Tzu Chi Foundatiton

The Origins of Tzu Chi

2008-11-29T04:42:00.000-08:00

In 1944, when Master Cheng Yen was seven years old, Taiwan was still under Japanese occupation. Like all people in Taiwan, she constantly hid in bomb shelters from air raids. She noticed people around her praying to the Goddess of Mercy to divert the bombs into the sea. From this, she was introduced to the Goddess's compassion.

After Japan was defeated, she looked after her sick brother in a hospital for eight months. There she witnessed people's pain and helplessness when facing birth, illness, aging and death. She also began to admire the spirit of doctors and nurses in saving the patients.

Her father's unexpected death from a brain hemorrhage led to her realization that life was impermanet. From that point on, the Master became very interested in the study of Buddhism. Most monks and nuns at that time, however, were always preoccupied with various religious services, and Buddhist teachings were not promoted. Nonetheless, the decision to work for Buddhism was firmly planted in her mind. She chose to be self-reliant during her moral cultivation, not accepting any offerings from followers. She further felt that spiritual formation was not something to be done in isolation, but had to be put into concrete practice in order to benefit all human beings.

In 1961, Master Cheng Yen left home and wandered throughout Eastern Taiwan with a friendly nun, Master Hsiu Tao. She saw the misery of poor people in that area, and she vowed to help them. She settled down in Hualien, studied Buddhism by herself and adhered faithfully to the admonition of her mentor, Master Yin Shun: "You must constantly be committed to Buddhism and all living beings. "

Master Cheng Yen recalled that once she and Master Hsiu Tao were ridding their bicycles on the paths among the rice fields at dusk. The road gradually became narrower and narrower, until it finally ended altogether. Master Hsiu Tao suggested that they turn around and go back. Master Cheng Yen said that she would rather carry the bicycle and continue on foot than turn back. It was with this kind of determination and courage that she was later able to found Tzu Chi and spread its good works round the whole planet.

At a clinic in Fenglin, the Master saw a pool of blood left by a poor woman who could not afford the clinic's registration fee. The shock of seeing the blood was the catalyst for establishing the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation at Pu Ming Temple in 1966. The first members were 30 housewives who donated from their grocery money. Before going to the markets every day, these housewives put NT$0.50 [US$0.013] into a bamboo "piggy bank". One of the housewives suggested that it would be more convenient to deposit a lump sum of NT$15 a month. The Master replied that when they deposited 50 cents a day, they could have a compassionate thought each day rather than once a month. Those housewives brought Tzu Chi's spirit to the markets, so the news that "fifty cents can also help people" spread throughout Hualien.

Tzu Chi members did this worldly work with an other-worldly spirit. Making and selling an extra pair of baby shoes each day, the Master's followers in the early days stitched out the model of the future foundation. Although their lives were unsettled and full of disturbances, they considered their jobs training in learning Buddhism, and so they endured the hardships without any regrets or complaints. To make ends meet, they engaged in more than 21 kinds of handiwork. The first group of nuns who followed the Master firmly believed in the spirit of "no work, no meal," and their spirit bolstered the Master's determination to establish Tzu Chi. The first disciples - Master Te Tzu, Te Chao, Te Jung, and Te En - dedicated themselves with a spirit of complete offering and sacrifice, and they created an atmosphere of frugality and of appreciation for what they had. Their residence, the Abode of Still Thoughts, thus became the spiritual home for all Tzu Chi members.

The current appearance of the Abode is the result of nine expansions. Other than some financial support from the Master's mother, Mrs. Wang Yue-Kuei, the purchase of the land and the construction of the buildings were entirely paid for by the hard work of the nuns themselves. Through the changes in the Abode, we can see the historical tracks of Tzu Chi's development.

The Beginning

The Glove Factory

The Nuns and Their Supporters

Tzu Chi History

2008-11-27T03:41:00.001-08:00

On April 14, 1966, Venerable Master Cheng Yen founded the Tzu Chi Merits Society in Hualien with thirty followers, mostly housewives, who put aside fifty cents (US$0.013) a day of their grocery money to establish a charity fund. Their objective was to provide relief and assistance to the poor.

During the first five years, they helped a total of thirty-one elder and sickly poor people from fifteen families. As word got around, more people participated and the program gathered strength. It spread beyond Hualien to other parts of Taiwan, including nearby islands.

Today, there are Tzu Chi branches and associations all over the world, in Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Austria, Canada, the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Laos, Lesotho, and other countries.

For a more comprehensive history about Tzu Chi, please read "The Origins of Tzu Chi".

Awards for Master Cheng Yen

2008-11-27T03:35:00.001-08:00

Among the awards and honors received by Dharma Master Cheng Yen were:

Magsaysay Award (considered the Asian Nobel Prize), Philippines 1991
Nobel Peace Prize nominee 1993
Eisenhower Medallion, People to People International, U.S.A. 1994
Executive Yuan (Cabinet) Cultural Award, Taiwan 1995
International Human Rights Award by Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) 1998
Life Award, Noel Foundation, U.S.A. 2000 National Medal of the Second Order (from the president of El Salvador) 2001
Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award, World Buddhist University 2002
The Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon Medal (from the president of Taiwan) 2003
Asian American Heritage Award for Humanitarian Service, Asian American Federation of California, U.S.A. 2004

Master Cheng Yen

2008-11-27T03:34:00.001-08:00

Master Cheng Yen, founder of Tzu Chi Foundation presides over a small Buddhist temple in Hualien, Taiwan and Tzu Chi's worldwide charity program.

Master Cheng Yen's life experiences inspired her to search for a form of Buddhism that would reflect unconditional love through action. Many past incidents shaped her vision and she felt a higher calling. When her father had died of a heart attack, she felt guilty. In his passing, she felt that she had erred in caring for him. Later, at a hospital, she witnessed a penniless, aborigine woman be denied medical attention while bleeding on the floor. Another time, a Catholic missionary said to her, "You Buddhists are a passive group and ignore the needs of others." Master Cheng Yen was determined to serve all humanity. She envisioned a world of kindness, compassion, joy and equality.

With the support of only thirty housewives who set aside NT fifty cents (US$0.013) of their grocery money each day, Master Cheng Yen embarked on her mission of helping the poor and educating the more prosperous. She and the newly formed Tzu Chi Merits Society established a charity fund to provide relief and assistance for the poor.

Today, Master Cheng Yen's influence in the world is
revealed through the inspiring stories of her disciples
and the acclaimed international work of Tzu Chi Foundation.

More about Master Cheng Yen and her teachings

Our Founder

2008-11-27T03:33:00.000-08:00

Venerable Master Cheng Yen was born in a small town called Chingshui in central Taiwan in 1937. When she was twenty-six years old, she left home to become a Buddhist nun. In 1966, she established the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, then the Tzu Chi Merits Society, and for over three decades Tzu Chi has concentrated its activities in the four major missions of charity, medicine, education and culture.

Tzu Chi has become an international organization with over 5 million supporters and over 30,000 certified members who carry out its missions globally. The foundation provides disaster relief throughout the world, sending supplies to disaster victims and volunteers to help them rebuild their lives. Tzu Chi has built hospitals, colleges, and research centers as well as developed educational, social, and cultural programs for its local communities.

Master Cheng Yen was awarded the Eisenhower Medallion for her contributions to world peace. She has been nominated in 1996 for the Nobel Peace Prize for her selfless dedication to bringing to a troubled world a renewed vision of compassion in action. Master Cheng Yen was named as one of the fifty "Stars of Asia" leaders at the forefront of change in the July 2000 issue of Business Week.

For a more comprehensive look at the life of Master Cheng Yen, please read "Master of Love and Mercy: Cheng Yen" by Yu-ing Ching (1995, Blue Dolphin Publishing). This is the chronicle of Master Cheng Yen's search for wisdom and its flowering through the many works of compassion performed by her and her followers worldwide.

Tzu Chi Education Mission

2008-11-27T03:28:00.001-08:00

Before the Tzu Chi Hospital had even opened, Master- Cheng Yen already planned to set up colleges of nursing and medicine to produce medical specialists for the hospital, since it was difficult to attract doctors and nurses to Eastern Taiwan. After the hospital was opened, she actively began to make preparations. With support from all sides and through the Master's own hard work, the Tzu Chi Junior- College of Nursing was opened on September 1 7, 1989, and the Tzu Chi College of Medicine on October 16, 1994. These events wrote new pages in the history of Tzu Chi education.

The nursing college and the medical college are the foundation of Tzu Chi education. In the future, Tzu Chi will also set up kindergartens, elementary schools, secondary schools, and a university. It is clear that the Tzu Chi education emphasizing both humanitarianism and professional expertise has been a good model for education in Taiwan.

Here is a complete history of how Tzu Chi Education Mission came about:

Tzu Chi Culture Mission

2008-11-27T03:27:00.001-08:00

Master Cheng yen's goal in helping mankind is to humanize the Buddhist teachings and bring bodhisattvas into this world. Maintaining this spirit and goal, Tzu Chi created the four major missions of charity, medicine, education and culture. The foundation uses these visible missions to purify the invisible spiritual sphere and to promote social harmony and peace. During the last 30 years, the tireless efforts of Tzu Chi members have helped to pave the way for a pure paradise in this world.

Tzu Chi culture aims at seeking truth, goodness and beauty. In the area of mass media, the Tzu Chi Monthly Magazine, which was first published in July 1967, aims at reporting the good side and the good deeds of mankind. Tzu Chi magazines, books, and radio and TV programs all focus on human kindness and pure great love. The do not indulge in sensationalism or criticism. They have developed a Pure Land in he field of mass media.

Here is a complete history of how Tzu Chi Culture Mission came about:

Tzu Chi Medicine Mission

2008-11-27T03:20:00.001-08:00

In a small village, a man moans behind a half-closed door. In front of his bed sits his expressionless wife, and a group of laughing children run around. How much helplessness is revealed in this scene? Such scenes were visible everywhere in the 1970s when Master Cheng Yen traveled around southern Taiwan, visiting the poor.

If the head of a household suddenly passes away, the entire burden of the family is loaded on the wife's shoulders, and the children cannot receive a decent education. All sorts of social problems will surface in the future. The Master realized that sickness created poverty and poverty created sickness. Both were linked in a vicious cycle, which left people no way out, especially in Hualien where medical resources were inadequate. Any minor sickness could become a major one, and there were incidents where patients died on their way to a hospital. With the conviction that all lives are equal, the Master wanted to attend to the sick in Eastern Taiwan to eliminate the problem of poverty. Therefore in 1979, hoping too extend the spirit and wisdom of Buddhism forever, she called for the construction of a hospital. Starting from nothing, she began to raise funds. There were periods of obstacles and setbacks, but because of her untiring persistence, many people were touched and gathered to form a stream of love. From the first fund-raising in1979 to the opening of the hospital in 1986, this was a memorable epoch.

Here is a complete history of how Tzu Chi Medical Mission came about:

Tzu Chi Charity Mission

2008-11-27T03:19:00.000-08:00

"We should respect all life equally. We are willing to provide humanitarian assistance wherever disasters occur. Overseas Tzu Chi people are always grateful for the chance to live in foreign lands. They use the money that they earn locally to do charity work for their local communities. Thus, they earn love and respect from their neighbors." Master Cheng Yen

Aid the poor and educate the rich

In 1966, Tzu Chi began to reach out to others with charity work. Now, after more than 30 years, Taiwanese society has moved from poverty to prosperity. Tzu Chi has also expanded from 30 members in Hualien to hundreds of thousands of members all over the world.

In the beginning, Master Cheng Yen started in an impoverished Hualien, relying on housewives who saved 50 cents or a dollar from their grocery money to contribute to helping the poor. At that time, all the donations were solicited publicly so more and more members begin to join the group. And as the standards of living rose in Taiwan, the emphasis shifted from providing material needs to providing spiritual support. At the same time, in 1985, the mission of charity extended from Taiwan to overseas. Tzu Chi members overseas used the money that they learned locally to do charity work in their local communities.

In the spring of 1991, Tzu Chi took its first steps toward international relief work when it provided assistance in the aftermath of a major typhoon in Bangladesh. In the summer of the same year, with the guidelines of directly providing relief to those in need and holding on to the right principles, Tzu Chi assisted with flood recovery in China. These actions cemented Tzu Chi's path into providing international relief.

In the most advanced and prosperous society, there will still be people suffering in the dark corners. Someone said "Tzu Chi is Taiwan's way of giving back to the society after accumulating its wealth. Tzu Chi's compassion toward others has never wavered, and their compassionate actions continuously grow without diminishing. If this continues over a long period of time, then the goal of bringing peace to society won't be that far off."

Here is a complete history of how Tzu Chi Charity Mission came
about:

Our Missions

2008-11-27T03:18:00.001-08:00

As Tzu Chi enters its thirty-fifth year, every inch of path Tzu Chi members have traveled has been paved with love. Tzu Chi's four missions are a network of universal love.

We work in missions of Charity, Medicine, Education and Culture with the spirit of sincerity, integrity, trust and honesty. We believe in the equality of all beings and the Buddha-nature potential in every person. Through charitable hearts, the privilege obtain blessings and joy, and the impoverished receive security and peace.

Tzu Chi members strive to bring forth the pure world Tzu Chi envisions; a world without suffering and obtained through love, compassion, joy and selfless giving. We invite all people in their goodwill to join us in purifying our minds, pacifying our society and working towards a disaster-free world.

Buddhist Etiquette

2008-11-27T03:06:00.001-08:00

What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is the education of learning the Buddha's sprit. The Buddhist spirit emphasizes the mind. Disciples of Buddha refer to themselves as people who are learning Buddha's spirit and behavior. To put it simply, to be Buddhist is to "refrain from doing all bad things, diligently do all good deeds, and purify the mind."

What are the Four Noble Mannerisms?
Walk like the wind, stand like a pine tree, sit like a temple bell, and lie down like a bow.

Eating
Before meals, say, "To the Buddha, to the Dharma, to the Sangha, and to all living beings."
When you start eating, take the first mouthful from the left side of the plate and say, "I will abstain from all evil." Take the second mouthful from the middle and say, "I will cultivate all goodness." Take the third mouthful from the right side and say, "I vow to redeem all living beings from their suffering."

Enter the Buddhist Temple
When you enter the main hall of a Buddhist temple, make a half bow, three prostrations and then a half bow. The kneeling pad in the center of the hall should not be touched by anyone except the abbot or abbess.
When two people make the prostration at the same time, they must do it together. When there are more than two, have one person call out the movements and lead them.

Bowing
Half bow: This greeting praises the merits of the other person. If bows are not appropriate for the occasion, you can simply put your palms together, smile and nod.

Tzu Chi Logo

2008-11-27T03:05:00.001-08:00

Simultaneously bearing the lotus fruit and flower, the Tzu Chi logo symbolizes that we can make the world a better place by planting good seeds. Only with these seeds can the flowers bloom and bear fruit. A better society can be created with good actions and pure thoughts.

Ship: Tzu Chi steers a ship of compassion to save all beings that suffer.

Eight Petals: The petals represent the Noble Eight Fold Path in Buddhism that Tzu Chi members use as their guide.

The Noble Eight Fold Path:
1. Right View 5. Right Livelihood
2. Right Thought 6. Right Effort
3. Right Speech 7. Right Mindfulness
4. Right Behavior 8. Right Concentration

Tzu Chi Resolution

2008-11-27T03:03:00.002-08:00

We, the members of the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, commit ourselves to helping the poor and educating the rich by reverently accepting the Buddha's teaching of "Great compassion to strangers and great mercy for all." We follow Venerable Dharma Master Yin Shun's instruction to "Be constantly committed to Buddhism and to all living beings."

With love, compassion, joy and unselfish giving, we strive to bring about the pure world of Tzu Chi by helping the needy, giving joy and eliminating suffering. We invite all people of goodwill to cultivate a field of blessings and create a society of love.

We work in the four missions of Charity, Medicine, Education and Culture and in the spirit of sincerity, integrity, trust and honesty. We believe in the equality of all beings and the Buddha-nature latent in every person. Through charity, the rich obtain blessings of joy and the poor receive security and peace.

Taking the Buddha's compassion and Master Cheng Yen's commitment as our own , together we are like Kuan Yin, the Great Compassion Bodhisattva. Together, like Bodhisattva Kuan Yin, we have one thousand eyes to see the suffering in the world and one thousand hands to reach out to help end the suffering.
The moon reflects upon one thousand rivers,
While one thousand rivers receive yet one single moon.

The Buddha watches kindly over all beings, like the benevolent moonlight and like the rain of dharma on earth renewing the mountains and fields. We must personally participate in doing good deeds with the right faith and the right mindset. In so doing, we may comprehend the true essence of the birth, aging, illness, and death that is this life. We may comprehend the significance of the formation, continuation, destruction, and the void that is the universe. Let us plan and work together to carry out the missions of Tzu Chi and leave a legacy for generations to come.
To know what you did in your former lives,
look at what you are now;
to predict what you will be in the next life,
see what you do now

Because time is fleeting and life short, we make good use of every opportunity. We plant good causes so that we may reap its good effects. We must make the most of our lives in this world.

To be born in human form is to be most blessed indeed. We must vigorously and resolutely cultivate our wisdom and blessings. We must fill our society with love and be dedicated as Buddhists with right faith and right mindfulness.

We commit ourselves to support one another through love and wisdom, and to walk hand in hand on the Path of the Bodhisattvas.

Cycle of Goodness The Tzu Chi Philosophy On Giving Aid Compiled from various teachings of Master Cheng Yen

2008-11-27T03:03:00.001-08:00

We live in a time of turmoil, fear and violence. Everyday we are inundated with news of war, natural disasters, unrelenting change that threatens to destroy the orderly world we know and live in. It is easy to lose hope and direction in life. We live under the same sky and breathe in the same air, so it should only be natural that we help and care for one another.

Tzu Chi was built in 1966 on a foundation of love and that remains our core mission today. Love is all-powerful; it can soothe and calm a fretful and disquieted heart, as well as heal the wounds inflicted by calamities.

The hope of humanity lies in mutual help. In times of crisis or suffering, Tzu Chi volunteers are like a beacon of light. They bring hope and inspire others with their generous spirit and unconditional care. Love is the sole driving force in their mission; they are givers of love, food, care, shelter, and clothing, anything that will alleviate suffering. But in helping others, they also plant seeds of love. They expect nothing in return, other than for the same unconditional love to be extended to others. When those being helped can begin helping others, the cycle of goodness would have come full circle.

We firmly believe that the use of force will not end the turmoil on earth. Only through an open loving heart can we truly change the world to a better place for all to live in, alleviate the suffering of mankind, and reverse the trend of violence and destruction. When the goodness in every human being is awakened, world peace shall be possible.

Introduction to Tzu Chi Foundation

2008-11-27T02:59:00.000-08:00

Tzu Chi Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1966 by Dharma Master Cheng Yen in the impoverished east coast of Taiwan. The Foundation has been contributing to better social and community services, medical care, education and humanism in Taiwan for nearly 40 years. Master Cheng Yen firmly believes that suffering in this world is caused by material deprivation and spiritual poverty. She felt that "lack of love for others" has been the root of many problems in this world. "To save the world, we must begin by transforming human hearts."

A volunteer-based, spiritual as well as welfare organization, Tzu Chi’s missions focus on giving material aid and inspiring love and humanity in both the givers and receivers. Since its founding, the Foundation has dedicated itself in the field of charity, medicine, education, environmental protection, as well as the promotion of humanistic values and community volunteerism. The humanitarian work is both a means to help those in need, and also a way to open the eyes of the volunteer to the harsher side of life, so that through giving, they may find spiritual happiness and life's true meaning.

A home-grown Taiwanese organization, Tzu Chi volunteers living abroad began setting up overseas chapters in 1985. They use money that they have earned in their country of residence to help the poor and needy in their local communities. Today, Tzu Chi is an international organization with over 5 million supporters and over 30,000 certified commissioners around the globe.

Emergency aid to typhoon-stricken Bangladesh in 1991 marked the beginning of the foundation's international relief efforts. Firmly believing that, "Nothing is more valuable than life, All beings are equal." Tzu Chi demonstrates first hand that They overcome obstacles of time, distance, and politics, to provide relief and hope to victims of war, flood, and drought. As of August 2005, over fifty-seven countries in five continents have received Tzu Chi’s aid.

From the icy Arctic Circle to the sweltering tropics, Tzu Chi volunteers have left their footprints in many faraway lands, risking their lives in epidemics and wars. Their belief in "making the impossible possible" has sustained them in accomplishing many arduous tasks. In addition to material aid, Tzu Chi has also encouraged mutual help among disaster victims and helped them become independent by involving them in rebuilding their own communities. The ultimate goal is to inspire disaster victims to contribute to others in turn when they have the ability to do so, thus creating a global village of Great Love.