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人間菩提--環保道場‧弘法利生 
Recycling: A Way to Cultivate and Spread the Dharma to Benefit Others

草根菩提如瑰寶
環保道場做中覺
簡樸淡泊惜資源
弘法利生遍清流

證嚴法師開示內容

什麼叫做草根菩提？環保、環保志工。所以師父把你們稱做草根菩薩，

What are "grass-root" bodhisattvas? They are Tzu Chi's recycling volunteers. I often refer to them as "grass-root" bodhisattas.

我們要知道，這個土地是我們大家要來疼惜的，草根才能顧好大地。雖然說大家只是一點點、一點點的力量，但是我們這一點一點的力量，把它集中起來，就是一大片的力量。

We must know that it is everyone's responsibility to care for this piece of land that we live on. Grass is good for soil conservation. Though your individual contributions to recycling might seem tiny when everyone's contributions are pooled together they go a long way to helping protect the land.

你們想，我們土地上面，若沒有草、沒有根，土地就會變成像沙漠一樣，這沙塵在飛是很厲害的。

Just imagine that if there is no grass to help conserve soil with its roots the land will gradually dry up and eventually become a desert.

每年，若是秋風起，這沙塵會飛很遠，能從外蒙古、內蒙古這樣一直飛到北京，甚至飛到台灣。

When strong winds blow, there'll be sandstorms that can affect a very wide area. Every year, in sandstorm season, the dust in deserts can blow long distances. For example, when sandstorms are sweeping inner Mongolia the dust can reach Beijing or even Taiwan.

沙塵怎麼能夠飛這麼遠？就是因為乾旱，因為一片都是沙漠。在人間，有時都說，沙漠在那麼遠跟我們有關係嗎？從這一點我們就知道，有！關係很大。

Why is there so much dust being blown across such long distances? It is because the land is so arid that it eventually turns into a desert. Some people may ask what deserts so far away have to do with us? Since Taiwan is affected by sandstorms deserts afar are our business as well.

我們大家如果要住在人間，就要讓整個地球綠化，能生草的地方，就是能夠種五穀雜糧，我們人沒辦法欠缺糧食，所以這片土地，若沒有好好來照顧，真的是人類的危機。

Living on this piece of land, we must keep our environment green by growing grass and planting trees. Wherever there are grass and trees that land will be fertile enough to grow crops. Man cannot live without grains. So, if we do not take good care of the land we live on that will truly be a crisis for mankind.

有我們這群環保志工，師父就跟大家說這稱為，草根菩提。因為有這麼多人在照顧這片土地，所以我們這片土地才能很健康，生長萬物提供給人類，所以我很讚歎、也很感恩，

Fortunately, we have this group of recycling volunteers who I often refer to as "grass-root" bodhisattvas. Because there are so many of you working to care for our Earth, it is able to remain very healthy and provide all kinds of resources for mankind. That is why I highly admire and respect you and am very grateful to you all.

在我們大愛電視台所有的節目，我看得最齊全的，每天我一定看二次，這感動人的故事能救人的心，大家在救大地，同時我們也是在救人的心。

Of all the programs on our Da Ai TV the one on our recycling volunteers is one I make sure to watch twice a day. Touching stories can transform people's hearts. So, as you save the planet, your touching deeds are also saving hearts.

所以人人要把握現在，我們要互相度化，因為我們人生難得來世間一趟，不管他過去有錯、有錯誤，其實回頭是岸、浪子回頭金不換。

So, we must seize time to do recycling and work to inspire one another. Indeed, the lifetime we have is very precious. Even if one has made mistakes in the past if he can repent and start anew that would be the most valuable.

也有一位自己自我來現身說法，全身都刺青，真的是刺青喔。

We heard the sharing of one of our volunteers, Mr. Shi. His body was covered with tattoos.

我就跟他說：「雖然身上這些刺青次了之後自己後悔，要洗也難洗，洗不掉，我們現在要洗心，不要再走回頭路，你要做對的事情，要勇往直前，趕緊做。你有這個天份，會畫圖，畫得很美。」

I told him, "Though you may regret getting the tattoos, they can't be removed now. So what's most important is to change your ways and not go back to your old ways. When you know what the right thing is you must persevere in doing it and do it right away. You are very talented and draw very beautifully."

我就跟他說：「你要把你這個工夫用在對的事情，幫我把故事畫下來。」

I then continued, "You should make good use of such a talent and draw stories about Tzu Chi."

一會兒時間而已他就在現場那個地方畫，畫完再拿給我看。你看，他這麼聰明，也這麼工巧、有手藝，怎麼過去那段時間那麼懵懂，就如人家說的：「聰明反而被聰明誤。」

He then started drawing on the spot. In just a short while, he presented his drawing to me. See how clever and skillful he is. But why did he lead such a deluded life in the past? As people often said, "People's cleverness can lead them astray."

所以師父常常跟大家說，我們不用聰明，我們有智慧就好。有智慧的人絕對是利益人群，對自己很疼惜，疼惜自己，會自愛的人，才能打開心門去大愛，愛天下人。

That's why I often share with you that we don't need to be especially smart all we need is wisdom. Those with wisdom work to benefit others and also know to take good care of themselves. Only when we love and cherish ourselves can we open up our hearts to embrace and love all living beings.

我一直感覺到來不及，世間壽命不長久，所以要把握生命做好事情，不要讓生命空過，空空懵懵懂懂度過，吃喝玩樂度過，不只是我們沒有得到，還增加業、業力。

I've been feeling that time is running out as our time on this Earth isn't long. So, we should truly seize our time to do what is right and by no means should we let our lives slip by emptily indulging ourselves in leisure activities. When we do that not only do we not grow in wisdom, we are also creating and accumulating bad karma.

所以懵懂在人間過日子，沒有造到福，竟然是造業。

So, in leading a deluded life, not only are we not benefiting others, we're actually creating bad karma.

所以雖然我一直在煩惱，世間那麼多事情我做不完，來不及我很擔心，不過每天我能把握時間，很甘願做，做了之後，我又完成一件事情，所以很歡喜。

Although I'm constantly worrying that there is still so much to do and that I'm running out of time. I seize every moment I have and wholeheartedly devote myself to my work. Having completed a task, I know I've completed one more thing and I'll feel great joy.

就如同各位在做環保，做環保就是要很多人的力，愈多人做愈起勁，愈多人做大家愈做愈歡喜；若是愈少人做，手就會愈軟。所以做環保就好像一個道場一樣，互相、相度。

It's just like when all of you are doing recycling. Recycling work requires many people's efforts. The more people there are working together, the more enthusiastic and happy everyone will be. If only a few people do it, the work will start to get discouraging. So, recycling stations are like spiritual cultivation grounds where volunteers can inspire one another.

我們人度人，人間菩薩招生。所以雖然現在環保回收物很沒有價值，但是我們是為了要如何照顧好地球，

By inspiring those around us, we are recruiting living bodhisattvas. So, although the price that recyclables sell for is now much lower than before, we are doing this to better care for the Earth.

因為我們的資源回收回來，我們若好好的分類，分得很乾淨它能再製，再製的品質很好，就不用讓這些垃圾在土地上發生問題，因為它千年百年不會腐爛。

If the recyclables we collect can be thoroughly cleaned and carefully sorted into finer categories, they can be remade into other quality products. This way, they would not become garbage that causes problems for our land as some recyclables are not biodegradable.

我們古時候的垃圾可以變成肥料，現在的垃圾根本就沒辦法變成肥料，尤其是銅、鐵，我們若沒有回收，同樣他也是在垃圾堆裡面。

In the olden days, most wastes could be used as fertilizer but garbage people produce nowadays cannot be used as fertilizer. Take copper and iron for example. If we do not recycle these materials they will also end up among piles of garbage.

像電池，有的人隨意丟，也同樣會污化這塊大地，所以我們為了照顧這片大地的精神來做環保。

When a battery is carelessly thrown away, the toxic chemicals from it will pollute the land. So, when doing recycling we must keep in mind that we're doing this to care for this land.

尤其是這一、二十年來，現在的人生活愈來愈浪費，東西愈丟愈多。

In these past one or two decades, people have become more and more wasteful throwing away more and more things.

各位，我們要惜福，真的大地不堪我們現在這樣浪費，不要這樣，所以為了我們現在，我們來做，為了我們的子孫，我們不要放棄，我們還是繼續做。讓它乾乾淨淨，垃圾就是黃金，它就是清流還可以繞全球。

Everyone, we must cherish resources as the land truly cannot withstand the wasteful ways we live our lives now so we mustn't continue like this. For our own sake, we should start caring for the Earth and for the sake of our future generations we should not give up, but continue our efforts in doing recycling so land can be clean, and the money from selling recyclables can also help fund Da Ai TV to produce wholesome programs broadcast worldwide.

總而言之，環保是我們為了疼惜大地，也是為了疼惜資源，也是要弘揚佛法，護持大愛電視台，你們環保都是直接匯進大愛台，大愛台才有經費才能弘法利生，

All in all, we do recycling to protect and care for the Earth to cherish the resources we have and to spread the Buddha's Dharma via Da Ai TV that you help to support. All the money you collect from selling recyclables is used to support Da Ai TV because only with funding can Da Ai TV spread the Dharma to benefit others.

所以說起來，不管是已經繞在全球也好，或者是我們疼惜地球也好，這過程在在都是功德，所以我們的道場，大家要用心。

So, be it supporting Da Ai TV or protecting the Earth the recycling work you do is doing great good. So, we must cherish the work we do and be mindful in doing the work.

所以很多感恩說不完，知道你們用心付出，還看到我們的志工菩薩，同樣能在環保道場來引度人，很多很感恩的事情，實在是說不完，許多都是需要大家能夠互相暸解，知道人間地球需要我們，我們就不要放棄，這樣聽懂了嗎？

There are too many thanks to say as I know how mindfully you all give of yourselves. I also see how our volunteers help to transform others by guiding them to do recycling. I can never finish expressing my gratitude for all that you do. I have shared all of this with you so that you can understand that the Earth needs our help so we mustn't give up on our recycling efforts. Do you all understand what I'm saying?

好，很感恩我們的環保志工，全球現在平均起來，全球有這麼多環保志工，在分類上分得如此精細，也等於是一個道場，這只有唯一在台灣做得到的。

Good, I'm very grateful. We now have so many recycling volunteers spread throughout the world sorting recyclables into very detailed categories. It is truly a form of spiritual cultivation. Without our recycling volunteers in Taiwan what we've done would not be possible.

這種精神，我一直要推廣到讓世界的人都能知道，台灣環保是寶，是真的寶喔，是真正的草根菩提喔。

This is the spirit that I've always wanted everyone in the world to know, the recycling work you do in Taiwan is truly very valuable and you are all truly guardians of the land.