(Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
Recent abnormal climate conditions have led to high temperatures, heat waves, and deaths, particularly among poor people living in tin houses covered with zinc sheets, causing misery.
There are fortunate families with happy children who are loved and protected. Despite the challenges faced by the poor, sick, and suffering individuals, it is with blessings that there are kind Bodhisattvas who provide assistance to those in need.
Loving-kindness and compassion can help ease the pain of many sentient beings, and Bodhisattvas liberate the sufferings of all living beings. The world is experiencing a lot of suffering, not just from the complicated nature of human actions that bring about disasters, but also from the escalating crisis of climate change. I am grateful and touched to see Tzu Chi's mission has alleviated suffering globally. At the same time, I wondered whether there will be enough Bodhisattvas to help ease the sufferings of living beings in this world. What we can do is truly limited.
Success often involves suffering, but we can contribute to helping those in need, even if it's insignificant, as these deeds accumulate and spread. Just like in the early days of Tzu Chi's founding, if we hadn’t noticed people in need, hadn’t had the opportunity to make vows, or hadn’t had the ability to unite our efforts, Tzu Chi's charitable mission would not have expanded to 136 countries and regions.
The increasing population and climate change have threatened the earth. Purification of mind in Buddha’s teachings is to devote serious and sustained effort to cleanse the mind of defilements which is greed, hatred and ignorance.
“The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are inseparable." Everyone has Buddha nature, but they have been blinded by ignorance and afflictions and is unable to awaken. Therefore, we need to learn and walk the path of the Bodhisattvas to move towards the goal of attaining enlightenment. Without practicing the Bodhisattva path, one is like a naive child in the midst of a lost voyage. With an intention but no action, one stops at a point forever and never arrives at the destination.
We learn and practice the Bodhisattva path. Individuals who have experienced sufferings will have a better understanding of how blessings come by. However, if we just continue to indulge in enjoyment, and constantly have afflictions, greed, hatred, ignorance, and attachment, we will not be free from all these worldly sufferings.
Purifying minds and achieving societal harmony is what I want to do most in life. Everyone should embrace their conscience and nature; it will ultimately lead to a pure mind and the ability to cultivate themselves and others.
My Master gave me six invaluable words: "Work for Buddhism and for all living beings.” Everyone who follows Tzu Chi, possesses a Buddha mind, even though they are not all Buddhists. Different religion uses different terms, however, collective efforts towards kind deeds, regardless of benevolence, fraternity and selfless love, can lead to significant power.
In early August, Tzu Chi volunteers returned to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, to assess the damage caused by severe floods in recent months. A local priest partnered with his church members, join up with Tzu Chi volunteers to assist the affected residents. The priest's spirituality is commendable, as religions encourage and respect each other's kind actions, promoting basic morals of humanity and care.
The success of a good deed or saving someone depends on the thoughts that initiate the action, otherwise, the opportunity to help others is worthless as it would have gone wasted.
Bodhisattva, a Sanskrit term combines bodhi (enlightenment) and sattva (living being) is someone who strives to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. To develop into a powerful compassionate being who is capable of healing the pain of all beings everywhere, what one needs to do for a start is to give help to whoever is visibly in need of help or yearning for help. Listen more, see more, and contribute to others step by step. The road of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Bodhisattvas are not verbal adjectives, they are real earthly wonders. This vow is intangible, though it cannot be seen or touched, but it will combine the power of everyone's contribution into an unbelievably infinite amount of merit.
The Bodhisattva spirit promotes pure and selfless love. Only with an open mind and pure awareness, we can love all sentient beings. Always keep in mind to embrace the sufferings of the world, stay committed to the Bodhisattva path, and take the right actions guided by the Bodhisattva spirit. May everyone be more mindful in all that you do.
Translated by Michelle Lee
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