20220601 Kaohsiung Online Study Group
Introduction: Ding Xueyu 丁雪玉
Theme: Helping India Survive the Epidemic with Love
Scope: 2021 Summer Volume of Footsteps (Progress 05/01-05/08)
Translator Name: Adeleine Sim Ping Ping (MY) 沈萍萍
Editor Name: Eugene Tang (SG) 鄧國榮
India, the world's second most populous country, had 7 million confirmed cases in six months during the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020, but by 2021, it recorded another 7 million confirmed cases in just one month, and in early May there was a reported 4,000 deaths a day, with an average of 2.6 people dying every minute.
Since restrictions for social interaction in India were eased during the early part of 2021, the political turmoil erupted for many consecutive weeks during March, coupled with the surge of activities such as large religious celebrations; all these fueled a new wave of the epidemic. The government did not immediately lock down the city due to fear of economic downturn, causing the second wave of the epidemic to hit like a tsunami. In some areas, due to lack of vaccines, beds, oxygen cylinders and other drugs, the indigenous DELTA variant viral strain became rampant, causing the epidemic to escalate rapidly since April, creating numerous casualties, such that the crematoriums became overloaded. For a better understanding of the situation, do follow the Daai News on May 24, 2021 when a video of the Shimmer series was broadcasted. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlqvfQ7t_VM 0:10-0:30)。
Dinash, an Indian citizen, said: "I have never seen a crematorium full of bodies like this, there were insufficient platforms for cremating the remains, and even the roads are piled up with bodies, and I have never seen such piling up on the road like this."
The driver of the ambulance, Aum: "We were not carrying living people, but the remains of those who died of COVID-19." There was a wait of at least two hours for each body before it was cremated."
When one party meets with difficulties, all parties from eight different directions rush in to help from around the world; we witnessed much global goodness, and we could see that love has no boundaries. At this time, we witnessed the beauty in this world, with many countries reaching out immediately to help: Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, Uzbekistan, and Taiwan all delivered the supplies with great urgency. A total of forty countries sent love, providing aid to India. We all share a common desire to help India survive this wave of disasters.
The local Catholic Missionary Sisters of Charity (founded by Sister Teresa) and the Spiritual Medicine Association cooperated with Tzu Chi Foundation to distribute supplies to the poor families in the lowest caste of society so that they could have enough food to survive through this crisis. These lower caste folks are already very poor to begin with, so life was even tougher after the pandemic broke out. So, in addition to delivering epidemic prevention materials, they also delivered food, because hunger can also cause disease.Food is needed as the medicine to cure hunger, in order for their lives to be sustained.
The number of confirmed cases in India soared, and many people died because they were not treated, and there was no end in sight for the pandemic. Members of the Spiritual Medicine Association included nuns, priests, drivers, and workers with medical backgrounds, and they adopted the spirit of a death squad, taking the risk of high infection and entered the hospital to help. They fed, cleaned, and even had to take care of the bodies. When our Master Cheng Yen heard of this story, she said that Tzu Chi should try to support them so that they could have enough protective equipment to finally get out of the hospital safely. Master Cheng Yen’s thoughts and compassion were reported in the 20210503 "Life Wisdom" episode. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5vcQRHrhyk&t=436s 3:56-5:48 )
Master said kindly: "If the Twenty-seven priests who had entered the hospital to support those inside get infected themselves, they would have no chance to come out again." I said to the overseas group of the Religious Affairs Division, "No ! (Choking) Cannot allow them to have no chance to come out.” We must do our best to give them enough protection, they all went into the hospital to save people, and they are full of benevolence, kindness, love and courage. I hope they come out safely, filled with joy and happiness. Therefore, we must try our best to support them as much as possible, thereby allowing this group of warriors to go in with good protection, and come out safely, so now we need the love of people from around the world."
Those who are enjoying peace go in to rescue those who are suffering, and this is like believing in the good faith and willingness of others to do good. Master said, "Practicing the Buddha's teachings and practicing the bodhisattva path in the human world is the eternal and unchanging spirit of Tzu Chi. Tzu Chi has been around for fifty-five years, and if we say, 'It takes a thousand days to raise and train an army to be used in one morning,' then fifty-five years is not merely a thousand days. If during this period, there are great calamities in the world, we must do our best to rescue those who are suffering as long as we can do it, When people are hurt, I feel the pain, and when people are suffering, I feel compassion welling up, and compassion and equanimity are the essence of the Buddha Dharma."
Therefore, the overseas group of the Religious Affairs Department and the United Nations team have been in close contact with the Indian cooperative agencies, and since May 3, they have held daily meetings to confirm the urgently needed medical supplies and quantities item by item, and started urgent procurement in order to quickly send life-saving supplies to the local area. The rationale is: if you can save one more person, you may be able to help stem the spread of the virus. But because there are no Tzu Chi volunteers in India, Master reminded us to make use of our various resources, connections, and strengths. During this pandemic, the administrative efficiency of the whole of India is not so high, and there are twenty-eight states in India, with each state having its own policies and varying conditions for customs clearance, the aid and rescue efforts are rendered more difficult, and all aspects of the different barriers need to be overcome one by one.
When the second wave of the epidemic struck, medical services collapsed. Beds, medicines, respirators were lacking, many patients were not in time for the wait for beds, and breathed their last just outside the hospital, and the family members were also facing a tough battle to save their family members. They ran around looking for hospital beds and oxygen supplies. The price of oxygen has been pushed up by the black market, and the poor families could not afford it at all. They could only watch their loved ones pass away in pain, and the death toll kept rising.
I am grateful to the entrepreneurs in southern Taiwan, who immediately started stock checking and worked overtime in mid-May, and managed to deliver six hundred 47-liter oxygen cylinders to the container on May 24 and sent to India as scheduled. At the same time, by the end of May, Tzu Chi had also sent 1,000 oxygen concentrators to India.
In thanking Tzu Chi, Father Baby Ellickal Mi of the Spiritual Medicine Association said: "Regarding Tzu Chi's interfaith assistance, we can only express our utmost gratitude, we are grateful to Master Cheng Yan and Tzu Chi volunteers who disregarded religious differences. I have always supported the Spiritual Medicine Association; in India, the association will strive to live up to the trust of Master and the Tzu Chi volunteers."
The Venerable Master at 20210503 "Life Wisdom" episode. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5vcQRHrhyk&t=436s 5:55-7:11) shows that in addition to providing tangible support, we must gather good thoughts at this time, and only by adopting vegetarianism can we mitigate disasters.
The Venerable Master said: "Express it with vegetarianism, and show that you truly protect and love life. We all love life, but it should not be just our own life, nor the life of our loved ones, we must love all living things. In order to love all living beings, we must devoutly observe vegetarianism. Only by being a vegetarian and by not eating meat can you stop the killings, and if everyone does not eat meat, we can then liberate the animals from being slaughtered. Freeing life is immeasurable merit ! This is an expression of devout love."
Only by being sincere and pious can we truly repent, and with repentance, disasters can be mitigated. This Great Education has shown us the right and good direction, that of adopting vegetarianism, safeguarding heaven and earth and all living beings, purifying the air, and purifying human hearts. Pray for blessings for the world and for the benefit of mankind. With Gratitude.