[Life Wisdom]2012/06/03 Doing Good,Learning Dharma,and Sowing Good Seeds
Tzu Chi volunteers from the United States traveled to American Samoa to promote environmental protection. They found that people there did not have a good understanding of the concept, so they decided to hold several promotional activities and encourage people to use fewer plastic bottles.
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States in the South Pacific, part of the Samoan islands chain. It has a land area of 76.1 square miles and a population of 56,000. It is the southernmost territory of the U.S. and famous as a tourist attraction. In September 2009, it was struck by an earthquake of 8.0, followed by a tsunami; more than 100 people were killed. It was this disaster which brought Tzu Chi volunteers to the island; they started to care for the residents and introduced the concept of sustainable development and recycling.
In Taiwan, since the start of the sutra adaptation preparations last year, everyone has been diligently learning the Dharma and practicing it in their daily life. They continue to hold Dharma study groups and to spread it in the communities. Through this study, people learn to purify their hearts and change their bad habits. The students are of all ages, from a five-year-old boy to an 84-year-old grandfather. This truly has had a positive impact on Taiwan.
To spread the Dharma, we need to invite more people to join the study groups. Everyone should not only study the Dharma but also practice it in their daily life.
