On September 1, 1996, Dharma Master Cheng Yen was interviewed by Tiao Men-peng, senior editor of CommonWealth Magazine, one of the most prestigious magazines in Taiwan.

Create Universal Kindness by Activating
the Pure Basic Nature in All People.

After Typhoon Herb, we saw how Tzu Chi can mobilize its members to do relief work. What is the reason behind this? How do you view the performance of those Tzu Chi members?

I view it with gratitude. The great love of Tzu Chi members cannot be described in words. It can only be regarded with gratitude. Actually, such pure love is hidden in everybody's heart, but many people have not activated it. If that pure, great love could be brought out, then everyone would do what Tzu Chi members do. Therefore, we can look at it as being a very normal thing.

Tzu Chi people not only understand Bhudda's spirit of "compassion, kindness, joy and unselfish giving ," they also put it into practice. That is not an easy job.

In a videotape about the disaster relief work done by Tzu Chi people, we could see their strong esprit de corps. Could you explain how this is possible?

We can explain it with the Buddhist teaching of buddha-nature. All people have buddha-nature, so they are inherently kind. If they can bring out the kindness hidden in their hearts, then they will have the enthusiasm to serve others. Since everyone has this enthusiasm, they will naturally share it to form a common bond of kindness.

In recent years, Tzu Chi has demonstrated tremendous power to respond to people's needs. In addition to bringing out the great love in members' hearts, is there any other reason?

Several years ago, CommonWealth Magazine used the phrase "love like pure water" to describe Tzu Chi. Tzu Chi brings out the pure love in everyone's heart. When drops of water blend together to form a river, there is no distinction between them. In the same way, we are all working together towards the same goal of love. Thus, when we give, we ask for nothing in return. What we have for each other is only gratitude.

We Tzu Chi members have one common concept: it is only because people need help that we have the opportunity to give and care . Just imagine those victims in the mountains during Typhoon Herb. How much suffering and loss did they have to endure? They lost their homes and even family members. We feel very grateful to them for giving us a chance to help them.

That is the common conviction of Tzu Chi people . We have the same goals and the same concepts. Naturally, we walk on the same path. Everyone gives willingly and cheerfully because the fundamental concept of Buddhism is to help the needy. After giving, we feel grateful to the recipients, who in turn feel grateful to us. Only those who actually participate in this work know what a wonderful feeling this is.

Tzu Chi's ways of thinking and acting seem to be different from those of other Buddhist or charity organizations. Why?

I give Tzu Chi people one basic concept: we are learning to behave like Buddha, not just studying Buddhist teachings.

I advocate the idea of bringing Buddhist teachings into life. We do not need to shut the world out and pore over Buddhist theory. We have to put Buddha's teachings into practice in our daily lives. I always say that we should not just read the Buddhist sutras, but we should put the wisdom we have learned from the sutras into concrete action. The scriptures are like a way, and the way is like a road for us to walk on.

We have to learn Buddha's virtue and wisdom. We have to understand the truth, get rid of perplexities, and know what is needed in the world and what we can do for the world.

There are all kinds of people and events. Our wisdom lies in our ability to deal with those different people and events, choose the right directions and goals in life, and plan our own lives well.

When we work among people, we shouldn't have worries or disputes. Disputes arise from discrimination, greed and self-interest. We must have the courage to eliminate disputes.

I often tell Tzu Chi people not to take people and events as cause for disputes. But if disputes are unavoidable, try to regard them as a kind of education. Whatever situation we may confront, we have to be grateful. Even if we are criticized, we still have to be grateful for the timely reminder. If everybody can do this, there will be no disputes between people. Then everyone can do things joyfully and serenely.

That is the way Tzu Chi people think. We emphasize the importance of behaving like Buddha. We practice his teachings in our daily lives.

Some people think they gain merit by setting captured animals free. However, I advocate the concept of "respect life." The most important thing is to take care of our own lives. For example, if someone is sick but has no money to see a doctor, we should give him care and help. As for releasing captured birds and fish, I would rather promote the idea of ecological protection.

Solicit Donations of Love Before Donations of Money.

We can see your wisdom in the organization and management of Tzu Chi. There are many organizations in Tzu Chi, such as the Commissioners Association, the Tzu Cheng Faith Corps, the Honorable Board Members Association, the Teachers Association, the Tzu Chi Youth Corps, etc. How did you plan this system when you first started?

It developed naturally. It was not previously planned. I always say we must do everything mindfully and honestly. The development of Tzu Chi was not cleverly calculated, but arose from acting according to sincerity, integrity, trust and honesty .

Why did you think of establishing the Tzu Cheng Faith Corps?

This also developed very naturally. A society consists of many families. A man is the head of each family. If every man has a good character, their families will be happy and society will be harmonious.

When Tzu Chi was first founded, we had mostly female commissioners, because they represent compassion and kindness and are more affectionate. But we also needed men's wisdom. Men have more working experience and are more rational. We organized them into the Tzu Cheng Faith Corps so that they could cultivate their conscience and abilities.

Why do the commissioners have to raise funds?

The first of Tzu Chi's four missions was the mission of charity. As you know, without money we can't do charity work. That is why Tzu Chi commissioners have raised money since Tzu Chi was founded.

Actually, you have to solicit donations of love before donations of money. Ordinary people are selfish. Once they have the opportunity to join Tzu Chi and to help the poor and educate the rich, they can improve and train themselves. The most important thing is that they can guide each family to give love in order to make society more harmonious.

I often say that some of the poor are mentally poor and some of the rich are also mentally poor. Our commissioners' work is to help these two kinds of people. For instance, some people may be rich materially, but they lead miserable lives because they have no love in their hearts. Life without love is really painful. If we can activate the great love in their hearts, they can become rich materially and spiritually and thus lead happy lives.

Some of the poor not only lack money, but also lack love. On the other hand, however, there is another kind of people who are materially poor but spiritually rich. They are full of love. In Tzu Chi, there are many people like this.

A few days ago, the TV program "Tzu Chi World" carried a story about Pan Lin-chu, a Tzu Chi commissioner, who picked up vegetables thrown away by stores in the market. She used to be very unhappy. Her husband was a veteran from mainland China who couldn't speak Taiwanese, while Ms. Pan couldn't speak Mandarin. They couldn't communicate with each other well. They were poor and their life was difficult, so she felt that she was inferior to others and that her life was miserable.

Later on she joined Tzu Chi. She learned that material possessions were not the most important thing, and that only spiritual wealth was a real blessing. So she opened her heart and became a Tzu Chi commissioner. She often tells people about her own experiences and many people have been moved to join Tzu Chi.

She had a wish * she wanted to become a Tzu Chi honorable board member [an honor given to those who donate NT$1 million]. In order to save money, she started to pick up discarded vegetable leaves in the market. Some peddlers knew what she was doing, so they gave her their leftovers. She cherished her blessings and took it all home. However, she and her husband couldn't eat so much, so she watched the weather. If there were stars in the sky, she knew the next day would be a fine day. She washed all the vegetables and dried them under the sun the next day, and gave the dehydrated vegetables to her neighbors and friends. They all liked her ver much.

If it was a rainy day, she would make money by altering clothing for others. If it was a cloudy day, she went out to collect recyclable resources. After several years, she finally fulfilled her wish to become an honorable board member by donating NT$1 million [over US$36,000]. She was grateful and very happy because her life was very rewarding and she had really made the best use of her abilities.

We do not have the right to own our bodies, but only the right to use them. How to use our bodies wisely depends on ourselves. Each of us treasures his body. We spend a lot of time each day eating, dressing, bathing and resting. What a waste it would be if we couldn't make the best use of our bodies.

All Tzu Chi members and I myself have this same concept. Hence we all make the best use of our lives and we know how to arrange our time properly. This kind of life is the most significant and valuable one. What Tzu Chi has achieved today has been accumulated little by little from everything we have done in the past 30 years.

Why are there honorable board members?

More than ten years ago, I called on benevolent people to help with the construction of the Tzu Chi Hospital, for which we needed a tremendous amount of money. At that time, NT$1 million was a big sum of money. I was very grateful that so many people donated so much money. In order to show my deepest gratitude to them, I gave them our highest title of honorable board member. I also used their deeds as good examples for other people to follow.

Self-Management Is Better Than Organizational Management.

You show great wisdom in managing your organization.

Actually, I know nothing about managing an organization. I hope everyone can manage himself well.

It's not an easy thing to do, is it?

I don't think so, but all Tzu Chi people know how to manage themselves. For instance, I have never been out of Taiwan, but all Tzu Chi people abroad handle their own affairs very well. Even the branch offices and liaison offices all over Taiwan take care of themselves, because I am not there most of the time.

In Tzu Chi there is no distinction between high and low. I see many important people being of service. Even big bosses serve tea to others.

That is self-management.

You have successfully taught all your disciples to behave themselves properly.

Sometimes I teach them to be lively and relaxed.

You say that people are born with a kind nature. Why do some people do very bad things?

They have been affected by their social environment . In this respect, the mass media have played an important role. Therefore, whoever engages in mass communications must be very cautious. They have to take responsibility for improving society.

Tzu Chi has grown into such a gigantic organization. What will happen in the future?

Life is impermanent. We must seize the moment and hang on to the good thoughts that we have now. We don't have to worry about our future.

When Buddha was alive, he traveled to many places, teaching the public. Before he attained nirvana, he did not appoint any successor, but his teachings have been passed on.

Tzu Chi's four missions are on the right track and have even spread overseas. Right now there are Tzu Chi people in more than 20 countries. Although I have never been to those countries, they are all doing very well. They manage their affairs well, and they all stick to the idea of self-sufficiency. They obtain their financial resources locally and use them locally.

With great love, Tzu Chi people make the best use of their altruism to save and help people at every moment. All four missions * charity, medicine, education and culture * are being steadily carried out. I don't need to worry.

How can we give unselfishly?

Just do it. To give is to receive. When we are doing good deeds, we are giving. But after we have done the good deeds, we receive a feeling of great joy. So I always say, "Work willingly and accept the results joyfully."

During Typhoon Herb, for instance, Tzu Chi commissioners and members of the Tzu Cheng Faith Corps took great risks to enter the disaster area to help the victims. I was extremely grateful to them. I was also very much worried about their safety. However, Tzu Chi people are just like that. No matter how hard it is, they just go ahead and do it because every one of them has the same concept * "Work willingly and accept the results joyfully."

Disaster relief work should not be done only by Tzu Chi, should it?

We shouldn't think that way, otherwise it will bring nothing but perplexities. We Buddhists try very hard to get rid of perplexities and disputes.

We have to do our very best in disaster relief work . Whether others want to do it or not is none of our concern. We don't make any criticisms.

In the past 30 years, Tzu Chi people have always been the first ones to arrive at disaster areas. Whenever a disaster happens, the victims are always in panic and feel helpless. What they need most is comfort and help. So in any disaster relief task, we should be the first ones to arrive and the last ones to leave. We should rush to give help and consolation to the victims and then continue to do follow-up work.

We do the same in any disaster. It is not just Tzu Chi people in Taiwan that do this, but Tzu Chi people overseas also do the same.

Do you feel tired after talking for so long?