A free-spirited mind

Author: Master Cheng Yen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Many people say that "Tzuchi" is a clear stream in today's society, capable of purifying the world. This is also the sincere aspiration of "Tzuchi people." Why has "Tzuchi" become a clear stream? Let's start with the character "" (cí). From a Buddhist perspective, "" refers to "unconditional great compassion," as well as wisdom and conscience. When discussing the character "," we often associate it with "charity" or "compassion." The "" (shàn) in charity is an "image" and also means "blessing for the group." The "" (bēi) in compassion, on the other hand, means "great compassion for all beings," which implies perseverance or excellence.
Every person's heart has a clear spring and a fertile field of blessings. Unconditional great compassion—everyone needs love, and a life filled with love is considered happy. However, society also produces many problems due to love. People are born with desires for love, which can turn into greed, leading to the creation of evil deeds. Compassion, in contrast, is a pure, completely uncorrupted love. The love of ordinary people is limited to those they are related to or close to, and they only wish to make these people happy. Such love is that of ordinary mortals.
In the realm of Buddhism, the scope of love is much broader. I love those who have no connection with me and wish to make them happy as well. This selfless love must be fueled by wisdom to ensure that those being loved are happy and those loving do not feel troubled—this is "." This stream of compassionate love is like a clear spring; people cannot survive without water. No matter how high a mountain is, there is still a source of water. The higher the mountain, the higher the water; the deeper the ground sinks, the deeper the water goes. In other words, people of all ages and levels of knowledge possess this compassionate nature, containing this pure wisdom.