The world of Tzu Chi May-June 2022 (Vol.141)

01 TZU CHI 141 By Dharma Master Cheng Yen Translated by Teresa Chang aster’s Teaching We all have the same love and compassion as the Buddha’s—the same love and compassion that enables us to commiserate with and care for others. Blessings Come With Peace W hen we have everything we need, live in a pleasant climate, and are blessed with peace and safety, it is natural to feel that life as a human being is one of enjoyment. But not everyone is able to live like this. Suffering abounds in our world, in all shapes and forms. A storm can destroy homes and crops. A drought can lead to famine. Extreme poverty causes children to be malnourished and always hungry. Some people live in flimsy tents that cannot protect them from the cold or the heat. In addition to suffering brought about by the above conditions, greed, anger and ignorance lead to conflicts and tumult, driving people, rich or poor, to leave everything behind to seek safety. Forced into exile, they live day to day in limbo and do not know what tomorrow holds. The war in Ukraine has persisted, prolonging the turmoil in the country. No matter how sturdy they were built, buildings collapsed in a second under Russian bombardment. People have lost their homes; children have lost their parents. An endless stream of people has crossed the border, escaping for their lives. They are safe once they are out of Ukraine, but who knows when they will be able to return home? Some Ukrainian mothers have entrusted their children to relatives, then returned to Ukraine to defend their country. They do not even know if they will ever see each other again. People in Poland, bordered by Ukraine to the east, have shown a lot of love for those fleeing to their nation. Some welcomed Ukrainians into their homes, even though they were complete strangers. Others provided hot meals on the streets. Our volunteers in Germany, Great Britain and France have also mobilized to help. With their assistance and that of several young people in Poland, we have been able to launch distributions for Ukrainian refugees, providing them with blankets and shopping cards, with which they can make purchases at local stores. Many