Life Wisdom: Supporting Tzu Chi's Missions Steadfastly
When I joined Tzu Chi 43 years ago, I didn't understand any true principles of life. What I'm most grateful for is that although I understood nothing about them, Master sought many ways to guide me. While doing Tzu Chi's work, I found that I truly needed to improve myself. So, I said to Master one day:
"Master, before I joined Tzu Chi, being a good person seemed easy for me. Now, I find it to be actually very hard. For I need to speak good words, wear a smile, and do many kinds of work." Master replied, "Yes, Tzu Chi's work is about learning to be a good person.”
When looking back at my past, I wonder how many bad habitual tendencies and afflictions I had in the past and how many of them I have eliminated. While following Master and cultivating myself, I ask myself if I've cultivated diligently and unwaveringly. While going amongst people to serve, I ask myself if I've truly helped those in need. I have deep faith that we truly must seize time to give until our last breath. Only then can we continue to walk the Bodhisattva Path in our next life. We must tame our minds through the Dharma and go amongst people to serve. This is how we walk the broad Bodhisattva Path. Indeed, we've accomplished many good things.
When we look at our past, we will feel very grateful and happy, for we would've accomplished many good things. We might have also done wrongs that we ought to have rectified quickly, for if we didn't, we might carry our bad habitual tendencies with us to our next life. This is why I hope you can look back at what you've done. I've looked back at what I've done and I hope you can also do the same. I also hope that we can be master and disciples life after life. Karmic affinities are truly incredible. When you were young, you began to help me lay out and pave the Tzu Chi Path. Back then, I was doing and promoting Tzu Chi's work like I was pushing a cart, and you also helped me push it forward. As we moved forward, the path became steeper and steeper, and more and more strength was required. So, you not only gave of yourselves but also called on others to walk the path and help me push the cart. You gave me great support when I aspired to do charity work.
When I planned to build a hospital in Hualien, you called on others to help to build the hospital. After the hospital was completed, you also helped me build a school. When the school was completed, I kept thinking about how we could guide our students to live out Tzu Chi's spirit. I still needed the support of our Tzu Chi volunteers. You supported me in carrying out Tzu Chi's work and building the hospital and the school. You truly understood my spirit and values. So, I believed you were surely able to support our teachers in guiding our students towards the right direction in life. Many of you lent me your strength and served as "Tzu Chi moms" at our school. I'm very grateful to you.
Sometimes, I'd think of how there was no Tzu Chi 55 years ago. With a single thought of helping more people in need, I founded Tzu Chi 55 years ago. Back then, we went to care for those elderly living alone and those elderly living alone and those disabled in Hualien. Later on, with Jing Ming's support, we began our charity work in Taipei. Jing Ming also took other volunteers to attend our seven-day Buddhist retreats in Hualien. They are all our senior volunteers. And, when I visited Taipei, as there was no place to stay, I always stayed at Jing Ming's place. This is a glimpse into the past. Now, whenever I visit Taipei, I stay here at our Jing Si Hall in Xindian.
Yesterday, when I arrived, there were many Tzu Chi members, including our doctors, greeting me at the gate. It occurred to me how I visited Taipei by myself back then. Later on, I had the company of Shao Wei. Do you know Shao Wei? That's Master De Ci. Sometimes, I visited Taipei with Master De Rong.
In the beginning, I visited Taipei myself. Then, either De Ci or De Rong would come with me. There was also Shao En. One of them would come to Taipei with me. Now, it's very easy for me to get to this Jing Si Hall. With many Tzu Chi members gathering here, if I stay here for a few days, I can hear you share about Tzu Chi's history. When watching the video, I thought I was truly beautiful and young back then.
Since I fell ill, I've felt no fear at all. We've been following Master since Tzu Chi was founded with scarce resources. We've truly been living a fulfilling life. Even if my time comes tomorrow, I'll have no regrets.
By doing Tzu Chi's work, I've been living a fulfilling life. As senior volunteers, we must not let our age hold us back. We won't get old as our spirit never ages. We must have faith in this. Master, may you enjoy good health forever. We truly need you. My strength is limited. That's why I need you all to form great strength. Master, we'll inspire one generation after another to sow blessings.
So, Master, please don't worry. Tzu Chi's work will be carried out continuously. As elderly volunteers, we'll give our greatest support to our young volunteers so they can stride forward on the Tzu Chi Path. Master, please be reassured. When I saw Ya-mei, Sheng-sheng, and other volunteers in the video, I found they'd changed a lot. We are getting old with each passing second, yet we can't notice our changes. With each passing second, our life diminishes and we undergo subtle physical changes. You are all capable of reciting the Heart Sutra, which teaches us that things change unnoticeably as time goes by.
In all, time passes very quickly second by second and we don't notice the subtle changes. Because of metabolism, after cells form in our body, they grow, change, and die. This cycle continues in our body. In all, our life is diminishing as time goes by. I'm grateful to you all for seizing time to do Tzu Chi's work in the early days so we've brought aid to many countries and regions around the world. We must keep working for Buddhism, and most importantly, for all living beings. Let us express our gratitude to one another. I've expressed my gratitude to many people and you should also express your gratitude to one another. By working together hand in hand, you've brought aid to many places around the world. You've truly created countless merits. Thank you all.
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