The Buddha came to the human realm and taught the Dharma for  forty-nine years, transforming people to become vigilant, reverent,  and more aware. All sentient beings inherently possess the nature  of wisdom of the Tathagata and have the same great compassionate  heart as the Buddha. However, due to habitual tendencies accumulated  over countless lifetimes, we have become increasingly distant from  our buddha nature, developing indifference toward humanity and  losing the compassion in our hearts. This is how ordinary beings are.  Ordinary beings suffer; when they encounter situations, they feel  fear and complain that no one cares for them. Such is the ignorance  sentient beings have. 

The Lotus Sutra says, “The human world is like a house on fire.” The  Buddha is the great elder of this house, who regards all sentient  beings on earth as his own children. While the elder teaches and helps  people outside, the children in the great house love to play and are  full of greed; in this way, they are like ignorant ordinary beings. Once  an ignorant thought arises, sparks continuously erupt, and tiny sparks  can ignite karmic fires. 

Anger is like fire, while greed is like water. Floods of water can destroy  everything in their path. People think, “I want this, and I want that  too.” The earth may flourish with vitality, but ordinary beings harbor  thoughts of greed without being satisfied. They take from here and  grab from there, destroying things in pursuit of what they want. Once  destruction begins, the wind will blow it away; water will wash it away,  and everything will clash to become more destructive. 

The Buddha came to the human realm to teach the Bodhisattva Path, so  the fact that I call everyone “living bodhisattvas” is truly fitting. There is  much suffering in the world, so when we engage in relief work, we must  possess knowledge and respond quickly. Without proper preparation  and wise management, we would have nothing to offer for disaster  relief. Thus, we must all develop wisdom and come together to benefit  humanity with pure and undefiled wisdom. 

We must further develop “great unconditional loving-kindness and  universal compassion.” For those who have no karmic connections with  us and are neither relatives nor acquaintances, when they face disasters  and suffering, we must promptly comfort, accompany, and provide for  them. This is what bodhisattvas do; this is awakened love. In our daily  lives, we should learn to cultivate awakened love and learn how to  be bodhisattvas. Once misfortune strikes, we can immediately apply  our wisdom. Being able to handle matters skillfully and intelligently  requires learning, but doing things correctly is wisdom–this is called  “awakening.” The Buddha came to the human realm to teach sentient  beings in confusion to transform delusion into awareness. 

In the process from “learning” to “awakening,” we cannot do without  following the Bodhisattva Path. You and I are all bodhisattvas; we are  all walking this path together. I may want to act, but I may not be able  to. When I become aware of the situation, I will say: “Please check  and see if everyone is safe,” “How are the disasters in that region?”  Volunteers will quickly go to find out how to help. This is learning the  Bodhisattva Path and awakening through giving. 

Sentient beings have their own thoughts and perspectives. If we don’t  interact with wisdom, when we help them, they might feel, “These  people are treating me badly,” or, “They pity me.” Although we may  have no relationships with others, when we embrace others with care,  the feeling is very warm. 

Joining Tzu Chi truly gives our lives value. If we have not entered Tzu  Chi, even if our careers are great and our professional status is high,  we would still be living for ourselves–for our own livelihood, for our  own interests and wealth, all for ourselves. Entering Tzu Chi is not a  matter of pursuing our own fame, profit, or interests, but a matter  of giving unconditionally and with gratitude. Being able to see each  other as Dharma sisters, Dharma brothers, or bodhisattvas, and having  bodhisattvas as companions is where our value truly lies. 

The Buddha came to the human realm for one great cause. We humans  also have one great cause. This one great cause is Tzu Chi; this “cause”  is the connection that keeps us all together. With a shared mindset and  common aspirations, we fulfill the Buddha’s great purpose of coming  to the human realm to teach and transform sentient beings, going  among people to walk the Bodhisattva Path together. 

If we are unable to do this, it would be truly regrettable. The Buddha  realized the suffering in the human world and made vows to enter  among people to “open, reveal, and help people realize and enter”  the Buddha’s understanding and views. The Buddha “opened” and  “revealed” the teachings to sentient beings, hoping everyone would  “realize” and “enter.” You and I have karmic connections; you all  know me and began to support me in doing the work of Tzu Chi. On  the Bodhisattva Path, your skills are even greater than mine. You have  families and careers to take care of and professional duties to fulfill,  yet you still find ways to devote yourselves to this mission and go  among people in society. This is truly remarkable. How could I, a single  monastic, travel to all those places? I need all of you. 

Lay bodhisattva practitioners have opportunities to cultivate both  blessings and wisdom for a long time. When faced with any form of  suffering that sentient beings experience, you can embrace and support  them yourselves. With the karmic conditions and opportunities,  you can all go to families to provide guidance and care for those in  difficulty. You can personally lend a helping hand, caring for everyone  just like caring for your own families–opening up their rice jars, looking  at their kitchen cabinets and asking with concern: “Are there enough  vegetables today?” “Will there still be rice tomorrow?” 

How can we become “awakened beings”? We must learn in the human  realm. Only by going among people will we have the karmic conditions  to learn. With karmic conditions to learn, there is a way for us to walk  on the Bodhisattva Path. Only when the Bodhisattva Path becomes  available to us can we then awaken in the human realm and become  true Buddhist practitioners.