| The
Buddha Cares for the Sick |
 |
| (Translated by Mike Lee, Northern
California) |
|
On display in the lobby of the Tzu Chi Hospital,
there is a tile mural entitled "The Buddha Cares for the
Sick." Designed and assembled by Professor Yen Shui-lung,
it was completed in 1986 and became the symbol of the spirit of
the Tzu Chi Hospital-respect for life and prompt relief for the
needy.
The picture illustrates a story about an old
monk who lived during the Buddha's time. All his attention was
focused on his spiritual cultivation. He preferred to be by himself
and kept away from others. All day long, he worked hard to gain
liberation for himself, and he paid no heed to the difficulties
and sufferings of others. One day, he found himself afflicted
with a severe ailment. But because he usually secluded himself
from the assembly of monks, no one knew about his suffering, so
there was no one to take care of him. As a result, his lesions
rotted away and the stench became unbearable.
When the compassionate Buddha found out,
he went with five companions to see him. They prepared medication
for the old monk and cleansed his body, washing away the filth
and the excrement. Then the Buddha compassionately and lovingly
instructed him: "You are now reaping the fruits of the karmic
causes that you planted in the past. You had no compassion or
sympathy for others, so now that you are in need of care you can
find no one to help you. Therefore, everybody must earnestly nurture
compassion every day. The merits from spiritual cultivation are
of course immense, but they are nothing compared to the foremost
merits obtained from taking care of the sick." When the sick
old monk heard what the Buddha said, he was enlightened and truly
comprehended the Buddha's Four Immeasurable Hearts of Great Kindness,
Great Compassion, Great Joy and Great Giving, as well as his sympathy
for all creatures and benevolence in delivering the world from
suffering.
