|
(
Watch videos of Master's speeches on the disaster )
At this time one year ago, my heart was filled with
grief and worry. Little could I have known that at the
same time a year later, I would again be feeling the
same. Last year at this time, and also on Dec. 26, an
earthquake devastated Bam, Iran. From the moment I heard
the news, I was filled with heartache. But heartache
alone accomplishes nothing. We must take action to help,
and so we immediately sent a relief team that arrived
in Iran within 72 hours of the disaster.
There is a Chinese saying, "Only after settling
down one's mind can one obtain peace. Only after obtaining
peace can one think. Only after carefully thinking can
one attain a favorable end." At such a time, we
must call upon everyone to reflect on the lessons of
this disaster, then act accordingly.
I hope that everyone can mobilize for this relief effort.
A fundraising campaign, which includes soliciting donations
on the streets and even going door-to-door has begun
across the world. But this is not just about raising
funds. It is a way to inspire people's kindness, and
even more importantly, to help people become aware that
after disasters like this have happened, we must wake
up to its message.
We live together on the same planet, under the same
sky. We must not think, "The disaster is so far
away. It has nothing to do with me." I must tell
you---it does relate to you. The nature of this disaster
highlights our global interdependence and mutual responsibility
for creating our collective wellbeing. It calls to our
attention the way we conduct our lives and its effect
on our planet. It shows our need for moral discipline
and exercising prudence.
The WHO is predicting that given the tremendous death
toll and the inability to collect the remains, outbreaks
of communicable disease are imminent, and that the death
toll from the epidemics may be just as high as from
the quake and tsunami.
We need not panic, but we do need to humbly pray for
the world's peace and well-being and henceforth take
every step with a genuine and sincere heart. Most importantly,
we must do everything in our ability to help.
Teams of Tzu Chi volunteers and medical personnel are
already in Aceh and Sri Lanka, while local volunteers
in Thailand and Malaysia are also doing what they can
to provide for disaster survivors. But besides rushing
material aid and working to comfort the survivors, we
must moreover let all people realize that when disasters
happen, all of us have a responsibility---besides supporting
efforts to bring relief, we must wake up to the underlying
cause of such a disaster.
Why was this disaster so catastrophic? Because so much
damage has been done to our planet. Nature's cycles
are disrupted. In countries around the world, abnormal
weather conditions are causing hardship and disasters.
With each year, more and more disasters of greater and
greater severity are devastating countries throughout
the world.
How can we make the disasters cease? It must begin
with the adjusting of our mentality, our outlook, and
our innermost attitudes. This world is governed by universal
laws, but the attitudes of people today run counter
to these laws. As the saying goes, "He who respects
Nature's laws prospers; he who goes against them perishes."
"Respecting Nature's laws" means to uphold
human ethics and live in harmony with the laws of the
universe. If we can do so, the climate will naturally
be favorable and the wind and rain will be timely. People
will then naturally enjoy well-being.
So there is a great need for us to exercise moral discipline
and prudence. That means we must always take care of
our hearts (for instance, to always hold onto our pure
and good intentions) and uphold moral ethics in all
that we do. Being humble and sincere means that all
actions one takes are from a genuine and true heart.
In everything we do, we must do it in a way that is
proper and upright. What we do should not damage our
environment or hurt others.
As a saying goes, "We must do all we can, but
can only leave the outcome to fate." This saying
highlights the karmic law of cause and effect. Doing
all we can is about what "cause" we create,
what "seeds" we sow. Leaving the outcome to
fate is about accepting the "effect" or the
"fruits." If each and every person can create
wholesome "causes" by doing good, fulfilling
his duty as a proper human being, upholding ethics,
and conducting himself as an upright human being should,
then Nature will follow its natural order and all will
be in harmony.
During the Buddha's time, there was an old adage, "If
you want to know why there are wars in the world, just
listen to the cries from the slaughterhouse at night."
Since occurrence the SARS epidemic, I have continually
called upon people to take up a healthy vegetarian lifestyle,
and I am very grateful that from that time onward, Tzu
Chi members have not ceased in promoting this lifestyle
(for a healthy body, mind, and spirit).
Eating animals for food has numbed our hearts to the
suffering of other living beings. If we have not taken
good care of our heart, then we would eat other living
creatures without qualms. It is truly inhumane. We must
cease the killing of animals and cherish all lives---not
just the lives of human beings but the lives of all
beings. Every thing has a life of its own, be it the
trees or the mountains, and taking good care of them
in fact safeguards our own health. When mountains, trees,
and the land are healthy, human beings will naturally
be healthy, and climate patterns in harmony. As it is
said, "When there is timely wind and rain, people
will naturally enjoy prosperity and wellbeing."
So, we must exercise moral discipline and abstain from
the taking of lives. If we do not stop such actions,
disasters will not dwindle in severity.
At this time, we must let everyone know that living
on this planet, we are all interconnected. This earthquake
was centered off of Indonesia, but the tsunamis it caused
have devastated twelve countries. So, living in this
world, we truly are one collective whole. Therefore,
when disaster strikes one region, everyone everywhere
ought to help.
All the world is one family. We must help everyone
realize how we all share the responsibility in taking
action to offer care. We must truly feel others' suffering
as our very own and open our hearts to embrace even
strangers. Let us extend our care with the heart that
we are family, that with our helping and comforting
hand, the people of South Asia may soon be able to leave
behind the nightmare of this disaster.
|
