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It has always been my wish to give back to Buddha's homeland. Poverty is a huge regret in that area. It is necessary for someone to initiate land cultivation and spread seeds of kindness there. I am grateful for the great vows of Tzu Chi volunteers in Singapore and Malaysia - they have been travelling back and forth Nepal and India in the past two to three years, doing their part for charity, medicine, and education, and have even launched sewing vocational training courses for women in villages. They have displayed kindness and sincerity, contributing to the community.
In the village of Bakrour in Bodh Gaya, India, old Mr Ganmanji (not his real name) used to beg at tourist spots and often did not have enough food. After neighbours alerted Tzu Chi of his situation, he no longer has to worry about his daily meals and has begun to work with the volunteers to help others.
Tzu Chi members have transformed Mr Ganmanji from a beggar to a man standing with pride. They hope to change local lifestyles and habits to help the residents become self-sufficient so that their meals are taken care of, and they may live happily.
Taiwan is a small dot on the global map. Although Tzu Chi is over 50 years old, it is still just a tiny drop in the ocean. Despite that, it shines and glows. From the humble beginnings of the bamboo coin bank era to where it is today, it has contributed bit by bit to the needy around the world.
What is the Buddha's Dharma? Everyone experiences the pain of separation in life and death and faces various challenges in the human world. No matter how good one's destiny is, birth, old age, falling ill, and death will occur in sequence – these are the laws of nature. The truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering will always be the noble truths of life.
When one suffers, it is common for one to feel that “I do good deeds too, so why does this happen to me?”
Complaining and blaming others will only break one’s good roots. There are also those who are very wise - they experience the impermanence of life and know that people around them go through similar situations. They understand that life is a learning journey; things happen due to karmic affinity, so accepting and allowing things to happen naturally is necessary to eliminate karmic obstacles. Once you are on the right track, you can help others in need.
Different circumstances bring different experiences. It is a blessing to be in Tzu Chi - when good things happen, everyone helps one other; when impermanence occurs, the Dharma family will accompany each other sincerely. When you combine the companionship of Tzu Chi volunteers and selfless love, the team becomes strong - it can move in the right direction and do a lot of good now and in the future and never lose its way.
Life is indeed suffering, and only on earth can the Bodhisattva path be practised. “Bodhisattvas exist to relieve all suffering sentient beings,” and knowing that the world is full of suffering, we should keep a kind heart and make great vows to devote ourselves to the path. Moreover, amidst suffering, by standing firm and tall and moving forward steadily, we can also lead and help whomever we can by joining hands with others. This is how Bodhisattvas relieve all sentient beings.
When we become compassionate beings ourselves, we must also recruit other compassionate beings, just like when Tzu Chi volunteers took to the streets to raise funds for the earthquake victims in Turkey, the most important thing was to ride on the circumstances and help people count their blessings in times of suffering and inspire love. It would be a pity if it were reduced to just holding a donation box to raise funds.
In Turkey, a country more than 8,000 kilometres away from Taiwan, there are residents affected by the earthquake and also Syrian refugees who suffer due to man-made disasters. The beautiful families that once existed are gone because a few people were ignorant and malicious, causing disputes among people. The streets and alleys are no longer peaceful as wars commence between countries, bringing suffering to countless people.
It is often said that all sentient beings share collective karma. Only when people are pious can disasters and misfortune be eliminated. People can expound the Dharma and not the other way around. We should share good Dharma with people. By raising funds on the streets, we are spreading love and kindness to the public. Now that technology is advanced, anyone can spread Dharma online with just a click on a mobile phone.
Expounding the Dharma is to tell stories that everyone can understand, and they should be stories about real people, calling on the public to be awakened, to stop being ignorant, and to reduce greed. It is also necessary to help people understand that little contributions can be accumulated to support disaster victims miles away.
Suffering is impermanent, and so is life. Only by grasping the present moment to contribute can our hearts be at ease. Having peace and happiness every day without worries is a great joy. It is not difficult to achieve happiness and even eliminate mental troubles - once the mindset is changed and energy is channelled to charity to support and contribute to those suffering, we will feel dharma joy.
Calamity arises from people's hearts. Both disaster and blessing arise from a single thought – a good thought can create heaven, while an evil thought can lead to hell. Although we will worry when we see chaos worldwide, we should not let ourselves be troubled. We should instead strengthen our will to purify hearts and broaden our minds and horizons. As we witness suffering around us, we should be grateful for our blessings and seize opportunities to do good and bring joy to others. May everyone be more mindful and do your best.
(Translated by Lee Mui Hoon)
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