 | Tzu Chi Foundation has a rich history and part of it is the bamboo bank tradition, which is truly a beautiful memory and testimony of unwavering vow of good deeds that has been upheld for 42 years.
People look at Tzu Chi as a well-funded organization, yet they seldom look back on how it started and strived to continue on during hard times. They never thought that 42 years ago Tzu Chi started from 30 housewives saving 50 centavos each day from their grocery money.
Currently, Tzu Chi Foundation is recognized worldwide and is supported by spiritually rich volunteers dedicating themselves to humanity. More than four decades, the power of saving 50 centavos each day manifest until today. It is a remarkable tale that all began with Master Cheng Yen’s great vow to relieve the suffering of all living beings.
Dharma Master Cheng Yen, Founder of Tzu Chi Foundation urged everyone to learn the spirit of the olden days by dropping coins at coin banks daily. Such deed is intended to inspire the love within us to grow each day. It is also a reminder for us to nurture our wisdom by guarding our thoughts against evil from time to time.
In the early times, Tzu Chi used bamboos as coin banks to collect donations. Bamboos serve as model for people to be humble and to have selfless love. In Chinese, bamboo joints are called “jie” which signifies the importance of upholding propriety and ethics. Bamboo banks contain the heart and spirit of Tzu Chi people, their blood, toil, sweat, and tears.
Such act inspired the inherent kindness of givers and warmed the hearts of those in need. Truly, a beautiful memory for many Taiwanese people to recount, it had already been etched well in Taiwan’s history.
Today, coin banks are made up of carton canisters instead of bamboos and are designed with quotes from the Master’s teachings. Through this, each person will be reminded of the Master’s blessing each time he looks at the coin bank.
A small donation each day may seem small, but Master Cheng Yen reminds us “Do not underestimate any good deed as too small to do.” According to the Master, dropped coins are like grains of sand forming a pagoda, such meager offerings can accomplish great things.
Donating once a month with big amount is not enough. Every single day, one should have kind thought of helping others regardless of how much they had given because a kind thought sows blessings.
Let us work together to promote the spirit of the Bamboo Bank and the values of common decency and respect so that the hearts of people can become more pure, and the society can be a better place to live in. |