The World Of Tzu Chi December 2019 (Vol.117)

49 TZU CHI 117 of developing Tzu Chi’s missions? And in the process, how did you establish the structure of this organization? Master Cheng Yen: I established the Tzu Chi World because I have always followed one teaching of my mentor, to work “for Buddhism and for all sentient beings”. Everything has a starting point. Working “for Buddhism and for all sentient beings” was that starting point; it was what my Master expected of me. Everything must start with certain causes and conditions and then work can be accomplished little by little. We recognize that it is not easy to inspire people’s kindness. It is easy to assist the poor, but difficult to educate the rich. However, it is both our goal to help the poor and educate the rich, to encourage the wealthy to contribute and give back to society as well as to support Tzu Chi’s four major missions. For the Mission of Charity and the Mission of Medicine, as you may already know, there are quite a few poor countries that urgently need our help. Besides in China, we also conduct large-scale relief distributions in other countries using local resources. Since the teachings of the Buddha and his love are directed at sentient beings, and Tzu Chi’s principle is to “respect life”, we will never stop caring for China. We will continue to do it. The harder it is, the more determined we are. We are persistent in maintaining our principles in our disaster relief work: prioritizing and directness. Our relief volunteers always personally present supplies to the victims. We cannot bear not doing it. Yet, doing it brings a lot of pressure. We have been accumulating experience bit by bit over these past 30-plus years. Master Xue Cheng: What do you do when you encounter obstacles? Master Cheng Yen: First, our foundation is love. Second, our guiding principle is patience. Third, we cater to the needs of the local people. When we go to assess the damages in China, for instance, we have to make a recipient list and double check it, etc. This must be done with lots of love and patience in order to overcome any obstacles. Master Xue Cheng: The details involved and the tremendous volume of work is unimaginable to people. Master ChengYen: If you are interested, you are welcome to participate in our disaster relief work. I always say, “Seize the moment,” because the world is impermanent and our abilities are limited. I am just doing my best. * The article is extracted from the book “Friends from Afar: Conversations with Dharma Master Cheng Yen”.