Tzu Chi On-Air Episode 1

Northeast  |  October 23, 2019

Story Time

Beginning with the “Story Time” segment, this week’s episode of Tzu Chi On-Air gives us a glimpse into the tale of a would-be bank robber. 

There was once a young man living in Taiwan who’d found himself in financial trouble; it was not long before loan sharks began chasing him when his loan went wrong. In his state of desperation, he didn’t know what else to do but rob a bank. So, on the day of the robbery, he paced back and forth outside the bank indecisively. 

Just when he decided to go ahead with the robbery, a woman parked her motorcycle next to him and headed into the bank. Something gave him pause: upon spotting a book that rested in the basket of her bike, he decided to pick it up and open it. His eyes landed on a line that utterly struck him still: “Count me in when doing good; count me out when doing evil.” It was a Jing Si aphorism from Dharma Master Cheng Yen. 

Startled and taken aback, the intention to rob the bank left him instantly. Hurriedly putting the book back, he ran home.

The words saved him, and perhaps even more people that day. After the incident, he wrote to Master Cheng Yen:

When I saw the Jing Si Aphorism, it struck me immediately. I no longer had any thoughts of robbing the bank. I felt very grateful instead. If I had robbed the bank successfully, it doesn’t mean that I could have gotten away with it. If I had been caught, I’d be sent to prison. The Jing Si Aphorism had saved me. It helped me realize the true meaning of life. I’m now working hard to earn my wages and pay off my debt.

Food For Thought

Focusing on ways that we each can become more mindful in our daily lives, this week’s “Food For Thought” segment focuses on the theme of wastefulness. 

Imagine you’re about to eat dinner, but before you sit down to eat, you always scoop a portion of your meal into the garbage. Sometimes one-tenth of the food is discarded, other times, it’s one-eighth, or one-fifth, or even one-third of the food is thrown away. You may be asking yourself, “Why would anyone do this?” 

This scenario, however, illustrates something that many people do each day without even realizing it. In restaurants, food courts, or even our own dinner tables, we often leave leftover food on our tables to be thrown away. 

By encouraging more people to become conscious of food waste, it also presents the opportunity to help provide such nourishment for those who are in need. For example, by purchasing only how much food one actually needs, they can use the money they saved to donate to their local food bank.

Events and Happenings

In “Annie’s Corner,” we have an opportunity to learn about forthcoming events. This week consists of our weekly food bank, nursing home visits, and Tzu Chi NY’s 30th-anniversary celebration!

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