see the quality of education that we give our children.

There are also storybooks and books for extracurricular reading.

On the bulletin board in the corridor, they even posted a list on how many books each student has borrowed so everyone is able to know.

How much extracurricular reading they’ve done in addition to their textbooks.

(You can see from all the list)

(all the books that they’ve read)

This is the ranking for number of books borrowed.

The more books a class borrows the higher it’ll be in the ranking.

When I asked the boys:

“How come some of the book stalls are empty?”

One replied, “It’s because our school is very new”

“So, some of the books haven’t come in yet”

See how they spoke up on behalf of their school.

See, our school has only opened for a little over a year, but

(look at how well our children conduct themselves)

I am truly very grateful.

These children are truly the hope of our future.

“Grand-master,”

“could you please pa us on the head”

Sure! Pat you on the head.

“Okay”

“Who else?”

“There you go”

“Okay”

“Anyone else?”

“Be good”

“Study hard”

“Alright?”

“Okay”

“thank you”

“Grand-master”

Bow to Grand-master.

“Okay”

“Thank you”

“During my trip this time,”

“I met many adult and child bodhisattvas. doctors. nurses, etc.
Everything I saw during the past 13 days truly filled my heart with joy and comfort.

I traveled around half of Taiwan.

Though I went down south from Taipei, I only started giving Year-end Blessings Ceremonies after I arrived in central Taiwan.

Throughout my trip, I saw many touching stories of love.

There are too many to share with you all.

However, there are many things that worry me.

Throughout my trip, I have been worried because every day I would read

reports sent to me via email about the flood disaster in Brazil.

Tzu Chi volunteers have gone into the disaster areas and our hearts truly ache and our hearts truly ache.

Tzu Chi volunteers are now preparing to carry out relief work in Brazil.

It makes me very worried that the flood waters have not receded.

When Tzu Chi volunteers arrived there, they saw that sanitation problems have already caused water-borne diseases to emerge.

I have also been looking at updates with regards to Zimbabwe as I’m also very worried about the situation there.

We held an aid distribution in Zimbabwe only in November.

We already know that there is great political instability in Zimbabwe and the people there are extremely impoverished.

People cannot afford to buy food as hyperinflation has caused the Zimbabwean doolar to lose value and the prices of goods to rise continually.

On top of this, there is also the problem of having safe drinking water so an outbreak of cholera has now become an epidemic.

Cases of cholera are continually being reported and the disease has even been spread to South Africa. Mozambique, (Botswana, and Zambia)

Tzu Chi volunteers in Zimbabwe are preparing to hold a large-scale distribution to provide people there with much needed supplies which our volunteers will transport from S. Africa.

I am also very worried about that.

Although I am very touched by their efforts, I am still very worried about our volunteers going into areas where there is such a severe cholera epidemic so I keep reminding them to be careful.

All around the world, there are so many living in suffering.

So, we are truly blessed to be here in Taiwan because everyone here is full of loving-kindness.

The Year-end Blessings Ceremonies have shown us the peace and harmony we have here in Taiwan.

So, we Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan must know to count our blessings cherish our blessings and, most importantly , create more blessings.

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

2009-02-01T00:17:00.001-08:00

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.