With friendly wit, Mr David Liu shared how he, as a successful entrepreneur who started out with barely anything, changed his life and became a full-time volunteer with Tzu Chi. (Photo by Douglas Lee)
“Apart from making donations, what else can I do for Tzu Chi?”
Well-known Singapore financial planner Mr Dennis Ng heard about Tzu Chi from his Taiwanese trainer Mr Lin Wei Xian about a year ago, and in November 2011, he attended the Tzu Chi Global Entrepreneurs Jing Si Camp together with a group of students of Mr Lin. Deeply inspired by the compassionate spirit of Master Cheng Yen and becoming aware of the global activities of this charitable organization, he made an immediate vow to support as an honourable director of the Foundation.
After his return to Singapore, Mr Ng contacted Mr Sim Hee Chew, the main coordinator of Tzu Chi Singapore’s Entrepreneurs’ Group to fulfil his donation wish. Apart from donation, he also allocated a 40-minute special segment in one of his recent financial gathering to the CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore, Mr David Liu, to share his Tzu Chi experiences.
The wisdom of ‘0’ and ‘1’
On the evening of 13 February 2012, more than 500 graduate students of Mr Ng gathered at the NTUC Centre in the Central Business District for their quarterly graduates gathering seminar. The surprised opening programme was however a spiritual talk by Mr David Liu, the CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore.
As the pace of life in Singapore intensifies and the standard of living improves, urbanites are becoming increasingly materialistic. However, does this mean that the quality of life has improved? With friendly wit, Mr Liu shared how he, as a successful entrepreneur who started out with barely anything, changed his life and became a full-time volunteer with Tzu Chi.
20 years ago, Mr Liu emigrated out of his homeland Taiwan and built a successful garment business in Malaysia. Career and a hedonistic lifestyle however did not bring him happiness. He likened entering the factory to entering “hell", referring to the mounting challenges and worries that came together with making more money.
His wife wisely observed, “An entrepreneur who can’t even spare ten days a year to do something meaningful is not a successful one.” This statement led him to Tzu Chi, where he realized that it was fate that brought him there to meet Master Cheng Yen and embarked on a path of spiritual wisdom.
In 2001, while at the peak of his career, Mr Liu resolutely gave it all up. He donated his factory to Tzu Chi, which has been converted into the present Tzu Chi Melaka branch office complete with a main hall, a free clinic, a kindergarten, a book café, and a continuing education centre. He himself became a full-time volunteer, taking him to Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and North Korea, among other places.
Mr Liu shared that one needs to be blessed to gain success in life. He attributes his fortune to good affinities with others and emphasized the importance of doing good deeds and cultivating good relationships to become a blessed person. This can and will change one’s fortune in times of crisis.
The study of finance is none other than the pursuit of as many zeros as possible in our bankbook. However, no matter how many zeros there may be, they are not as important as the ‘1’ right in front, said Mr Liu. “‘1’ is the top priority, like health, wisdom and joy, which money cannot buy.”
There are people who are filthy rich but a miser. However, a wise person is one who knows the importance of repaying back to society and benefiting the populace. According to Master Cheng Yen, these are the truly rich – the richest of the rich. In this modern society, most people are lost in the frantic rat race, only realizing too late that their lives have been an empty one on hindsight. Fame and fortune are but like a fleeting cloud, while our inner soul is where we can find true, long-lasting happiness.
“I used to wonder what the purpose of life is if we cannot enjoy ourselves after working so hard to earn money,” said Mr Liu. He no longer pursues such hedonism but leads a simple life now, for he understands well that simplicity is beauty and blindly running after material satisfaction merely brings more vexation.
Mr Dennis Ng echoes the words of Master Cheng Yen that “in a tug-of-war between good and evil, the side with more people will win”.
As a financial planner lecturing on how money can generate more money, he wonders if the pursuit of money would lead to pure greed if he did not instill in his students the right values of life. If my students had the wisdom on how to utilize their wealth when they make money, wouldn’t they be the richest amongst the rich then?”
With such a thought, despite the fear of rejection by his students, Mr Ng threw caution to the wind and allocated the special segment for Mr David Liu that evening, simultaneously hoping to recruit donating members in support of Tzu Chi Foundation. “If it is the right thing to do, then we should just do it”, he said.
Mr Liu’s sincere sharing received warm reviews and applause from the audience. 33 of them immediately signed up as donating members during the break time. Some expressed that they are looking forward to his next talk, while many brought home books authored by him. It was a bustling scene indeed at the stall of Jing Si Publication at the site!
Mr Lin Chuan Da, who attended with his family, signed up on the spot. After listening to the talk, both husband and wife gained a new perspective on material pursuit. The wife, Mdm Song Ai Rui, had always wanted to help others but was hindered by her hectic life and young children. She too left contact details with the volunteers so that she could be more involved in charitable activities.
“I’ve finally found simplicity in life” was the heartfelt sentiment of Mr Ni Wei Xian. Expressing his wish to become a volunteer, he noted the importance of returning to one’s original nature and not merely pursuing materialism and fame blindly.
One should not be chained by material wealth. Mr Liu’s wise words “the apprentice knows how to earn money, but the master is one who knows how to put money into its best use” apparently says it all. By the act of giving, one will be able to achieve spiritual joy and lead a meaningful life.
More than 500 graduate students of Mr Dennis Ng gathered at the NTUC Centre for the gathering. (Photo by Yong Keah Pei)
Mr David Liu’s sincere sharing struck a chord with the audience. (Photo by Yong Keah Pei)
“Apart from making donations, what else can I do for Tzu Chi?” Feeling that the Singapore society needs more charity, renowned financial planner Mr Dennis Ng allocated 40 minutes of the session for Mr David Liu to talk about Tzu Chi, simultaneously hoping to recruit more donating members in support of Tzu Chi. (Photo by Yong Keah Pei)
Mr David Liu’s sharing attracted the audience to throng the Jing Si Publication stall during the break to purchase books authored by him and other publications of Tzu Chi (Photo by Yong Keah Pei)
Many guests bought all four books by Mr David Liu and had him autograph them. (Photo by Yong Keah Pei)
Tzu Chi volunteer An Foo (also the co-writer of this article) gladly attended to Mr Ni Wei Xian after hearing that he is interested to join as a volunteer. (Photo by Ng Beng Chin)
Mr Lin Chuan Da (right) signed up as a donating member on the spot. His wife, Song Ai Rui, (second from left) left contact details so that she could be more involved in charitable activities. (Photo by Ng Beng Chin)
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