A Good and Faithful Disciple 

Written by/Zhang Yi-Xiang, Kaohsiung

Reflecting on the Buddhist Tzu Chi Merit Society, it originated with Master's first thought, and the story began with the 30 housewives and their bamboo banks. Our lives can be boundless, and now that there are numerous enlightened beings in Tzu Chi, we have to be grateful for the many predecessors who made it possible through the many hardships they endured, paving the way for us.

This year, Master told us to reflect upon our own lives, and Tzu Chi media volunteers undertake the mission of preserving the history of Tzu Chi by faithfully tracing the good deeds of the first one thousand of our initial Tzu Chi commissioners over the years. However, some of these commissioners are already of advanced age, and some are even sick and some have already passed on.

Currently, we have about 80 senior and experienced bodhisatvas in Kaohsiung who are within the first one thousand Tzu Chi commissioners. One of them is Brother Lin Yong-Xiang who holds the commissioner badge no. 878. Despite being 90 years of age, he is still in good health. Every single day, whenever we enter Jing Si Hall , we will still see his bodhisattva figure.

He is a familiar figure in Kaohsiung. He has long white eyebrows, a plump face, and large ears that symbolize longevity and well-being. He is like a Maitreya Bodhisattva, who always cares for everyone with graciousness and humanity. He is indeed the treasure of Kaohsiung Jingsi Hall.

Sister Lin Shu-Er, a leading member of Tzu Chi media volunteers, recounted her interview with Brother Lin Yong-Xiang. He recounted that his deepest impression  about Tzu Chi was accompanying volunteers who travel back to Hualien on the trains, and he witnessed how the number of Tzu Chi volunteers have grown incessantly over the years. 

Now Tzu Chi has grown into a big tree, with branches spreading far and wide, and with very dense foliage. Generation by generation, Tzu Chi has recruited many batches of volunteers year after year, and continually bearing fruits.

Lin Yong-Xiang’s happiest moment was when he went back to Hualien, Master’s first words when she picked up the microphone were: my this filial son has come back !

He said, "Master said I am a filial child because I would buy and bring back what Master likes to eat, or I would courier back to Hualien if I could not physically travel back.

"What do I love to eat? I love bamboo shoots!"  Master shared humorously, like a homely conversation between a mother and her children. A wave of warmth swelled up in him, and he tried to hold the tears in his eyes.

"I am truly grateful once again, but at the same time I would like to repent. The 3,650 days when I left because I could not think properly. Lin was very repentant in front of Master. 

"Even though I left Tzu Chi physically, I continued to collect donations for Tzu Chi. At that time, I thought to myself: 'How come they found me and put me as a team leader?'"

At that time, as soon as he knew that Master was coming to Kaohsiung, he would ask the tour bus company what are the nice places to tour, and he would sign up for the tour himself too..

Once, he went to Yilan for a tour, and Ci Shifu called him, and he said: " Ci Shifu, I am not aware that Master is coming, I am now in Yilan!"

"Bro Lin, you are now in Yilan? Master is in Kaohsiung now!"

After wasting 10 years of his time, Lin Yong-Xiang once again openly repented to Master in front of the crowd and urged them to "be single-minded and do the work for Tzu Chi."

Master praised Lin again, "What a good and faithful disciple he is! A bodhi tree that has grown so tall is really helping me to relieve suffering of sentient beings in this world."

And once again Master reminded: "You should cherish your life of wisdom."

"Not a single day goes by that I do not come to Jing Si Hall. Even when the government said I can't come to work, I still want to come." Lin Yong-Xiang promised to do the work of two volunteers, because he wanted to do the work of his late wife Sis Luang Fong and at the same time make up for the 3,650 days that he owed Master.

Translator: Name   Elizabeth Wong See Yee    (MY) 【阮丝怡】 

Editor:   Name    Eugene Tang Kok Weng (SG) 【鄧國榮】