The Buddhists worship Buddha, and their teachings always have in mind the needy that are very much in need of compassion and to be freed from suffering. Many of the Chinese here are Buddhists, although there are other races such as Indians and even Africans in Africa who embrace Buddhism.
Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong rightly paid tribute to Buddhists, the largest
religious group here for helping the needy, fund scholarships and bursaries and
fostering racial and religious harmony when he officiated at the opening of the
new Buddhist College in Bright Hill Road in Bishan.
I admire the
statue of Buddha and am glad that his teachings have molded caring and
kind-hearted citizens to engage in charity work – both in Singapore and many
parts of the world.
What has
struck me most about the Buddhist who put into full use the teachings of Buddha
is their humility. And I was privileged to learn useful lessons in
humility what I got to know of the wonderful work which the Tzu Chi Foundation
does–worldwide. So impressed by thousands across the globe, many people
have become volunteers of this Buddhist Charity who never fail to help in
relief efforts by rebuilding homes destroyed by natural disasters in many
countries like the Philippines and in Sri Lanka.
Dharma Master
Cheng Yen, a Buddhist nun on 14 May 1966 in Hualien, Taiwan, founded the Tzi
Chi Foundation. Inspired by her master and mentor the late Vulnerable Master
Yin Shun, this nun was so moved by the poverty and lack of services in Taiwan
that she decided to set up the charity, Tzi Chi Foundation.
From their
humble beginnings, this group has expanded to become a major civil society
actor with approximately 10 million members and chapters in 47 countries
worldwide.
Tzi Chi,
which does not use its religion to influence all races and religions, has
hundreds of doctors who volunteer their time to care for the sick in many parts
of the world. Besides doing charity work, the Foundation is also actively
saving the environment through their on-going recycling programs in Singapore
and in other nations.
So let’s take
lessons from the Buddhist teachings to learn of humility to order to make this
a better world.
RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO
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