Ten-year-old Wei Ci Xian is the youngest sign language facilitator. Her familiarity with the sign language is a result of watching the “Dharma as Water” videos every evening and diligent practice. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
In 2012, Wei Xi Hua, who operates a vegetarian food stall, noticed that one of his customers was holding on to Tzu Chi’s eco-friendly utensils. Out of curiosity, he asked if the customer was a Tzu Chi volunteer. Wei and his spouse, Lin Xiu Qing, had volunteered with Tzu Chi in its early days, and it was this encounter that led him to pick up where he left off with the organization some 12 years ago.
Tzu Chi volunteers, Zeng Bao Yi and Xie Jia Jun, were the ones who had brought their eco-friendly utensils along when they patronized his stall. They would enthusiastically share the latest news and activities organized by Tzu Chi with Wei, and before leaving, would warmly wish him all the best. This made Wei start to feel that it was time for him to return to the organization.
Wei and Lin had helped in the donation drive for the 921 earthquake in Taiwan, and contributed towards the organizing of charity dinners. But since moving to the northern area of Singapore, they had gradually stopped participating in Tzu Chi activities as the time taken to travel down was too long. However, since discovering that many of Tzu Chi’s activities are community-based, Wei and his family have been participating in the community study sessions, sign language practices, recycling activities, and volunteer meetings. He is extremely grateful that his family have been given the opportunity to “do more (for others) and benefit (oneself) more.”
Lin Xiu Qing (right) has seen her heart and mind become purified and negative habituations eliminated; she also applies the teachings from the stage adaptation when she is at work, benefitting both her troubled customers and herself. (Photo by Wong Rui Chuen)
A Father Confesses Repentance
Upon their “homecoming” to Tzu Chi, it was the Wei couple’s ten-year-old daughter, Ci Xian, who motivated them in their efforts. Being passionate about the “Dharma as Water” stage adaptation; she can reel off the lyrics fluently and has even mastered the difficult sign language sequences to perfection. Seeing this, volunteers invited her to take on the responsibility of a sign language facilitator so that she could help guide the senior volunteers.
“I started off by accompanying her, then I became a sign language facilitator myself, followed by my wife,”says Wei. Every after his work, Ci Xian would even help her father in his sign language practice.
He goes on to elaborate that it would have been very difficult to remain unmoved by his daughter’s actions. She would take the initiative to play video clips on the stage adaptation whereas he and his wife would seldom do the same. Under her subtle influence, they have decided that they have to set a good example for their children in their path of spiritual cultivation.
Wei has started to make efforts to understand the teachings in the “Water Repentance” text, and through repeated contact with the teachings and numerous practice sessions, he has gradually begun to understand its contents better. He is now more aware of his own negative habituations and strives hard to change them. Singing the lyrics of the stage adaptation every day, he feels as though the pure waters of Dharma has purified the dross in his heart, giving him a clear direction in life. Wei reveals that in the past, his stubborn and unyielding bent was the cause of many a fight with his wife. In upholding the “Water Repentance” practice, his heart has softened and he has learnt to be more easy-going, and less defensive. In the process, he has noticed that all the problems he faced were easily resolved.
“When one can publicly confess to one’s past transgressions, then negative habituations can be swiftly eliminated.”Wei had been a student of esoteric Buddhism, and had attended the Eight Precepts Retreat in the past, but he found it hard to get rid of his negative habituations till he came into contact with the repentance practice.
“I used to be attracted to beauty in the past, but now heeding the verses in the adaptation : I vow to uphold forever, the pure precepts; I will not be seduced by the sensual, nor dwell on lust，”I have publicly vowed to rid myself of this bad habit. With repentance, Wei’s heart now feels lighter as he strives to rid himself of even the most minor desires.
The Wei family are adept with employing technology; they film themselves during sign language practice and then evaluate their performance to further improve. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
Convincing Grandma not to Cook Meat
Ci Xian has been following a vegetarian diet for a year now, but her doting grandmother still cooks up a feast for her.
“Come over quickly! Grandma has cooked you your favourite dish of prawns!”Ci Xian runs over to the dining table and seeing the many eyes of the prawns on the plate, suddenly experiences a wave of nausea. The prawns were so small and Grandma had cooked so many of them……Ci Xian could not bear to eat the plate of prawns that had once been so full of life.
Having once heard her father say : “No matter animal or vegetable, food, once consumed, would make no difference to the person; why should we eat another being in pursuit of a fleeting moment of enjoyment for our tastebuds?”Ci Xian resolutely decided to adopt vegetarianism, and over the past year, every time she saw others consuming meat, scenes of animals being killed would inadvertently fill her head.
She further elaborates that even if she had hurt herself accidentally with a small knife while helping to cut fruits or wash up, she would experience pain. If she could suffer from pain inflicted by a small knife, it was unthinkable how much suffering that the big knives used by chefs to slice and quarter meat could inflict. “……We don’t know if we would be man or animal next (in the cycle of reincarnation)!”she says.
While she could not bear to consume the flesh of other beings herself, Ci Xian was equally unwilling to see her family touch meat dishes. She earnestly shows her grandmother scenes from the segment “Repenting the Obstacle of Karmic Retributions”in the stage adaptation, and persuades her grandmother with : “Grandma, didn’t you use to kill pigs? They will seek you out to repay the karmic debt, so you must take up the repentance practice……”
Recently, some relatives came to visit and specially requested that her grandmother, who used to run a cooked food stall, prepare some of her culinary specialties. Influenced by Ci Xian, her grandmother declined to prepare meat dishes and replaced them with an equally mouthwatering vegetarian selection.
An Entire Family Cultivates Together
Wei had switched from selling meat dishes to offering vegetarian food some ten years earlier, and in the first one or two years, would eat the dishes from his own stall. However, because every stall owner in the food court could choose to eat from any of the other stalls for free, Wei finally succumbed to his desires and reverted to a non-vegetarian diet.
“I sold vegetarian food, but did not follow a vegetarian diet myself. Then two years ago, I participated in the “Dharma as Water” stage adaptation, and vowed to uphold the vegetarian precept lifetime after lifetime,”recalls Wei ashamedly. He remembers a past incidence where he had hit a snake, and sharing how he had suffered greatly from headaches over the last few years, realized how true it was that the law of cause and effect never fails to run its course.
“Now, whenever I cook, I will first make offerings to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, praying for all who patronize my vegetarian stall to build affinity with all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I pray that they be healthy, safe and at peace after they partake of the food.”
His wife, Lin relates how, after she had responded to Tzu Chi’s “Give Me Five, Let’s Go Vegetarian”campaign, she would have a bout of stomachache after consuming meat dishes. A year and a half ago, she decided to go totally vegetarian, and has even stopped killing ants and other insects. With an attitude of compassion and equal respect for all lives, she has decided to co-exist in harmony with them.
When Wei’s son, Ming Hong, first started to follow a vegetarian diet, he would sometimes eat fast foods secretly when he could no longer fight his cravings. Now however, he stops himself in his tracks abruptly with the thought that consuming meat is in fact, eating the flesh of an animal.
Whenever his parents and his sister attend sign language practice, Ming Hong would be left at home alone with nothing to do. Observing how happy his family members looked when they returned, he was persuaded to sign up for the stage adaptation. Reflecting on his past actions, he says that the lyrics in the stage adaptation that remind one to “speak good words gently, like lotuses emerging from the mouth” has stopped his tendency to speak harshly to his sister whenever he is angered by her. Their relationship has improved as a result, and he also no longer teases his friends at school.
Wei Ming no longer uses harsh language on his sister, and their relationship has improved. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
Childish Words Extinguish One’s Temper
All Tzu Chi volunteers know that whether or not they are in uniform, they must constantly remind themselves to put on the “Tzu Chi face cream,”wearing kind and sincere smiles on their faces. “Mummy, put on the Tzu Chi uniform first before I tell you something……” It was the innocent words of a child that served as a reminder to Lin that even if she had taken off the uniform, she had to maintain tolerance and understanding in her heart.
Once, while dining out, the restaurant was extremely slow to serve. Unhappy with the service, Lin was on the verge of exploding in a fit of anger till Ci Xian’s voice piped up calmly with the words “when evil thoughts frequently arise, kind thoughts will cease ……”
Lin is grateful that she has her daughter to constantly give her words of advice. Whenever she sees her daughter do something she does not agree with, Lin’s anger will be quick to arise. She relates how she once stopped herself immediately in the midst of a bout of fierce scolding upon hearing a reminder from Ci Xian.
Lin also admits that fearing her temper, her husband used to speak little, and would exercise great care with his words when he was at home. She was so volatile that even friends and relatives would give her a wide berth. Strong-headed Lin has been in the beauty industry for 16 years, and two years ago, had decided to run her own outfit. When business picked up, she had to manage many challenges and had her hands full.
“Taking on the role of a sign language facilitator was a great blessing; in the midst of the flurry of activity, I could have some timeout and regain my mental and spiritual balance.”Looking back over the past year, Lin could see how much she had benefitted from internalizing the teachings of the stage adaptation and ridding herself of negative habituations.
When she helped to facilitate the study sessions, she would mindfully explain the meaning of the lyrics to everyone. Unconsciously, the teachings began to take root in her, and she would use the Buddhist concepts to counsel her troubled customers, advising them to let go of their ego in the search for happiness.
Wei expresses his gratitude that the stage adaptation is a precious gift of Dharma from Master Cheng Yen to his family. Though all four members of their family had entered the Dharma together, Ci Xian’s duty is not yet done.
“Grandma, please, for my sake, join us in participating in the stage adaptation ok?” After successfully persuading her grandmother to watch the stage adaptation, Ci Xian hopes that she can eventually participate in the presentation, loudly singing the lyrics together with them. Possessed of a pure and strong belief that her grandmother will eventually oblige, she looks forward to the day that all three generations of her family can enter the Dharma together.
Wei is grateful for the “Dharma as Water”stage adaptation, which he views as a precious gift of Dharma from Master Cheng Yen to his family. (Photo by Wong Twee Hee)
Share 
