Master's Dharma Talk: Changing Our Way of Life and Doing Good for a Better World

“Their situation is truly heartrending. Children play in the mud by themselves with no one tending to them,” said Lister Lalong, a Tzu Chi member.

We see Asmat of the Papua province, Indonesia. It's truly a remote place. We see that although they get around by boat, they have scanty water for daily living.

“The eight districts here are all much in need of clean water. The residents only rely on rainwater. As far as I know, we last received a subsidy for plastic tanks in 2014,” said chief of Jetsy District, Herman Bunepei.

Rainwater is their main source of drinking water. There's no water to use if it doesn't rain, yet the water stored is often too dirty to use. With rainwater as their only source of water, their hygiene has yet to be improved.

Even worse, malnutrition is a long-term problem for people there. So, these problems have been causing hunger, disease, and so on among people there. The only hospital there is small and less-equipped.

Many patients have to lie on the floor. This is truly great suffering. Also, it's not easy to send aid to people there. It cannot be reached in one leg of journey. First, we need to take two flights, each lasting several hours. Then, we need to take a boat, and after unloading the relief supplies, we must go inland to reach them. Yet, upon learning of the situation there, our Tzu Chi members overcame all difficulties to bring aid to those in need.

“We learned from our volunteers in Jakarta that our aid for Asmat Regency would be on a long-term basis. Living in the same province as those in need, we should take the initiative to help. We must take up the responsibility to bring relief supplies to the needy,” said Susanto Pirono, a Tzu Chi Biak member.

“Tzu Chi and the Indonesian military share the same aspiration. That is, wherever a disaster hits or there are people in need, we'll come forth right away to help,” said the Chief of Staff General, Moeldoko.

We see many suffering people there. Yet, it's not easy to bring aid to people there because it's remote and hard to get access to. This is also the case with Papua New Guinea, which was hit by a strong quake recently. Although we're all concerned about the affected, the roads there are impassable and sending aid there by air isn't feasible.

Though we're eager to help, there's little we can do. How difficult it is for those in suffering to receive help. Although we know people there are truly in great suffering, it's hard for us to send aid there. Fortunately, having overcome many difficulties, Tzu Chi members have gone there to help. This is truly touching and relieving to see. Yet, can we bring aid there on a long-term basis? As it's hard to get access to the place, what can we do to continue to bring aid to people there? It's truly hard work.

In all, there is much suffering in the world. Thanks to karmic affinities, we could come to the aid of those in need in Asmat. Yet, for how long can we continue to bring aid to them? Can our aid help turn their lives around? It depends on the blessings they sow. We cannot bring them many supplies. As the place is out of the way, it's not easy for us to send relief supplies there and we can only send as many supplies as we can.

So, although we're eager to help, there's not much we can do. They live in such great suffering that is hard to describe with words. For many years, they have very little access to clean water. To find clean water, they need to travel by boat from time to time. And this often takes them several hours. I thought it strange that their houses are surrounded by water, but they have no water to use. This is because the water around their houses is all salty water. So, the water surrounding them cannot be used for daily living.

They cannot drink the salty water, and they cannot do anything about it. Earlier this year, our volunteers in Vietnam came back to our Abode, and I shared with them this situation in Asmat. Our volunteers in Vietnam gave out water tanks with filters for local people affected by drought to collect rainwater. I asked if there was no groundwater there. They said that the groundwater that is over 200 meters deep is still salty.

So, people there can only rely on rainwater. Not every place in the world is blessed with tap water. We're truly blessed here in Taiwan. We not only have tap water, but we also have other sources of fresh water, including spring water and groundwater. However, many mountain areas have been greatly damaged. And if it rains, the soil cannot retain water, resulting in floods. And when floods recede, there is drought again. But people keep on pumping groundwater, leaving rivers dry and depleting sources of groundwater.

How can human beings continue to live without fresh water in the future? I feel all the more worried as I share my thoughts with you. In all, we must live with vigilant care and sincere piety. Why do I often remind you to live with vigilant care and sincere piety? Tzu Chi members are tireless in relieving suffering in the world. Yet, though we have volunteers all over the world, how much can we do and for how long can we help to solve these problems?

How can we help people who live in places where there's no clean water to use? where there's no clean water to use? Many countries are also facing similar problems. So, living in Taiwan with abundant resources, how can we not count our blessings? How can we not live with vigilant care and sincere piety? May you stay prudent and sincerely pious in life. We need to change our way of life and do all we can to do good. It is up to each one of us whether we can make a difference.