The world of Tzu Chi Jan-Feb 2022 (Vol.139)

01 TZU CHI 139 By Dharma Master Cheng Yen Translated by Teresa Chang aster’s Teaching If there is to be hope for the world, we must have faith in ourselves, faith that we have the power to make a difference. Each and every one of us needs to spread good messages, do good deeds, and encourage and keep one another going. If we can do so, our world will never be devoid of hope. Bring Your Light to the World O ver 30 tornadoes tore through six American states in the Midwest and South on December 10 and 11, 2021. One of the tornadoes travelled more than 300 kilometres, a distance enough to cover Taiwan from north to south. The storms carved a path of destruction, wiping out sturdily built houses as effortlessly as if they were built of paper. Tzu Chi volunteers in the country have mobilized to help. America has not been the only country that has been recently pummelled by natural disasters. Other examples include the Philippines, which has been devastated by a typhoon, and Malaysia, beset by severe flooding. It worries me to see our world ravaged by disasters. The effects of climate change are such that nature has been thrown out of balance, resulting in calamities occurring much more frequently. We can no longer say that those disasters are far from us—they are not as far away as you may think. The universe may be vast, but there is only one Earth, on which humanity’s survival rests. Tornadoes and earthquakes are hard to predict, and wildfires burning thousands of acres seem to have become a norm. There are other kinds of disasters as well and pervasive problems such as air pollution. We can no longer think that these disasters happen only to other people. It is something we all must face. Can humans really conquer nature? Human beings are minuscule compared to the vastness of nature, yet we have such large egos. Being self-centred, we give free rein to our greed and desires. Our unwholesome, negative thoughts and behaviours have been accumulating, and they have collectively created a massive amount of bad karma. This powerful negative force has led to natural calamities and disasters. The cause of natural disasters lies in human actions. Our mindsets and behaviours are responsible for what the world is like today. The Buddha came to the world to shed light on life’s truths. He clearly