The world of Tzu Chi Sep-Oct 2022 (Vol.143)

15 TZU CHI 143 Peace is possible — Neoh Siew Lan N eoh Siew Lan came into contact with Tzu Chi during her university days. In 2012, she left for Brunei to work in the environmental protection field. She reconnected with Tzu Chi upon her return to Malaysia in 2018 for her doctoral research. Participating in the musical adaptation this year, she said, “I had missed the ‘Dharma as Water’ musical adaptation seven years ago, and I hope my participation this time will serve as a gift to Master.” The sutra verses, “Let go of everything that is hard to let go,” touched Siew Lan profoundly. She described herself as one who struggles to let go. She related, “I was reluctant to let go of my high-paying job and comfortable life in Brunei. Thanks to my homecoming, I was able to reconnect with Tzu Chi and participate in this musical adaptation, enabling me to go deeper into spiritual cultivation. After I adjusted my mindset, I began to see the beauty of the people and things in this world.” Siew Lan also realized that although one can gain knowledge from books, that is no guarantee of growth in wisdom. She observed, “Knowledge and wisdom are two different things. Knowledge can be obtained, but wisdom comes from the realization as we experience life. One can only gain wisdom through continuous learning and experiencing.” Siew Lan has persisted in learning the Dharma despite her busy routine juggling between family, career and voluntary work. She remarked, “Interpersonal conflicts are inevitable, but when we are busy, they become trivial. So, busy studying the sutra is also an excellent way to cultivate ourselves and learn.” Prior to the performance, Siew Lan’s son was hospitalized for dengue fever. Hence, she prayed for his recovery while practising the sign language. She was pleased to see improvements in his condition the following day. She said, “There are things that are beyond science. I believe prayers can amass positive energy, and I hope our prayers will bring peace to the world.” By Yap Chai Hoon Photo by Lim Chin Shein Watch the related video here: Shining the Light of the Dharma