Living in this world, we cannot stop time
Nor can we stop impermanence
But, there are two things in life
that we have control over---
(our life's depth and breadth)
So, at every moment of every day,
the Earth is continually rotating
and Tzu Chi volunteers around the world
are busy working for the good of the world
They share with us the insights they gain
from witnessing suffering
They share with us how they overcame
many difficulties to fulfill their mission
These are all on Da Ai News every day
So, as I watch Da Ai News every day,
I do so in the spirit of hearing a sutra
Tzu Chi volunteers
work for the good of Buddhism and all beings
Everyone helps me to fulfill this mission
to contribute to the good of Buddhism & all beings
But, in the midst of this, everyone has
(forgotten about their own hearts)
(You carry out bodhisattva actions)
But, have you looked into your own hearts
to touch your Buddha nature?
Have you truly awakened
to the truths that the Buddha taught?
The Buddha awakened to the truths of the universe
Upon his awakening, his heart opened,
becoming boundless and vast as the sea
(He described such a profound inner state)
as the Avatamsaka realm. Such was the Buddha's
heart as he became fully awakened
The Buddha's enlightened state
is so profound and all-encompassing
We too need to find this awakened nature within
which is our true nature, our most natural state
We can touch our enlightened nature, Buddha nature
if we can keep our heart and mind pure
and if we look within and mindfully
clean away the impurities in our heart and mind
But, we have spiritual ignorance and delusion
(which make us blind)
This blindness keeps growing bigger and bigger
(as we in engage in worldly matters)
Therefore, we've accumulated a lot of anger,
(which endangers our spiritual cultivation)
Though we've given rise to good thoughts
and done a lot of good deeds,
when our anger flares up,
our aspiration to cultivate disappears,
and the bodhi forest we had worked hard to nurture
gets burned down
Over time, (the forest turns into a desert)
Then when the wind of blindness blows,
it stirs up a sandstorm
Hence, this fire of anger
will not only harm others,
but ourselves as well
Where does our anger come from?
It comes from greed and desire
Nowadays, asking people
to go vegetarian is very difficult
We hear people express
how difficult it is for them
to switch to a vegetarian diet
(When I hear this,)
I can't help but think:
"Is it really all that difficult?"
(It also makes me feel very useless)
because for many years, I've talked about
the need to respect life
and how every creature has the Buddha nature
Why is it that my words
fail to make any impact on people?
What I say has little weight and influence
This is why I describe myself as being
a tiny ant at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains
I hope everyone can live according to wisdom
In these times of great blindness,
what do we need?
We need great wisdom
And in these times of chaos and turmoil,
we need to repent
Everyone is subject to the law of karma
No one can
undergo your karmic retribution for you,
not even the Buddha
(But, collectively, the actions of everyone)
(have collective impact)
If we all create negative karma,
we'll bring disasters upon ourselves
If we all do good and create positive karma,
the world can become peaceful and disaster-free
(This is possible if we have a lot of people)
who have a calm and peaceful mind
Then we can bring peace and safety to our world
All of you bodhisattvas---
how can I help you all to keep safe?
How can I
help our entire planet be safe and free from harm?
In Taiwan, the conditions are ripe
(for Tzu Chi to hold such a sutra adaptation)
as there are so many Tzu Chi members in Taiwan
For over forty years,
all Tzu Chi members, from those who
joined 45 years ago and are now in old age
(to those who joined only in recent years)---
all of you share the same convictions
and carry out
Tzu Chi's Four Missions and Eight Footprints
But, the only thing is that
you have not truly taken in the Dharma
and cleansed your hearts
so you have not changed your habitual ways
and change our unwholesome habitual tendencies?
I hope you can truly strive to
develop insight into Buddhist principles
and deeply enter the Dharma
to gain wisdom vast as the sea
Only then can you truly help guide living beings
in the spirit of the Sangha
(Everyone, we need to)
inspire and guide living beings
with our heart and action
To do that, you must first truly
bring your hearts into the Dharma and awaken
so that you can guide others onto the path
(Of course, Da Ai TV is a big help in this)
Every day, Da Ai TV broadcasts
the stories of each of you
and how you have come together
(for this sutra adaptation and repentance practice)
as well as the stories of your repentance
If all of you in Taiwan
(can truly embody the practice well)
and accomplish the sutra adaptation beautifully,
(then through Da Ai TV,) the whole world can see
and know about Buddhism
Therefore, for our sutra adaptation,
we have to bring forth the piety in our hearts
Every verse contains the Dharma
(You need to understand its meaning)
and sing it out resoundingly, from your heart
so that the whole world,
the entire universe,
(may hear us)
I often speak of sounds resonating
Our voice can reach the Buddhas,
Bodhisattvas, and all divine beings above
It all depends on how pious we are
(Our thoughts can move the universe)
(and our voice of prayer can be very powerful)
I hope every one of you can give your whole heart
to this sutra adaptation
Though we're like the tiny ants
at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains,
(our tiny strength can still make an impact)
If we can unite, then even with our tiny strength,
we can move the Himalaya Mountains
