The world of Tzu Chi December 2020(Vol.129)

02 2020 • 12 only way to keep the virus at bay is to change our lifestyle. The current pandemic is a warning lesson from Nature. It is a great lesson that mankind must reflect and learn from. We should be thankful and repent—be thankful to everyone for working together to build a society that provides adequate living needs. Make it a point to help and love each other. We should repent of our misconduct resulting from greed, anger and delusion in daily life. Repentance makes us aware and mindful of our wrongdoings. We must also pray sincerely, with a pure and kind intention. Adapting to a vegetarian diet is the best way to reflect our sincerity in this aspect. Statistics in year 2018 indicated that 2,443 animals were being slaughtered for food every second worldwide, which amounted to 200 million of lives killed daily. As the saying goes, “What goes around comes around.” With the consumption of so many lives at the dining table, every meal consumed is deemed “a meal of debt”. All living beings deserve the right to live on, so we shall not hurt or kill animals, or reciprocity will set upon us repeatedly. To adopt a vegetarian diet is the way to protect lives. It is not right to laud about compassion, but not to give up one’s desire for meat, or to rear and slaughter livestock for food. For a healthy meal, one can take whole grains and plant-based food, which is nutritious and gives a peace of mind. A vegetarian diet nurtures compassion. Abstaining from meat keeps one from contagious diseases in the food chain. This way, not only is our health assured, our mind is also protected from ill thoughts. Adopting a vegetarian diet is not difficult, as long as one has the will, there is always a way to achieve the goal. How then can we mend the damages that we have done to Nature? As all forms of life on Earth are interdependent, we shall co-exist and work together to sow blessings and not create bad karma. If one remains unawakened and lost in this lifetime, one will be reborn into a more delusive life in the next life. Therefore, it is prudent to open minds for wisdom, so that no indulgence will be committed to create bad karma unknowingly; let us do our best to promote “wholesome compassion” for all forms of life. With the imbalance of Nature’s elements, coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic, many people are living in great difficulty; be grateful for being safe, and take careful precautions. Ask for blessings, not from the Buddha, but from our inner self. Always tame our minds and work diligently towards the good and the kind. We must purify our minds without delay. The more people awaken to kindness, the less motives there are for greed. The more one understands the truth, the more one is able to maintain composure and rid delusion. Please be mindful always. aster’s Teaching * Compiled from a collection of speeches delivered by Master Cheng Yen from October 5 to 13, 2020.