The world of Tzu Chi June 2025 (Vol.154)

TZU CHI 154 19 step and bow was an act of letting go, initiating a dialogue with heaven and earth. Boundless Dharma joy Among the participants, one figure stood out quietly. Reverend Bhagya, a nun from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, sat calmly in meditation, draped in maroon robes before the ceremony began. Rev. Bhagya had travelled to India for her early spiritual formation before returning to Malaysia to continue propagating the Dharma. This time, she participated in the pilgrimage at volunteer Ravina’s invitation. Despite the language barrier, she moved with natural grace, synchronising seamlessly with the rhythm of the recitations. With each prostration, she first lifted her pressed palms to her forehead before drawing them to her chest, every gesture exemplifying utmost reverence. She commended Tzu Chi’s prostrating pilgrimage as a collective spiritual practice rooted in love and compassion, noting how the pure and solemn atmosphere suffused participants with Dharma joy. Rev. Bhagya reflected, “Spiritual practice isn’t about withdrawal from the world, but about living with compassion and helping others.” With gentle earnestness, she reminded us that it is rare to be born a human and to encounter the Dharma. “However, as long as one is willing to walk steadfastly, step by step, one can live a meaningful life,” she assured. Resolute faith-keepers Another participant was volunteer Ng Yok Yeng, who had just completed her tenth round of chemotherapy the day before. Though unable to kneel, she bowed reverently carrying her IV drip. “As long as I can participate, I certainly will,” she said, facing her illness with equanimity, treating each step as an expression of deep gratitude towards life. “I don’t consider cancer an illness, and since it came to me, I’ll accept it with joy.” Her remarkable resilience was a living testament to the vows and actions Tzu Chi volunteers embody. Also in the procession was Zaw Min Htike, with a visibly swollen and deformed left palm. Invited by his employer, he joined with palms folded and gaze lowered, silently repenting for past wrongs. Although a recent earthquake struck his homeland Myanmar, political unrest prevented him from returning. As a Tzu Chi volunteer himself, he could only pray to inspire more people to do good and foster peace in a troubled world. The pilgrimage within The pilgrimage came to a close with the resounding recitation of the “Three Refuges” and the “Verse of Transference of Merit”. Every drop of sweat, every tear of reflection, and every moment of stillness was transformed into inner clarity and Dharma joy. “A prostrating pilgrimage can quell disasters and bring blessings, rendering the heart pure and tranquil,” shared volunteer Chong Yoke Lian, adding that the journey mirrored that of spiritual cultivation, once begun, one must walk it with resolve to the very end. The destination of a prostrating pilgrimage is never merely arrival at sacred sites, but the awakening of aspiration and the act of cultivation. With each bow, we step onto the path of compassion, into a gentler, more awakened life. Watch the video: