Management is a profound practice. I simply have the aspiration to do good deeds, but how many tasks are there in the world? It is  absolutely impossible to accomplish them alone. I am very grateful  for the dedication and love of countless people; I am even more  grateful to the Tzu Chi volunteers from our early days, who started from nothing. I often say that we should not undervalue even the  smallest contributions. Tzu Chi has now been operating for over fifty years, and the power of love has accumulated from countless  donations of fifty cents gathered little by little. 

Tzu Chi’s four missions belong to everyone. When Tzu Chi volunteers  think of Tzu Chi, we think of it as our home. I speak about “unity”  every day. Only through gathering together countless times can our  unity become powerful. 

In regard to the mission of education, it all begins with a single  kind thought of goodness. That thought of goodness is meant for those who suffer in this world. Those who do not have food to eat or clothes to wear suffer greatly. Yet, wealthy people often fail to think about those in poverty and hardship, and they can even look at  others’ poverty without a thought. They think, “This person is poor, not me. This person is hungry, not me. What I have is not enough. I want more enjoyment and greater advantages.” This kind of thinking  creates so much suffering. 

With education, society has hope. For this hope to be actualized, there must be those with aspirations and dedication, but most importantly,  those with diligence. Many people who visit Tzu Chi schools admire the beautiful environments, but we must be grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers  worldwide for their support, and further, we must be grateful to those  who maintain their aspirations and follow the path of our mission. Teachers follow the vow to be role models, earnestly “transmitting  the path” and passing on the energy of love to their students. 

Just as religion has its purpose, education must also have its purpose. As religious practitioners, we take on the responsibility of caring for  people in this world. I started with nothing, and am grateful every day and express gratitude to everyone I encounter for what Tzu Chi has been able to accomplish. The actions that I can do to express my gratitude are dedication and giving. 

Education is a “project of hope” that requires diligence and hard work, using the energy of love to cultivate talent. Teachers are role models for students and should always be gentle and harmonious. When students experience their teachers’ actions and words as a good model to follow, the atmosphere on campus naturally becomes peaceful. I have already expressed my true love by building schools and allowing  everyone to develop their potential. How do we cultivate talent for  this world? When everyone is able to work with one heart, I will be at peace. 

Students are the best proof of education. Our students at Tzu Chi schools have refined characters and speak politely. According to  Confucius’ teachings, “In the practice of propriety, harmony is most valuable.” “Propriety” refers to principles. We hope for a harmonious society and a unified world; a peaceful society is a blessing for humanity.  We must teach students to be understanding and reasonable–to recognize human emotions and comprehend principles as well as academic concepts. 

It is our responsibility to guide students toward correct thinking through education. By working wholeheartedly and with dedication in daily life, students will naturally feel gratitude, and everything will be harmonious. 

In the Buddha’s teachings, there is no difference between the mind,  the Buddha, and sentient beings. The Buddha said, “It is not just I  who can become enlightened. Everyone inherently possesses Buddha  nature; all will become enlightened. Everyone is a Buddha.” However, ordinary people need a path in order to reach Buddhahood. This path  is one of “awakened love,” the Bodhisattva Path. 

The awakening that comes from enlightenment is crystal clear, not obscure; our inherent nature is pure and loving. To educate with love, we must establish role models, and teachers are these role models.  There are many difficulties in life; how do we overcome them? Going  from nothing to something, from poverty to wealth, for instance, all require effort. Education must move toward character education, and the value of education must come from a sincere and giving heart. 

In daily life, we must practice love–love for people, and love for all things. We should make good use of objects and treat people with kindness. In this world that we live in, we can either create heaven  or create hell. Being able to benefit others is a blessing; to tap into the Buddha nature within everyone is wisdom. Our mission is to use education to inspire children’s love and wisdom. Developing loving  wisdom is the goal of education. 

The starting point of all things is “truth,” which is true emptiness coexisting with wondrous existence. At first glance, things may appear “empty,” but when examined carefully, everything is “wondrous  existence.” Similarly, if we want to do something but only think without  acting, it remains “empty.” If we truly think and act with sincere effort,  it can become real–truly, “wondrous existence.” 

To transform sentient beings, we need to work together. Being able  to adapt to environments is “harmony.” As such, teachers’ qualities  and mindsets must align, and they must also manifest the value of transforming others by working together. We must make vows for  education and our mission, educating students to become the future  talents of our societies. In this way, we can move toward a common  goal, a common direction–nurturing talent with hope and enhancing educational excellence.