Photo by Douglas Lee
On 18 March 2012, Tzu Chi Singapore branch held its first volunteer training session of the year, providing the opportunity for 513 Jian Xi (attachment), grey-uniformed and new volunteers to know Tzu Chi better and to instill in them the Tzu Chi spirit and a wholesome mindset.
The main theme of the training session centered around the spirit of the ‘Bamboo Bank Era’ in the hope that trainees could understand better the humble beginning of Tzu Chi, and to embrace and practice its spirit in their daily lives.
In the global population of 7 billion, close to 2 billion are in hunger. If every individual reduces his desire for enjoyment and lead a simple life, eats 80% full and share the remaining 20% of his food with the needy, and sticks to a vegetarian diet, we can then help mitigate the problem of global warming.
“The willpower is all that matters, with strong determination one can keep to a vegetarian diet and give up the profession as a butcher”. A stout Brother Gao Rong Fa has made it.
After watching a short film ‘The Cries of Lives’ at the recycling volunteers’ get-together last year, he decided there and then to become a vegetarian. He has been a vegetarian for three months, and after quitting his job as a butcher, he now works as an assistant at a vegetarian food stall. Though he went through some inner struggle at the beginning, having to give up on a well paying job that comes with many perks, the compassion that arose at that instance has helped him to stay committed to the cause.
Brother Rong Fa took a vow to make fast progress and be a trainee volunteer in this year. “We have to grasp the opportunity that arises and give it our best shot. Even if we fail to make achievement, take it as part of our learning process.” He has promised to help more of the needy and now that he has found the way to do so, he has never been stauncher in his belief.
Chen Li Hui, a Tzu Chi collegiate youth alumni, has not been able to participate in Tzu Chi activities as she is tied up with doing housework and taking care of her children. Her only contact with Tzu Chi is through watching the Da Ai TV. In order to get her children to receive the education of Master Cheng Yen, she listens every night with her children to Master Cheng Yen’s daily lecture, ‘Life Wisdom’.
Once, at the recycling station, her children commented that she was not a Tzu Chi volunteer simply because she did not don the Tzu Chi uniform like the other volunteers did. Though she understood a uniform does not equate volunteerism, the comment her children made did spur her on to return to Tzu Chi to continue volunteering and receiving the necessary training.
Later on, her children decided to be vegetarians after listening to the lectures of Master Cheng Yen. “We can’t meet with the Master if we are not vegetarians.” The innocent words of her children struck her once again.
Sister Li Hui had failed to register herself for the last two volunteer training sessions as she was bogged down with other things then. She was grateful and found herself blessed that she made it eventually this time. She could not help shedding tears when she thought of Master Cheng Yen who is no longer as strong and healthy as before.
46 years ago, when the Master was setting up the Buddhist Tzu Chi Merits Society, she asked her disciples to drop 50 cents each into their bamboo banks daily to raise funds. The purpose was to instill the kind thought of helping others on a daily basis. It was not just about raising funds but also the accumulation of loving kindness to avert malaise and disasters for all.
Four volunteers from Cambodia also participated in the training session. Sister Su Xiao Hong indicated that after attending the Tzu Chi Global Entrepreneurs Jing Si Camp in Taiwan in late 2010, she brought the bamboo banks to her own employees in Cambodia. At the beginning, all were not convinced of their ability to help others, so she shared with them the story of Tzu Chi’s bamboo bank era, encouraging them to save 100 Cambodian riel (about 3 Singapore cents) every day to help the needy.
One of them, the driver who always goes with Sister Su for home visits, has not only embraced the spirit of the bamboo bank era, but has also turned from one who is grumpy into one who is contented and grateful. In addition, he has also become a vegetarian and encourages his colleagues to follow suit. It has dawned on Sister Su that if we can use our wisdom to change one person for the better, we can then inspire many more people to harbour wholesome thoughts. Raising funds is just the form, the essence is about inspiring loving kindness in people. Seeing theTzu Chi spirit taking root in Cambodia and the growing number of volunteers, Sister Su is immensely pleased.
During the training session, the instructors introduced to the trainees the four missions and eight footprints of Tzu Chi, and explained the significance of being a Tzu Chi volunteer.
“To be a Tzu Chi volunteer means that one feels a strong urge to help out as one believes it is one’s responsibility to do so.” After attending the training session, a new volunteer, Guo Fu Yong, is even more assured to be a part of the Tzu Chi family. He has regained his health after receiving treatments at the Tzu Chi Free Health Screening and Medical Clinic, and he has been very touched by the humanitarianism of Tzu Chi.
From one who had difficulty in moving to one who can now move freely around, the 78-year-old Brother Guo has decided to turn from one who receives assistance from others to one who creates blessings for himself by participating in Tzu Chi’s recycling activities. He shared with the rest a poem he wrote, “…at 78 I am still young and strong, making unwavering efforts to protect the environment and helping Tzu Chi to create blessings for the world…”
Wheelchair-bound Ou Shi Guo is another trainee who has benefitted from Tzu Chi’s medical programme and has in turn become a Tzu Chi volunteer. He started his treatment at the Tzu Chi Free Clinic in Redhill two years ago with a referral from his friend. The care and concern extended to him by the medical team has deeply touched him, and he joined the Water Repentance Text study club to learn how to drop his negative habits.
He said he is now more patient and gentler. Though his handicap makes it more challenging for him to attend training sessions and other volunteers’ sharing sessions, the encouragements he receives from the fellow volunteers convince him that “nothing is impossible so long as one is determined”. He has since been participating in Tzu Chi recycling activities.
Master Cheng Yen firmly believes that “human beings have immense potential.” On the Tzu Chi’s training ground for worldly Bodhisattvas, every single wholesome thought from an individual, though in itself like a flicker of light, will inspire many more wholesome thoughts from many others and as a consequence, we have a beam of bright light that can lighten up the whole world.
During the Tzu Chi etiquette session, trainees learn how to perform the homage gestures in a Buddhist ceremony. (Photo by Alvin Tan)
Brother Gao Rong Fa, who used to work as a butcher, decided to become a vegetarian after watching a short film, ‘The Cries of Lives’. He later quit from his butcher job and has been working as an assistant at a vegetarian food stall. He has made a vow to help more of the needy. (Photo by Douglas Lee)
Sister Su Xiao Hong who hails from Cambodia shares how the local volunteers in Cambodia has promoted the spirit of Tzu Chi’s bamboo bank era to inspire kindness in people close to them. (Photo by Cheng Lai Har)
At 78, new volunteer Guo Fu Yong has decided to turn himself from a beneficiary to a giver after having received treatments from Tzu Chi Free clinic and deeply touched by the caring doctors and volunteers. (Photo by Alvin Tan)
Ou Shi Guo (seen here in wheelchair) has learnt to quit his bad habits after joining the Water Repentance Text study club. (Photo by Alvin Tan)
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