The world of Tzu Chi April 2021 (Vol.133)

01 TZU CHI 133 By Dharma Master Cheng Yen Translated by Lee You Ning aster’s Teaching I commend all for aspiring to work for Buddhism and all living beings. Yet, no one is here to stay forever. We need more good people and spread the spirit of Great Love far and wide, so that the power of love will eternally remain. Be in One Heart Eternally T he Covid-19 pandemic has plunged the world into panic. We must always be grateful that we are safe, and express our vigilance and sincere piety through our actions. Besides wearing masks to protect one another, we must also mindfully reflect on the effects of our dietary preferences and the pandemic. The world population is growing and so are human greed and desire. The most damaging one would be the cravings for meat. With the current global population of 7 billion, more than 200 million animals are slaughtered for food daily. More than 80 billion livestock is required for this purpose yearly. This causes a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions and waste that pollute the environment. While one or two bowls of rice is sufficient to fill our stomachs for each meal, large amount of grains are fed to livestock that takes months or years to grow. In a way, the animals are competing with humans for food resources. Do the few pieces of meat consumed within tens of minutes at the dining table really benefit one’s health? In fact, one might be swallowing bacteria and viruses along with the food, while causing pollution and extensive damage to the earth’s environment. Moreover, the accumulation of negative karma may trigger devastating disasters. It depends on our compassion and mindset to dispel the pandemic. By observing a vegetarian diet, we are reaching into the inner core of the meaning of love, which encompasses not only love for human beings but all creatures. Hence, keep advocating vegetarianism. With selfless love, there will be less killing. It is hoped that the pandemic will end soon and everyone can take off the mask and breathe the fresh air again. Maintaining the right frame of mind at all times. Our thoughts at each moment dictate our direction in life. Before the Lunar New Year, I travelled around Taiwan for 60 days over two trips to host the Year-end Blessing Ceremonies. Thanks to modern technology, Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan and around the globe could listen to my talks live wherever I went. These volunteers went on to propagate my teachings and put action into doing the good deeds that I was trying to encourage. For this, I am very grateful and relieved. I am also