Back to the Bamboo Bank
There is an old saying that says, "All things, good or evil, are created by one's mind." All human actions are determined by their minds and hearts. With a good heart, one will do good deeds. On the other hand, with an evil heart, one will then commit bad deeds. All action begins with the mind.
Big Virtues Are Accumulation of Small Good Deeds
In 1966, the people of Taiwan in general lived poor. The Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation was founded by Master Cheng Yen with five nuns and thirty housewives. In order to raise money to help the poor, the nuns at Jing Si Griya make baby shoes which sell for 4 NT dollars each. With an additional 24 NT dollars per day, they were able to collect more than 720 NT dollars per month, while the medical expenses for the first patient assisted were 600 NT dollars.
Then, the number of patients receiving aid increased, but charity funds did not increase. With a desire to save more lives, Master Cheng Yen asked thirty housewives to save 50 cents NT every day of their daily shopping money. This money is kept as a reserve fund.
Fifty cents may seem small, but the principles behind the movement are very important. Master Cheng Yen used the bamboo growing in Jing Si's backyard and cut it into thirty tubes to use as a bamboo bank. He gave each housewife a bamboo bank, and asked them to save 50 cents of NT every day. Someone asked Master Cheng Yen, “Why don't we donate 15 dollars a month right away?” The Master replied, “I hope that when you pick up your shopping basket every day, you save 50 cents in a bamboo bank. Thus, before leaving home, you have developed an intention to help others. The act of saving 50 cents a day evokes a sense of frugality and compassion. When this intent is put into the bamboo bank, the effect is extraordinary.” So these thirty housewives shopped every day and saved 50 cents. They also tell others that they save fifty cents a day to help others.
“Can you help other people with 50 cents?” This news spread quickly in the market. Many people responded to this movement. Even though living conditions were difficult 40 years ago, everyone is happy because they can help the poor. The humble beginnings of the “bamboo piggy bank” inspired people to turn good intentions into good deeds. Gradually the funds raised increased from NT$1,170 per month at the beginning of the year to NT$800 million to build the Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital. Now, Tzu Chi has spread these small acts of kindness all over the world.
Creating a Peaceful Society With Good Thoughts
As Tzu Chi enters its 41st anniversary, its four main missions have fully developed. However, with the occurrence of a series of natural disasters such as the South Asian tsunami, China's Sichuan Earthquake, Central American hurricane and European forest fires, it shows that the power of love and kindness is not strong enough. Therefore, by bringing back the spirit of the Bamboo Bank, everyone can nurture a heart full of love every day. This daily accumulation of goodwill has the power to prevent natural disasters.
Tzu Chi volunteers around the world are spreading this message. The “Back to the Bamboo Bank” movement turns small funds into big love. This is not just a single act, it is an ongoing movement. "It takes many drops of water to form a stream, it takes many grains of rice to form a sack of rice." By always having good thoughts, one will cultivate good intentions constantly and do good deeds every day.
In this life, we should not ignore one good deed and then refrain from doing it, because every little deed is meaningful and contributes to the increasing power of love, which will ultimately maintain peace in the world. And above all, the happiness we feel in doing good deeds is immeasurable.
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