(Photo source: Envato)
Have you reflected on how much of your time today was devoted to contributing to the world?
Have you been taking every step in life steadily and practically?
Reflect on your worth in life. A life with something worth remembering is precious!
Hurricane Ida slammed into the southern part of the United States and the East Coast in late August. Even big cities, built on extensive urban planning, were not able to withstand the strong winds and heavy rain. Water gushed through like waterfalls, crashing into walls and destroying homes. After volunteers reported on their safety, they began the work on disaster assessment and aid relief distribution. Not just along the East Coast, California forest fires on the West coast have also continued to burn and even spread to other states. As these disasters continue to unfold, volunteers continue to extend their care and support to the disaster victims.
As nature’s balance is disrupted and climate changes, it becomes a major problem where the frequency and occurrence of such disasters become more prevalent. In the Lotus Sutra, there is an analogy to the world of suffering. A dilapidated old house was on fire, and ignorant children in there did not know they had to run for their lives. Instead, they thought it was fun. Adults outside the house had to continuously call out to them to escape. They even resorted to using different toys to lure the children and finally managed to bring them out of danger.
The story of how the children were not able to hear the plea of their loving father as they were arrogant and addicted to playing with fire is a depiction of the present world. As we allow desires to grow rampant, it is akin to uncontrollable wildfire or flash flood that eventually submerge everything. The increase in the human population also accelerates the destruction of our Earth and intensifies the destructive magnitude of disasters. Yet humans remain lost in the “burning house” and remain oblivious to the critical environmental situation.
Earth, Water, Fire and Wind are elements of the building blocks of the world, and the imbalance of these elements have led to increasing rampant disasters. It should be clear to mankind by now that our lifestyle and actions have led to long-term pollution and subsequent retaliation by nature. We need to live wide awake and consciously with our hearts through our daily lives. When evil thoughts arise, and wrong actions are taken, bad karma will increase. One must shut the door of endless greed and open the door of kindness. Utilise every moment to do good and give with love. When everyone combines their kind thoughts and actions, peace will be the greatest blessing.
A strong earthquake with a magnitude close to Taiwan’s earthquake on September 21st 1999, struck Haiti on August 14th. More than 2,200 people were killed, over 10,000 were injured, and houses in the area were severely destroyed. The local situation was chaotic, and people were fearful. Although Tzu Chi managed to get into the area, the relief mission was a challenge as the logistics to get both volunteers and supplies in was extremely difficult.
While Tzu Chi America mobilised their volunteers to support the disaster relief, the world was still grappling with the spread of COVID-19, which kept many international borders closed. Volunteers were eager to assist but were inevitably held back. Several fully vaccinated American volunteers managed to fly over and worked together with local Tzu Chi employees to help in the disaster relief. Amongst them was Chen Jian, who had been to Haiti 79 times. His visits to Haiti for more than a decade has groomed local volunteers. He is already in his seventies and leads a comfortable life in the United States, but he had chosen to overcome the hardships in Haiti and rendered care and support to the locals over the years.
Precious supplies have to be shipped through hundreds of kilometres to the disaster-stricken area. The social unrest also resulted in many dangers where the volunteers could not predict the happenings for tomorrow, nor were they able to know what would happen next. Although flustered, there is also a strong determination to complete the distribution of all supplies. It is the mission of Bodhisattvas to wish that all living beings are free from suffering and to wish that everyone have peace and freedom in both their body and mind. To bring blessings to the world, Bodhisattvas also require sufficient wisdom to penetrate the crowd and train oneself not to be troubled by ignorance while bringing positive changes to lives.
Haitians have been suffering from the longstanding issue of poverty and coupled with this wave of disaster. The trip by Tzu Chi was hence not just to provide disaster relief but also an opportunity to train volunteers to bring the locals together and nurture love in them. Local volunteers can help in a timely fashion, and when there are more good people in a society, there is hope for the future.
An ignorant life is one for the ordinary person. One must learn and become enlightened so that the child within can begin to “see”. Don’t be like the group of stubborn children in the “burning house”. Instead, open your eyes to see the truth, for only a clear mind can see the truth. Buddha-nature is in everyone. Learn how the Buddha faces all living beings. Having seen the many sufferings, worries and ignorance in the world, a sense of compassion naturally develops within. One will become enlightened and choose to no longer be burdened by human’s troubles nor dwell on the question of “who is right and who is wrong.”
The Sahā world, also known as the mundane world, needs Bodhisattvas. The conscious act of addressing people as Bodhisattva is one that hopes everyone will listen to the Eight Consciousness and be able to link it to the Ninth Consciousness. This will ignite the pure and untainted compassion in Buddha-nature where one is willing to contribute towards other living beings on earth, demonstrating the willingness to give in everyone.
It takes tremendous effort to be able to cover all areas while doing charity work. But instead of labelling it as suffering, it is a blessing; because it takes one to be in a blessed and privileged position to be able to help those who are suffering. To participate passionately is also a way for one to enrich their own life story. Having witnessed so much suffering, the realisation is that life has no fixed duration and is highly unpredictable. Have you reflected upon how much of your time today was devoted towards contributing to the World? Have you been taking every step in life steadily and practically? If you have done something wrong, correct it quickly, for repentance is being pure. Take stock of your own life daily and seize every moment to lead a life worth living.
Translated by Goh Hui Jie
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