Right now, people have returned to Taiwan from distant countries.  They have come for one great purpose: to diligently receive the Dharma  teachings; more importantly, they come in order to understand the  spirit of Tzu Chi. Tzu Chi transcends boundaries; in Tzu Chi, we consider  the world to be one family. Regardless of religion, the direction we  follow is “love.” When we give love without expecting anything in  return, this is called “great love.” All religions share the same principles  of compassion, benevolence, and great love. It is only when everyone  expresses love and care for humanity that the world can become a  place of happiness. 

In this era, the climate is erratic. The sun shines when it should snow,  and drought occurs when it should rain. In order for there to be peace  in the world, the weather conditions must be in harmony. To attain this  state of harmony, the key lies in human behavior. If everyone has self discipline, follows the rules, and does not engage in wasteful behavior,  there will be enough resources, and no one will suffer from hunger. 

When human hearts are out of balance and society is in a state  of disorder, it is easy to fall into conflict. War causes the greatest  destruction in the human world, but with love, we can naturally coexist  peacefully. Regardless of religion, people share the same love. This  can be seen today, as Tzu Chi volunteers from over ten countries and  regions gather together–despite speaking different languages, our  hearts are united. 

The greatest blessing in life is love. How beautiful love is! Love is also  an art. We should love everyone, and everyone loves us. With love,  there is hope for peace in this world. I am grateful to everyone who  has come together for love, flying for hours–ten, twenty hours–just to  return to Taiwan. Though tiring, everyone is joyful. 

At the moment of being certified as a Tzu Chi volunteer, as each of  you walked in front of me, I heard a young person say, “Master, your  children have returned.” Whether it’s the second, third, or fourth  generation of Tzu Chi, they are all my children. I am also a child of the  Buddha, inheriting the Buddha’s aspirations. Tzu Chi’s missions are  passed down to all of you, and we hope that selfless love will spread  throughout the world. 

Currently, the Earth’s population has exceeded eight-billion. How many  countries are suffering, facing instability? If we can coexist peacefully,  the Earth will flourish, with abundant grains and crops. What more  could we ask for? We should be content but work to extend mutual  love, gratitude, and blessings. 

The ultimate principle of this human world is love. In love, there are  true principles, and all principles return to love. With love, we respect  and are grateful for one another. Even though religions may have  different names, the principles are the same. We hope that regardless  of religion, we can spread messages that benefit humanity. Christianity,  Catholicism, and other religions preach the gospel; we too, for the  sake of humanity, promote the values of “speaking good words, doing  good deeds, and walking good paths.” Let us open good paths, allow  the truth to expand, and let everyone walk this broad path of love,  working to benefit the world. 

The value of things in the world is difficult to define. When we are  hungry, food is treasure; when we are wealthy, diamonds and pearls  become treasures. In fact, the most precious thing in the world is  “love.” Without love, there can be no peace in the world. 

When the world is not at peace, no matter how much gold and silver  we have, escape is hindered by countless obstacles, and danger is ever present. When the world is not at peace, nothing has value. The most  beautiful scenes are those that fill the heart with love. Having love in  our hearts is the greatest source of happiness. Just as we are gather  here today, we are united with great love. 

When I certified the volunteers, I said to everyone: “Be diligent and  go back to put your great love into action.” With Tzu Chi’s mission  and great love, I hope that volunteers from every country will work to  bring mutual love to the world and love the Earth. When there is love  in my heart, and there is love in your heart, together, with love in our  thoughts, we extend love to each other. In this way, we bring peace to  the world. Then, we can be in heaven; we can be born in the pure land. 

Regardless of the religion we follow, everyone has the heart of a  Buddha. The Buddha’s heart is the heart of awakening. Whether it  is benevolence or compassion, we share a sincere great love. With  sincerity, we give to the world; we give without asking for anything in  return. This is what it means to “awaken.” Allah, the Lord, Jesus, and  Shakyamuni Buddha all achieved awakening in the world. We must take  them as our role models to move forward and learn from the spirit of  these great beings; we must learn the path of awakening. 

We are all fellow practitioners with the same goal. Together, we must  contribute to the world, set our aspirations, and walk the Tzu Chi  Bodhisattva path, expanding the great path of love with shared spirit.