Master Hsing Yun's "We Want to Be Volunteers' Volunteers"

"Why does everyone like to do things for you?" someone asked me.

I think this is because I never stand above others and give orders. I always do "volunteer's volunteer work" first, so I have a lot of volunteers.

In the traditional concept, people are divided into categories such as scholars, farmers, workers, and businessmen. With the changes of the times, recently, "salary workers", "punks", "Harajuku", " Terms such as "shellless snail tribe" and "top guest tribe" have emerged one after another. Since ancient times, there has been a group of people who have contributed a lot but are often ignored, and that is "volunteers". "Volunteers" aim to serve the public and benefit society. Therefore, although they do not receive a salary, the work they perform is priceless. Although they work quietly, the joy they receive is endless. Their actions for nothing arouse infinite respect, so I first "become a volunteer's volunteer" and serve them.

In the past, every time I asked volunteers to write slogans or flyers, I would always find pens and paper in advance and arrange seats. If I asked believers to water flowers and plant grass, I would also prepare buckets and water pipes. It is complete, and you should also tell visitors where the faucets and tool boxes are. When it was meal time, I entertained them enthusiastically and kept preparing tea and snacks for them. When I came home, I did not forget to express my condolences for their hard work and praise their achievements. I even sent them all the way to the door. I felt relieved when I watched them go away. .

When I opened the Kindness Kindergarten in Yilan more than 40 years ago, I hired Mr. Yang Ximing to be the artist. I prepared colored pens and paints in advance, and made tea and cooked food for him from time to time while he was drawing. noodle. He volunteers for the children, and I volunteer for him, standing by like a servant, serving him at any time as needed. Yang Jushi was a mid-level military officer at that time, and soon after he voluntarily converted to the Three Thrones.

At that time, another Mr. Zhu Jiajun was responsible for editing the "Young Lion Magazine" of the National Salvation Corps. The layout design was novel and the titles were fascinating. It broke through the old stereotypes and was very popular in Taiwan's magazine industry at that time. There is no one like him, because before that, he assisted me in editing "Jueshi Xunkan" and "Today's Buddhism Magazine". I remember that every time he came, he would already have all the glue, scissors, stationery and papers, and they would be placed beside the desk in an orderly manner. Even when he went to bed at night, even the pillows and sheets would be freshly washed and ironed, neatly folded on the bed. Originally, I was the master, but when he started working, I was like a waiter, standing sideways and obeying orders. In the middle of the night, when the cold was coming, I would make hot milk and prepare snacks to warm his stomach and relieve his hunger. While he was working for me, he was editing and publishing "Young Lion", which made him very famous. Thanks to his introduction, I was able to get acquainted with famous writers in the cultural circles at that time, such as Guo Sifen, Lin Haiyin, He Fan, Yaxian, Mei Xin, Gongsun Yan, etc. It is a pity that he died young, otherwise he would have been outstanding. With his talents, he will definitely be able to contribute more to the teaching world.

More than 20 years ago, when Fo Guang Shan was first established, Mr. Qiu Chuanghuan served as the director of the Social Workers' Union of the Central Party Committee and planned to ask Mr. Zhang Peigeng to serve as the secretary-general of the Chinese Buddhist Association. However, because he was recommended by me, he was rejected by conservatives. After being rejected, I had no choice but to hire Mr. Zhang Peigeng as the chief secretary of Fo Guang Shan. I remember that at that time, I was often at my beck and call like a book boy, fetching pens and paper for him, so he followed me willingly throughout his life.

When I established the Buddhist Cultural Service Office more than 30 years ago, I asked Miss Li Xintao to take charge of it full-time. Every three to five days, when I went to inspect, I would always help her write replies and sort out general affairs. . Later, she became a monk with me, and her name was Cizhuang. The establishment and construction of Fo Guang Shan's overseas monastery all depended on her planning.

In fact, the art and editing of magazines are my expertise. I am not incompetent in secretarial work such as writing official documents and making plans. However, while being a "volunteer" of volunteers, I also inculcate the teachings of Buddhism. Concept, when everything is on track, I will not only be able to devote some of my energy to spreading the Dharma and saving people elsewhere, but I will also invisibly cultivate many talents in the religious world.

In Buddhism, Guizimu later became the protector of Buddhism because the Buddha ordered the monks to feed her. Guan Yunchang made a vow to protect Jialan in all his life because the wise master gave him Dharma and gave him peace of mind. It can be seen that to "be a volunteer's volunteer", of course you must serve them, but more importantly, you must put yourself in their shoes and consider their immediate needs. I remember that when Mr. Weng Songshan was in Yilan, he was just an ordinary painter's apprentice. I saw that he was extremely smart, so I asked him to carve Buddha statues.

Not only did I often go to the place where he worked, I gave him advice and guidance, and presented him with various related art books. I also bought him a plane ticket and invited him to Europe for inspection. It is a masterpiece of his skillful hands and wisdom, and he has become a famous artist.

Ms. Gillian is determined to do something for Buddhism, but due to her poor family finances, she has to work outside to make a living. After I found out, I tried to find a place for her. Now she not only applied to become a Taoist monk and became a disciple of Fo Guang Shan, but she also devoted herself to cooking delicious food to feed the public every day.

Yongjun would rather resign from his post as director of the Chaoshan Guild Hall and drive for me, often going south and north, shuttling on city streets and highways day and night. Often everyone in the car has fallen asleep. I am afraid that he will be bored while driving, so I hold my heavy eyelids and find many topics to chat with him. Answer by answer, several years passed. He took me out to preach the Dharma and traveled millions of miles. Because he often listens to my words and has many opinions, at the age of less than thirty, he has already been appointed to the Fo Guang Shan Personnel Supervisory Board, and he is very qualified and happy.

Not only do I measure each person's ability and background, and assign different jobs, I also ask questions from time to time and care about their physical condition and whether they are qualified? Consider whether their food and clothing are sufficient? Just like the saying in the military, "To lead a soldier, you must have a heart." The so-called "heart" means that it is best to be his volunteer. I think that if you want to thank others for working for you and being busy for you, it does not mean superficial greetings and material exchanges, but sincere consideration and care from the heart, solving problems for them, providing all kinds of respect, convenience, and mutual kindness. Only then can the relationship last long.

Many people say that I am smart and mellow, that I understand the world and know the priorities. In fact, I was born clumsy and useless. If I could barely find any strengths in myself, it would be that I have loved doing "volunteer work" since I was a child. Looking back on my childhood, among the children of my parents, I was the most willing to do housework; among the children of the same age, I was the most kind to others. From work, I not only gained many precious friendships, but also learned basic work procedures. After I became a monk as a young man, I devoted myself to work and did all kinds of things including incense lamps, water storage, ceremony seats, and halls. When I was in the hall, I thought about how to provide the best service to the public quickly; when I was working on the clock, I thought about how to ring a nice bell so that sentient beings in both the underworld and the Yang world could receive the joy of Dharma; when I was sitting in the seat, I realized how I use limited ingredients to cook dishes that everyone loves; when writing publications, I work hard to write articles that are helpful to people. When I was studying at Jiaoshan Buddhist College when I was nineteen years old, I once suggested that the college exhibit Buddhist cultural relics. From conception to publicity, I planned and prepared meticulously. When the exhibition was put on display, it was a great success, attracting millions of people. After the exhibition, when cleaning up the aftermath, I reflected on the whole process and realized that the greatest reward for dedicated work is to learn wisdom and dexterity. I felt the price of being a "volunteer" - the connection and joy that are unparalleled.

When I first arrived in Taiwan, I settled in Zhongli. Every morning when the light breaks, I have to get up, pull a cart, walk fifteen miles of loess road, go to the market, wake up the vegetable vendor, prepare firewood, rice, oil and salt for eighty people, and then rush back to the temple. After breakfast, I quickly cleaned up the environment and went to the well to fetch 600 buckets of water for the use of the entire temple. During the day, I was also responsible for cleaning the toilets. There was a lack of scrubbing equipment at that time, so I often used my hands to remove the dirt. Someone passed away in the temple. I helped put the person in a wooden box and carry it out for cremation. During the autumn harvest period, I would carry a load and wear wooden clogs to collect rent for the permanent resident. I was only twenty-three years old at that time, and the daily labor was very heavy, but it can be said that I was motivated by duty and felt extremely happy. Although some people are jealous and gossip, I have always been very grateful to the temple owner for taking me in, giving me the opportunity to work, and developing my ability to take on responsibilities. The so-called "volunteer" seems to be for others, but in fact, the most beneficial thing is yourself.

Under the Buddha, there was a bhikkhu Tuo Khu who specialized in knowing guests. He worked hard every day. Even in the middle of the night, when someone knocked on the door and placed orders, he happily held a lantern and guided them to make arrangements. , continued for decades, and finally felt the blessing that my fingers naturally glowed, and I no longer had to hold up a lantern to guide others. I feel ashamed that my merits have not been perfected and my limbs and five sense organs have never shone. However, while serving others, my heart is bright and my whole body is filled with the joy of Dharma. I consider this to be the greatest blessing in life.

Gude once said: "If you want to become a dragon or an elephant in Buddhism, you must first become a sentient being like a horse or a cow." He also said, "Before you become a Buddha, you must first make connections with people." In Buddhism, what is important is not worldly wisdom and eloquence. But the mind of bodhicitta.

Looking through Buddhist classics, we can find that the great masters of the past dynasties all practiced asceticism and achieved enlightenment and enlightenment in their work. For example:

Zen Master Xuefeng served as the head of the meal under Dongshan Zuo,

Zen Master Qingzhu serves as the rice head under the Weishan Seat,

Zen Master Daokuang serves as the bucket head under the Zhaoqing Seat,

Zen Master Guanxi serves as the head of the Moshan Seat

Zen Master Zhitong serves as the head of the garden,

Zen Master Xiaocong serves as the head of the lamp under the Yunju Seat,

Zen Master Jishan serves as the head of the garden. Under the Zizuo seat, he serves as the firewood head, and under the Cuifeng seat, Zen Master Yihuai serves as the net head.

Zen Master's cutting of firewood, Zen Master Zhaozhou's sweeping of the floor, Zen Master Danxia's weeding, Zen Master Lanrong's seat, Master Yinguang's retreat, etc., all illustrate that the meaning of work is to expand oneself, serve others, and enhance the value of life. . Apart from volunteering and labor, what’s the best thing?

Although I do not have the profound wisdom of eminent monks of all ages, during my dedication work, I have learned many principles of how to deal with others, and I am determined to pass on these valuable experiences to those who are determined to serve. Therefore, when I served as the dean of the Buddhist College in the past, I always gathered the students before each trip to explain to them the significance of the labor, the content of the work, and the tips for doing things, so that they could experience more during their work. The Buddhist Dharma achieves a learning effect that pays equal attention to interpretation and practice. Later, when I held activities at Fo Guang Shan, I also held seminars before and after the event, so that participants could not only embrace the joy of Dharma and serve in Buddhism, but also have the opportunity to learn extensively, thereby improving their level of "volunteer service."

These good causes and karmic connections have made many believers, even the chairman of the board and rich ladies who usually hold tea and open their mouths at home, who are served meticulously, hear that Fo Guang Shan holds activities, They traveled thousands of miles to be "volunteers" and were even willing to spend more than ten hours with their own money to fly to Hsi Lai Temple to help with temple affairs. Some even wore aprons, rolled up their sleeves, and behaved in the hall. Tea, washing dishes and picking vegetables in the kitchen. That kind of motivation and seriousness are comparable to that of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, who entered Tongtai Temple three times and sacrificed himself as a slave. Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, before he ascended the throne, entered the temple to serve as a prince with the dignity of a prince, which can be said to be extraordinary. Worse than that. It can be seen that there is no distinction between high and low work, as long as the doer is willing, he can still get joy and ease; there is no difficulty in the work, as long as the teacher is willing, he can gather the collective strength to do the trivial things vividly and the activities with complicated procedures to be vigorous. .

Although the physical body of Sakyamuni Buddha has passed away, the Dharmakaya always lives in the spiritual mountain and guides all living beings with the power of gods. He is a "volunteer" in the Saha world; Guanshiyin Bodhisattva seeks to save the suffering in the vast sea of ??suffering. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is a "volunteer" in the purgatory of heat and anger; Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva "swears not to become a Buddha unless hell is empty"; Amitabha Buddha can use the seven-jewel lotus pond, the eight merit waters, the smooth road, and the solemn pure land of trees to create the pure land of bliss. He is said to be an "environmental volunteer" in the Pure Land world. Because the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are always in the world and perform the Buddha's deeds diligently, the dark world has light. We ordinary people have little blessings and little virtue. How can we live in peace and contentment and be greedy for leisure and evil work while receiving shelter? Therefore, I have always felt that in addition to serving the Three Jewels, Buddhist "volunteers" should also imitate the tireless spirit of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in saving sentient beings, and give joy to the vast number of sentient beings in the world, and first do a good job as volunteers.

Under this concept, when I founded the International Buddha's Light Association, I constantly called on the presidents and members of various associations and branches to actively organize various activities that are beneficial to the people of society. With the cooperation of everyone, we have achieved remarkable results in the past four years and have been unanimously recognized by the public. For example, the "caring mothers" who escort children across the road near the school have received gratitude from many parents; the volunteers who help queue up for registration at the hospital have assisted many elderly patients; the "Friendly Service Team" that provides free clinics in remote areas, It has solved the problem of countless poor families who have no money to seek medical treatment. The "reading club" established in the vast world has inspired countless families to create a scholarly society. Other activities such as planting trees to save water sources, the Seven Commandments to Purify People's Heart campaign, special students' entertainment activities, waste paper recycling and environmental protection activities, and helping prisoners in prison detoxification villages are all in full swing under the active promotion of member volunteers from all over the country. It injects a breath of fresh air into a society with increasingly deteriorating folk customs.

For example: This year the Fo Guang Shan Cultural and Educational Foundation held the Buddhist Association Examination for one million people, and there were more than 30,000 volunteers alone.

In recent years, I have often received calls from various places, some thanking the Buddha's Light Association for its charitable deeds, and some inviting the Buddha's Light Association to cooperate in charity activities. For things that really benefit the public, no matter how big or small, I have always considered it to be "obligatory" work, so I will not refuse it. As for some praises and praises, I don't deserve them, because we are just doing it. The "volunteers" who "thread the needle" combine various good causes and good karma to do their part to create a pure land on earth.

Some believers who have successful careers often say to me: When they retire in the future, they will come to Fo Guang Shan to be volunteers and serve the public. In fact, you don't have to look to the future to do "volunteer work". At this very moment, you can practice the "volunteer work" spirit of the Bodhisattva Way and benefit sentient beings through the four and six realms. If you are determined to serve the public, you don't have to wait until retirement. You can now hope to become a Bodhisattva who never "retreats" or "rests". Human life is rare, and winning opportunities are hard to come by. If we seize every minute and every second of the present moment and make good connections in the world, wouldn't life be more meaningful?