Date: April 22, 2008 (Tuesday)
Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
"Shut the faucets tightly after use and turn off the TV when we are not watching it. Turn off the light when we leave the room.” “Drive less”. “Take a bus”. “Ride a bike as much as we can”.
Today is April 22, Earth Day. We live in Taiwan but we also live on this Earth. Indeed, at this time, it is morning in Taiwan while in other parts of the world, people are getting ready to retire for the evening. In countries worldwide, Tzu Chi volunteers are spreading the word on environmental protection. We see that for several weeks, our volunteers in several states across the U.S. have been going into the streets and storefronts to spread the word about environmental protection. Be they in the streets and alleyways, at the beach, or near mountainsides, etc. Tzu Chi volunteers throughout the world can be seen taking action for the sake of protecting the Earth. Every time I think of how Tzu Chi volunteers throughout the world are also doing the same work that we do in Taiwan, it makes me think of how Tzu Chi is a global entity. This is why I often say that the world of Tzu Chi is a world where the sun never sets.
Here in Taiwan, we see that on the night of April 20, 500 shops in Taipei’s eastern downtown area turned off the lights of their sign boards for 10 minutes as a show of support to reduce carbon emissions. This is possible because of Tzu Chi volunteers’ sincere attitude. With a sincere and righteous heart everyone dedicates himself to protecting the environment by spreading the word on reducing carbon emissions. Yesterday at noon, I saw the news on the CTS channel and it was also reporting on Tzu Chi volunteers’ persistent efforts in promoting the importance of environmental protection by visiting and inviting stores in downtown Taipei to take part in the activity of turning lights off. So, CTS interviewed passers-by and shopkeepers. Owners of the shops and the general public all said “We do it for the greater good of humanity as well as what’s good for the environment because the Earth’s wellbeing should be everyone’s responsibility”. That’s what we heard people say sincerely from the bottom of their hearts as they voiced their support to help protect the Earth. So, in hearing and seeing people’s response, it makes me feel that if what you do is right, you will never be alone. It truly makes me very happy to see people waking up to this crisis.
Some reporters also asked shopkeepers, whether these 10 minutes with the lights of their sign boards turned off would affect their business. They replied “How it affects me is not important but what affects everyone in society and humanity is much more important”. It was truly heartwarming to hear this. What affects us as an individual is not important. Indeed, don’t I often say we mustn’t pass up a good deed because it seems tiny?. And, don’t commit a wrong because it seems small. Indeed, for a good deed no matter how insignificant it may seem. Please do not underestimate it and think “This is only a small and insignificant deed” “If I am to do something good, it has to be big”. Actually, every little act of goodness when pooled together, can make a big difference.
I spoke of the Philippines yesterday. See how impoverished the people of Dreamland, Rosario Cavite in the Philippines are. Tzu Chi volunteers not only provide them with material supplies and medical care, but they also encourage the local people to further reach out and help others. A few days ago, they brought back the coin banks we gave them and pooled the coins together. Do you know that the coins were able to fill up two whole pots? The head of the Tzu Chi chapter in the Philippines said to me when he came back: “Master, did you know that seeing all those quarters tumble out and overflow into the pots, I got goose bumps all over.” That’s how moved he was. He said he was very impressed. Yes, even people that poor--- When their tiny contributions are pooled together, they too are able to help others. See how happy they were when they watched the pots being filled up with the coins. See the joy one can get from helping others. See, this is teaching the poor that they too have the ability to help others. In a place as impoverished as this, we teach them that even small acts of kindness, when pooled together, can do a lot to help those in need. People in a rich country like the U.S. are also doing the same. Our volunteers give out coin banks to people there. They too cherish the opportunity to help others.
“You have lots of good concepts, reducing, reusing, and recycling is good. All of which help to support sustaining the Mother Earth. If she is not doing well, we are not doing well.”
So don’t pass up a good deed because it seems tiny. This is what we’re encouraging people to do. Tzu Chi volunteers teach through example. We see that in Keelung, even children took part in spreading the word about reducing carbon emissions. At first, they visited many storefronts to spread the word and then they passed a police station.
“Say hi to the police” “May your business prosper and grow.” “No, no. You can’t say that to a police station.”
See how adorable children are. Of course when you go to a storefront, you should wish them a prosperous business. But if business at a police station is prosperous, that would mean our society is in trouble. They truly are very adorable. See how people of any age can care for the Earth. That is why we should educate the old and the young alike. Lately, many schools across Taiwan, be they universities, secondary schools, or primary schools, have all been inviting Tzu Chi volunteers to share their experience in environmental protection work. The knowledge that our volunteers have gained comes from years of experience. That’s why our volunteers can share with others their experience of reducing garbage. For that, I am truly grateful.
From watching the news report earlier, I also saw that petroleum prices are continuing to rise which will also lead to the rise in cost of all other goods. With that, the poor will become even poorer. There is also the crisis of food shortage. I truly can’t imagine the consequences. Seeing the rise in food prices, many rice-producing countries have implemented a ban on rice exports. This truly worries me greatly because, with the relief work that we do, if the price of goods keep rising and the supply of grains is cut off, I really don’t know how we can carry out relief work. It is truly very worrying. So, the first thing we must do is to cherish the land so that our land won’t be damaged any further. Indeed, we suffer the consequences because we do not know to cherish the Earth and are too wasteful with the resources we have. All in all, we really ought to cherish the Earth every day but not just on Earth Day when people are bringing attention to the environmental crises our world is facing. Every day, at every moment, our hearts should always be full of gratitude for having favorable weather and for peace and safety on Earth. This is what we should all know to cherish. In a word, we truly have to be on the alert at all times.
Today is April 22, Earth Day. We live in Taiwan but we also live on this Earth. Indeed, at this time, it is morning in Taiwan while in other parts of the world, people are getting ready to retire for the evening. In countries worldwide, Tzu Chi volunteers are spreading the word on environmental protection. We see that for several weeks, our volunteers in several states across the U.S. have been going into the streets and storefronts to spread the word about environmental protection. Be they in the streets and alleyways, at the beach, or near mountainsides, etc. Tzu Chi volunteers throughout the world can be seen taking action for the sake of protecting the Earth. Every time I think of how Tzu Chi volunteers throughout the world are also doing the same work that we do in Taiwan, it makes me think of how Tzu Chi is a global entity. This is why I often say that the world of Tzu Chi is a world where the sun never sets.
Here in Taiwan, we see that on the night of April 20, 500 shops in Taipei’s eastern downtown area turned off the lights of their sign boards for 10 minutes as a show of support to reduce carbon emissions. This is possible because of Tzu Chi volunteers’ sincere attitude. With a sincere and righteous heart everyone dedicates himself to protecting the environment by spreading the word on reducing carbon emissions. Yesterday at noon, I saw the news on the CTS channel and it was also reporting on Tzu Chi volunteers’ persistent efforts in promoting the importance of environmental protection by visiting and inviting stores in downtown Taipei to take part in the activity of turning lights off. So, CTS interviewed passers-by and shopkeepers. Owners of the shops and the general public all said “We do it for the greater good of humanity as well as what’s good for the environment because the Earth’s wellbeing should be everyone’s responsibility”. That’s what we heard people say sincerely from the bottom of their hearts as they voiced their support to help protect the Earth. So, in hearing and seeing people’s response, it makes me feel that if what you do is right, you will never be alone. It truly makes me very happy to see people waking up to this crisis.
Some reporters also asked shopkeepers, whether these 10 minutes with the lights of their sign boards turned off would affect their business. They replied “How it affects me is not important but what affects everyone in society and humanity is much more important”. It was truly heartwarming to hear this. What affects us as an individual is not important. Indeed, don’t I often say we mustn’t pass up a good deed because it seems tiny?. And, don’t commit a wrong because it seems small. Indeed, for a good deed no matter how insignificant it may seem. Please do not underestimate it and think “This is only a small and insignificant deed” “If I am to do something good, it has to be big”. Actually, every little act of goodness when pooled together, can make a big difference.
I spoke of the Philippines yesterday. See how impoverished the people of Dreamland, Rosario Cavite in the Philippines are. Tzu Chi volunteers not only provide them with material supplies and medical care, but they also encourage the local people to further reach out and help others. A few days ago, they brought back the coin banks we gave them and pooled the coins together. Do you know that the coins were able to fill up two whole pots? The head of the Tzu Chi chapter in the Philippines said to me when he came back: “Master, did you know that seeing all those quarters tumble out and overflow into the pots, I got goose bumps all over.” That’s how moved he was. He said he was very impressed. Yes, even people that poor--- When their tiny contributions are pooled together, they too are able to help others. See how happy they were when they watched the pots being filled up with the coins. See the joy one can get from helping others. See, this is teaching the poor that they too have the ability to help others. In a place as impoverished as this, we teach them that even small acts of kindness, when pooled together, can do a lot to help those in need. People in a rich country like the U.S. are also doing the same. Our volunteers give out coin banks to people there. They too cherish the opportunity to help others.
“You have lots of good concepts, reducing, reusing, and recycling is good. All of which help to support sustaining the Mother Earth. If she is not doing well, we are not doing well.”
So don’t pass up a good deed because it seems tiny. This is what we’re encouraging people to do. Tzu Chi volunteers teach through example. We see that in Keelung, even children took part in spreading the word about reducing carbon emissions. At first, they visited many storefronts to spread the word and then they passed a police station.
“Say hi to the police” “May your business prosper and grow.” “No, no. You can’t say that to a police station.”
See how adorable children are. Of course when you go to a storefront, you should wish them a prosperous business. But if business at a police station is prosperous, that would mean our society is in trouble. They truly are very adorable. See how people of any age can care for the Earth. That is why we should educate the old and the young alike. Lately, many schools across Taiwan, be they universities, secondary schools, or primary schools, have all been inviting Tzu Chi volunteers to share their experience in environmental protection work. The knowledge that our volunteers have gained comes from years of experience. That’s why our volunteers can share with others their experience of reducing garbage. For that, I am truly grateful.
From watching the news report earlier, I also saw that petroleum prices are continuing to rise which will also lead to the rise in cost of all other goods. With that, the poor will become even poorer. There is also the crisis of food shortage. I truly can’t imagine the consequences. Seeing the rise in food prices, many rice-producing countries have implemented a ban on rice exports. This truly worries me greatly because, with the relief work that we do, if the price of goods keep rising and the supply of grains is cut off, I really don’t know how we can carry out relief work. It is truly very worrying. So, the first thing we must do is to cherish the land so that our land won’t be damaged any further. Indeed, we suffer the consequences because we do not know to cherish the Earth and are too wasteful with the resources we have. All in all, we really ought to cherish the Earth every day but not just on Earth Day when people are bringing attention to the environmental crises our world is facing. Every day, at every moment, our hearts should always be full of gratitude for having favorable weather and for peace and safety on Earth. This is what we should all know to cherish. In a word, we truly have to be on the alert at all times.
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