Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Place: March 29, 2008 - Jing-Si Memorial Hall in Kaohsiung
A volunteer, Mr. Wang stood on the stage and shared his thoughts: “I’m very lucky and also very happy to be standing here today after having suffered a serious electrocution accident over ten years ago. At that time, the doctor said to my family: “You might as well give up”. “Even if he recovers he will be bedridden for the rest of his life”. When I was discharged, Tzu Chi brothers and sisters came to see me. There was one thing they said to me. “To know the sweet, we have taste the bitter”. So from then on, I began to feel that people really need to have experienced suffering then later, when you have gotten back on your feet, you’ll know to contribute to society. So, stand here today, I really feel that Tzu Chi has given me a second chance at life.”
Seeing Mr. Wang and his family onstage, I’m truly very moved. More than ten years ago, Mr. Wang was electrocuted by a high voltage line. The incident affected his entire family. Despite being told he’d be paralyzed for life, he did not lose his will to live. Of course, I am also very grateful to our Tzu Chi volunteers for giving of themselves with such genuine and sincere love. The heart and mind of Tzu Chi volunteers must be upright, sincere, honest and trustworthy. Outwardly, we must practice the Four immeasurables. All Tzu Chi volunteers should live up to this. For this case, you really achieved it. So when Mr. Wan is family was faced with such difficulties in life, you Tzu Chi volunteers not only helped them with his living needs, but most importantly you also gave him comfort and support spiritually. In life people will inevitably come across difficulties as long as, inside we are not defeated by our hardship. We will experience inner and outer freedom. What makes me even happier is that Mr. Wang has decided to become more dedicated to Tzu Chi. I heard that he is planning to undergo training to become a certified volunteer. Another thing that makes me even happier is that he has mindfully taken in the Dharma. He and his family have many of my publications and I have carefully stored these books. They not only collect these books, but they also read them mindfully, so that all of Tzu Chi’s ideals and the things that I have said are all absorbed and taken to hear. That was how Mr. Wang was inspired to become a donating member first, and has now decided to attend training to become a certified member. May his family soon join our large group of volunteers, our group of living bodhisattvas.
Our Foundation is Buddhist Tzu Chi Compassion Relief Foundation. So, the first word is “Buddhist”. Indeed, it was based on the Buddha’s teachings that I founded Tzu Chi. So, we are Buddhist practitioners. Though we are Buddhist practitioners, we respect all other religions as well. No matter that religion people are, we treat all with equal gratitude, respect & love. So within the Tzu Chi organization, we have quite a few members of other religions. This morning, I read the report our volunteers wrote on the aid distribution in Bolivia, that ended on March 24. Bolivia is a very poor country. So, they do not have very good surface water drainage system. So, every year during the wet season, flooding will definitely occur. But, in the last few years, climate conditions have been very erratic, so that when it rains, the rainfall is heavier and it rains for longer. So, in the last two or three years, whenever a flood occurred, the waters would not recede for many months. Last August, Tzu Chi volunteers set foot on that land for the first time. Volunteers from Argentina, Paraguay and the U.S. hbad joined forces to hold an aid distribution. Seeing their efforts, the love of many Taiwanese people in Bolivia were inspired and the head of the department of Santa Cruz was also very moved. Seeing how our group of volunteers provided the people of Bolivia with both material supplies and emotional support and with such warm and genuine love, the head of the department found it unbelievable. Why were group of foreingers from so far away willing to dedicate themselves like this? So, last September, when our volunteers came back to Hualien, the wife of the head of Santa Cruz also came. She came especially to than Tzu Chi for all our help and support. After that, Bolivia was hit by a series of floods beginning November 2007. So, our volunteers in the U.S. began preparing for another aid distribution in Bolivia. From the end of February to the beginning of March this year, they held a three-day free clinic. While at the same time holding an aid distribution. Truly, the gratitude of the people of Bolivia including the government, the heads of departments, the local authorities and the people of Bolivia is not something that can be described in just a few sentences. Truly, I myself was also very moved. Later, a volunteer from our med, assn in the U.S, Dr. Chen Fu-Min, shared with me. “Seeing how far we had to travel to go to the disaster areas in Bolivia. The local Taiwanese volunteers felt that they really had to shoulder the responsibility of passing on Tzu Chi’s ideals and spirit in Bolivia”. So, they bought bus because doctors in the local area have already begun to provide medical care for those in need, and they’ve agree that the bus can be used to transport Tzu Chi volunteers as well as to serve as a mobile free clinic and to survey disaster situations. See, though they are so far away from me in Taiwan as Tzu Chi volunteers, they give without asking anything in return. The Dr. Chen that I was speaking about a very devout Christian. He has been a member of our med. Association, TIMA for many years now and every year, he comes back to Taiwan for the annual TIMA convention. I the 2005 TIMA convention, many TIMA members of other religions sought to make me as their master. That day when I officially took them as my disciples, I said to them: “Though you have become my disciples, you still remain a Christian, Catholic or Mormon as you were your religion is still a good one and I am not asking you to give I up. But you must uphold Tzu, Chi’s principles, it’s spirit of Great Love and Tzu Chi’s Ten Precepts. Indeed the selfless love of Tzu Chi volunteers, does not discriminate between religion, nationality or race. All we do is to open up our hearts to embrace and love others. Just love those whom I love. That’s what I mean to be my disciple. Since we all share the same dharma path. We should respect the love each other all the more. It’s rare we’ve all been born into the same era and have the chance to together cultivate this field of blessings that Tzu Chi has opened up. So, we should truly cherish Tzu Chi. It was been 42 years since Tzu Chi was first founded in Taiwan. Today Tzu Chi chapters and offices have been set up on 46 countries across the world. All of this actually originated from Taiwan as small tiny island which cannot even be found on some world maps. But because of Tzu Chi people come to know Taiwan, because when our volunteers are asked where they are from. They’d reply “Taiwan”. This truly is all attributed to the joint efforts of all Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan. The kind of selfless love you’ve shown is truly very moving.
Our Foundation is Buddhist Tzu Chi Compassion Relief Foundation. So, the first word is “Buddhist”. Indeed, it was based on the Buddha’s teachings that I founded Tzu Chi. So, we are Buddhist practitioners. Though we are Buddhist practitioners, we respect all other religions as well. No matter that religion people are, we treat all with equal gratitude, respect & love. So within the Tzu Chi organization, we have quite a few members of other religions. This morning, I read the report our volunteers wrote on the aid distribution in Bolivia, that ended on March 24. Bolivia is a very poor country. So, they do not have very good surface water drainage system. So, every year during the wet season, flooding will definitely occur. But, in the last few years, climate conditions have been very erratic, so that when it rains, the rainfall is heavier and it rains for longer. So, in the last two or three years, whenever a flood occurred, the waters would not recede for many months. Last August, Tzu Chi volunteers set foot on that land for the first time. Volunteers from Argentina, Paraguay and the U.S. hbad joined forces to hold an aid distribution. Seeing their efforts, the love of many Taiwanese people in Bolivia were inspired and the head of the department of Santa Cruz was also very moved. Seeing how our group of volunteers provided the people of Bolivia with both material supplies and emotional support and with such warm and genuine love, the head of the department found it unbelievable. Why were group of foreingers from so far away willing to dedicate themselves like this? So, last September, when our volunteers came back to Hualien, the wife of the head of Santa Cruz also came. She came especially to than Tzu Chi for all our help and support. After that, Bolivia was hit by a series of floods beginning November 2007. So, our volunteers in the U.S. began preparing for another aid distribution in Bolivia. From the end of February to the beginning of March this year, they held a three-day free clinic. While at the same time holding an aid distribution. Truly, the gratitude of the people of Bolivia including the government, the heads of departments, the local authorities and the people of Bolivia is not something that can be described in just a few sentences. Truly, I myself was also very moved. Later, a volunteer from our med, assn in the U.S, Dr. Chen Fu-Min, shared with me. “Seeing how far we had to travel to go to the disaster areas in Bolivia. The local Taiwanese volunteers felt that they really had to shoulder the responsibility of passing on Tzu Chi’s ideals and spirit in Bolivia”. So, they bought bus because doctors in the local area have already begun to provide medical care for those in need, and they’ve agree that the bus can be used to transport Tzu Chi volunteers as well as to serve as a mobile free clinic and to survey disaster situations. See, though they are so far away from me in Taiwan as Tzu Chi volunteers, they give without asking anything in return. The Dr. Chen that I was speaking about a very devout Christian. He has been a member of our med. Association, TIMA for many years now and every year, he comes back to Taiwan for the annual TIMA convention. I the 2005 TIMA convention, many TIMA members of other religions sought to make me as their master. That day when I officially took them as my disciples, I said to them: “Though you have become my disciples, you still remain a Christian, Catholic or Mormon as you were your religion is still a good one and I am not asking you to give I up. But you must uphold Tzu, Chi’s principles, it’s spirit of Great Love and Tzu Chi’s Ten Precepts. Indeed the selfless love of Tzu Chi volunteers, does not discriminate between religion, nationality or race. All we do is to open up our hearts to embrace and love others. Just love those whom I love. That’s what I mean to be my disciple. Since we all share the same dharma path. We should respect the love each other all the more. It’s rare we’ve all been born into the same era and have the chance to together cultivate this field of blessings that Tzu Chi has opened up. So, we should truly cherish Tzu Chi. It was been 42 years since Tzu Chi was first founded in Taiwan. Today Tzu Chi chapters and offices have been set up on 46 countries across the world. All of this actually originated from Taiwan as small tiny island which cannot even be found on some world maps. But because of Tzu Chi people come to know Taiwan, because when our volunteers are asked where they are from. They’d reply “Taiwan”. This truly is all attributed to the joint efforts of all Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan. The kind of selfless love you’ve shown is truly very moving.
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