Buddha once said "All living beings influence each other by their deeds." The more good karmic behavior there is in the community, the less conflict there will be.

Virtuous ladies and gentlemen, Amitabha: This is the first time we've gotten together since the Spring Festival. I'm very pleased to see you. Since it's still the first month of the lunar calendar, please accept my New Year's blessings. I wish all of you and your families peace and good luck.

You've just listened to other speakers share their experiences in working for Tzu Chi. There have been great accomplishments in Tzu Chi's four missions of charity, medicine, education and culture. In medicine, for instance, we're developing the ability to save people every minute and every second. From Lunar New Year's Eve till the fourth day of the first month [when most hospitals in Taiwan close for the holiday], the emergency room of Tzu Chi Hospital treated more than 2,000 sick and injured. If there were no Tzu Chi Hospital, where would those 2,000 people have gone? I'm very very grateful for those who contributed to the establishment of Tzu Chi Hospital.

"If a school principal or teacher considers education as just a job, he'll only do the same things again and again every day."

I believe you've already visited the Tzu Chi College of Medicine and the Tzu Chi Junior College of Nursing. The students sitting here in the front rows are from the Junior College of Nursing. I'm really very grateful to President Mei-fu Chang and all the teachers. They give the students so much love and treat them like their own children. I'm also grateful to those Yi Teh Association "mothers" who grow and learn about life with the students. Although the Tzu Chi College of Medicine is only two years old, with the combined efforts of the teachers, students, Tzu Cheng Faith Corps "fathers" and Yi Teh Association "mothers," it has won the recognition and commendation of our whole society.

We just listened to Yu-feng Yang, principal of the Ching Ho Elementary School in Taipei, and Miss Shu-ching Tsai, a teacher from the same school. They shared with us their experiences in teaching "Still Thoughts." If a school principal or a teacher considers education as just a job, all she has to do is to go to the school on time and teach the lessons according to the curriculum. They can do the same things day after day and year after year. However, Miss Yang and Miss Tsai are very mindful. They include "Still Thoughts." Moreover, they encourage the students to apply the teachings of "Still Thoughts" in theit daily lives. That is education with love.

"Although his limbs are incomplete, he has a healthy heart and a powerful mouth."

A few minutes ago, mouth painter Kun-shan Hsieh also gave a talk on this stage. When he was 16, he was struck by high voltage electricity. He lost both arms, one foot and one eye. On the only foot that was left, the toes became ulcerated because of too many injections.

Although his limbs are incomplete, he has a healthy heart and a powerful mouth. When he paints a landscape with a brush in his mouth, he is so skillful and delicate. Ladies and gentlemen, do you think Mr. Hsieh is physically disabled? No, he's not. He's only physically challenged. If he were physically disabled, he wouldn't be able to do anything. When he's physically challenged, he can still do many things with whatever is left of his body.

Several days ago, he came to the Abode of Still Thoughts to see me. I had the feeling that he had a sound mind, so I asked him directly whether he needed his wife to do many things for him. He replied that he did everything himself. Out of curiosity, I asked him how he brushed his teeth. He said that he fixed a toothbrush on the washstand and he moved his head to brush his teeth. He doesn't rely on anyone in his daily life. What a healthy and free life he has!

His wife is very good-looking. I asked her how she got to know Mr. Hsieh. I had thought that perhaps they had known each other before the accident happened and that out of sympathy she did not leave him. But that's not how it happened.

Mrs. Hsieh told me that she had seen the story of Mr. Hsieh's struggle on TV. Being very touched, she went to see him. They talked a lot with each other and became good friends. Her parents didn't agree to her marrying him. After seven years, they finally became husband and wife.

It was really not very easy for her. She married him not because she felt sorry for him, but because she loved him and respected him. If a person like Mr. Hsieh can overcome physical impediments and keep a healthy mind, he demonstrates a model education of the spirit. In his actions, Mr. Hsieh teaches other physically impeded friends to conquer their spiritual impediments, to be courageous and persevering in facing the realities of life.

"A good conscience comes from the purification of the mind. In this 'Year of Construction,' Tzu Chi is laying emphasis on spiritual construction."

We've also had three entrepreneurs speak on the stage today. They've done a lot for Tzu Chi. They are "the rich of the rich." They're rich not only in material possessions, but also in the love in their hearts. Some rich men who have lots of money are nevertheless vain in spirit. Every day they live in fear and restlessness. What a bitter life they have!

This year is Tzu Chi's "Year of Construction." Love comes from a good conscience and a good conscience comes from the purification of the mind. So in this "Year of Construction," we emphasize spiritual construction, to purify our minds, to bring out the good conscience hidden inside our hearts and turn them into loving hearts, and to build whatever is needed in our society.

Tzu Chi is building a hospital in central Taiwan and a mentally retarded children's rehabilitation center in the north of Taiwan. We need everyone's love to help construct all these facilities.

"If everyone can share their love with each other, they can form a cycle of kindness."

The recent tension in the Taiwan Straits* has affected the stability of our society. Actually people on both sides of the straits are of the same race. We're all Chinese and we speak the same language. It should not be difficult to care for and to accommodate each other. Even though we have different political points of view, we can still negotiate with each other to reach an acceptable common goal.

If we want to live in peace and harmony, we must settle down, do our own jobs well, and care for and support each other. We must not follow others blindly waving flags and shouting, because that is what starts riots.

Two of the entrepreneurs who spoke just now were Mr. Ho, who lives in Canada, and Mr. Kao, who comes from Seattle. I asked them how they felt about coming back to Taiwan at a time when there was so much tension here. They replied, "We're not afraid. We came back to be with our Master." Why aren't they afraid? Because they have love in their hearts.

If everyone can share their love with each other, they can concentrate their good behavior to form a cycle of kindness. Buddha once said, "All living beings influence each other by their deeds." People's karmic relationships with each other are easily influenced by the way they act toward each other. The more good behavior there is in the community, the less conflict and social unrest there will be. If people in a society always do good to each other, then everyone will live in peace and harmony

"We must calm down and be in peace. Good deeds can overcome bad deeds. We must have confidence."

You must have heard about "fighting cocks." When two fighting cocks stand face to face in a fighting posture, they stare at each other angrily and their feathers stand up. When their anger rises to the highest point, they start pecking at each other until they bleed all over.

There's a story about a fighting cock that one man brought to the fighting ring. Different from the others, that cock was very calm and poised. No matter how another cock challenged it, it just stood firm, calmly staring at its rival. Finally the rival gave up. If both cocks had been aggressive, a fight would have been unavoidable. In the end, no one could have won.

The same reasoning can be applied to the current situation. Under the present circumstances, we must calm down, say good words, do good deeds and walk on the right road. Good deeds will overcome bad deeds. All of us must have confidence.

In the large family of Tzu Chi, everybody makes the best use of their own abilities, constantly working for the good of society. We are here today listening to so many speeches by such good people. Their experiences teach us a lot about life. I hope that everyone will take their stories to heart.