Master's Dharma Talk: Working Together to Spread Love All Around

“We vow to purify our actions to spread the Dharma, purify our words to form good affinities with people, and purify our thoughts to keep away from ignorance and afflictions. We vow to walk the Bodhisattva Path by practicing the Six Paramitas, grasp the essence of the Dharma to attain full wisdom, work diligently in passing on the Jing Si dharma lineage and the Tzu Chi path, and help to guide all living beings to attain enlightenment,” said Tzu Chi members in Changhua.

Indeed, for there to be peace and safety in life, we should all purify our minds and hearts. To purify our minds and hearts, we should begin with purifying our actions, words, and thoughts. In purifying our minds and hearts, we should be mindful of our behavior and actions, and as speech is an integral part of our behavior, we should also speak more good words to guide people to walk the right path in life.

Moreover, we should eat vegetarian to avoid bad karma created by eating meat. So, speaking good words and eating vegetarian are what we need to do first. Next, we should benefit people in our actions. We must be clear about the right direction to follow in life and walk the correct path through our actions. We can benefit people through good deeds, and to do that, we should first bring forth our innate goodness from the bottom of our hearts.

We should always be mindful of our thoughts, and harbor a heart of love and goodness at all times. If we harbor goodness within at all times, we can exhibit goodness in all our actions, and as a result, all our words will be good words that guide people to walk the right path in life.

In all, we must work to purify people's minds and hearts until everyone can speak good words and do good deeds at all times. It's not difficult to speak good words and do good deeds. For the past few days, I've met with our overseas Tzu Chi members through videoconferencing. Many other overseas Tzu Chi members also came back to the Abode. They all wished me a happy Chinese New Year with a heart of respect and genuine love.

We also see that in Indonesia, our Tzu Chi members gathered together to give me their best wishes regardless of religion. They've truly spread the spirit of Buddhism, lived out our Jing Si principles, and walked the Tzu Chi path in Indonesia. They truly work in unity to carry out Tzu Chi's four missions with the resources they have.

Even more admirable is that they, despite different religious faiths, help support a local Islamic boarding school. With that, now it has over 15,000 students. The students learn Mandarin through Jing Si Aphorisms. They also gave me best wishes in Mandarin.

“We're students of the Islamic boarding school. Grandmaster, we'll study hard. We'll help and support one another. May Grandmaster enjoy good health. Thank you,” said students of the Islamic boarding school in Bogor.

Also, two days ago, Mr. Franky Widjaja from Sinar Mas Group in Indonesia told me that he's recruited over 1.2 million Tzu Chi members there. He's also established a department in his company which is dedicated to no other business than Tzu Chi's work in Indonesia. Mr. Widjaja's efforts in volunteer recruitment and his establishment of the department aim to spread Tzu Chi's love all over Indonesia so we can reach out to all the poor and suffering there.

Hearing his sharing, I'm deeply touched and very grateful. Mr. Anthoni Salim is another entrepreneur who came back with Mr. Widjaja. He's also vowed to reach out to all the poor in Indonesia. Thanks to him, nearly 20,000 people have been helped. This time, dozens of entrepreneurs in Indonesia came back to the Abode to meet with me. They all share the same great vow to reach out to the needy in Indonesia.

I also exchanged many ideas with Mr. Sugianto Kusuma. From his sharing about our work in Indonesia in recent years, our ongoing projects, etc., I can envision a promising future in Indonesia. Mr. Lim Wee Chai, an entrepreneur from Malaysia, also visited the Abode this time. He expressed his great wish and plans to benefit people around the world. All the entrepreneurs that visited the Abode this time are clear about how their businesses can create positive influence to benefit people. I'm truly grateful to them.

Yesterday, our Tzu Chi members in Australia also came back to the Abode to wish me a happy Chinese New Year. They said that although it's hard to recruit volunteers in Australia, the Tzu Chi members there all work in unity to benefit local people. Tzu Chi members in Vietnam also came back and shared how they carry out our work there, which was very difficult in the past.

But now, the local people have come to understand Tzu Chi's values and have even participated in our events with sincere piety. With their support, now we can reach out to more people in need in remote areas. In all, despite the many difficulties to reach out to the needy in the past, Tzu Chi members in Vietnam have paved a path of love inch by inch. They're truly remarkable.

We also see a girl in Beijing, China, who had a tumor in her mouth. Upon learning of her situation, our Tzu Chi members in Beijing went to her aid, caring for her with love and helping her receive treatment. We cared for her for more than one year and she has finally returned home with joy. Our volunteers went to her aid in person and has long cared for her with genuine love. This is truly very touching.

All in all, during the Chinese New Year holidays, Tzu Chi members around the world have all shared how they have been spreading love far and wide and working to inspire more people to do good and sow blessings. Seeing them work with dedication, I'm truly very touched. There are too many touching stories to share. In all, may you continue to spread love around with dedication and mindfulness.