(Photo source: Envato)
"The world is impermanent and land is fragile." On 3 April, in an instant, the earth shook as a strong earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale struck, terrifying us all. The plates were moving, the ground was surging, and the earth felt like tofu. Mountains cracked, rocks collapsed and rolled – there seemed to be no solid spot on earth. The power of heaven and earth is terrifying, and humans are simply tiny. So, never think that we are powerful or great and not afraid of anything – we should, in fact, fear heaven and earth, be vigilant, and pray sincerely.
It is inevitable to be frightened watching news reports showing how furnitures in people's houses toppled over or were displaced, and there must have been Tzu Chi volunteers’ families who were suffering from the disaster. Yet they still prioritized their fellow beings and quickly participated in care visits and aid distribution. I am very grateful to this group of living Bodhisattvas of mine and cherish and respect them. I hope that everyone will cherish this destiny we share and care for one another, especially when there are Tzu Chi volunteers who are old, living alone, or dependent on each other. Those who live nearby should visit them to check how they are doing after the earthquake and help them to settle down. People will age, and houses will turn old. We must consider if there are families in the community who need help and make more efforts to visit, care for them, and find ways to make them feel at ease.
This earthquake is a lesson from heaven and earth, teaching us about suffering, emptiness, and impermanence. If you have encountered it, be thankful that it is over; be sincerely grateful that you are fine now, be grateful that you are still able to do something for the world, and be conscious of life and how impermanent it is. Birth, old age, sickness, and death are inevitable. No matter how close you are to your family and best friends, you will have to part one day. Therefore, we must grasp every moment when we are together and be grateful for every second when we feel love or care.
After the strong earthquake, there were many aftershocks felt, and experts said it was because the earth was adjusting itself and had not stabilised yet. So, with calmness, we pay close attention to this wave. A major event has taken place, and the most important thing now is to engage people and spread love and care. Being a living Bodhisattva means to be affectionate and engage people so that connections can be forged, and prompt support can be rendered to those who are suffering. It is not only about raising funds but also about seizing the opportunity to educate and inspire love.
All of us live between heaven and earth. The weather, earth's energy and people's temperaments accumulate bit by bit over time. All living beings have common karma – if there is much evil, kindness will be weak. Every one of us should bear a pious heart and channel the world towards the direction of goodness. With more kindness going around and more people doing good deeds, the power of goodness will strengthen and it will naturally constitute an auspicious atmosphere. Create more benefits on earth and disasters will transform into good fortune and we will all be safe always.
Avoid all evils and practice all good – this is Buddha's teaching. Where do we begin doing good? We must love all living beings and cherish our lives. Our parents gave us life, and we should be grateful to them. We should be grateful that Buddha has come to our world to save all sentient beings so that we can learn the true meaning of the Dharma. We should also be grateful for fellow sentient beings because if one is learning to become a Buddha but does not come into contact with the masses, one will have no cause to become a Buddha. If no one is suffering, how could any person become a Bodhisattva?
We have been talking about ‘learning’ and ‘awakening’ recently. Learning is endless – no matter how old or young we are, with a pure and simple heart, we can learn as we give and achieve enlightenment through learning. Our practice will continue to deepen as we sincerely accept the Dharma. If we are moved, we should take action promptly. If we put in sufficient effort, we may also impact others to turn their lives around and feel the sincere joy of Dharma. That would be the solid ability we gain from our practice.
Tzu Chi is almost 60 years old. I am most comforted and pleased that Tzu Chi has come a long way, step by step, honestly and steadily since our humble beginning of saving fifty cents a day to help others. Looking at the world map now, Tzu Chi volunteers are in different countries. Wherever there are people in need, our people will be there to put their skills and resources to good use in a timely manner. The greatest value in my life is that living Bodhisattvas are around us. We have come so far from our past, and now that we are still here, we must not waste time. We should call out to more people and accumulate good karma. Between sentient beings and Buddhas is the Bodhisattva path, the way to become a Buddha. Let us be diligent and mindful not to slack!
Translated by Lee Mui Hoon
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