華麗的冒險

Be an unrequested helper

Someone once asked me if it’s difficult to be a volunteer. It seems like only students have the luxury of time to be involved in volunteer work. It could be a student club focus on community service, helping out at the local temple or church the family frequently visits, or working as a volunteer at hospital. Once we leave the fantastic college life behind and become working professionals, “volunteer” become an unfamiliar word that sound so distant because we don’t seem to have the time or energy anymore after a week of hard work. One would assume that our life turn towards the career path and focus on work, meetings, and commute. Should we still perform a service willingly without pay?

Most people think that they are too busy to be of service. In spite of our often hectic schedule, I believe we can still be a volunteer. We just need to be an unrequested helper.

What is an unrequested helper? As our Venerable Master Hsing Yun said: “People usually wait for others’ requests or invitation before offering their help, but a truly compassionate and generous person will automatically step forward and offer a helping hand when seeing others in need.” Being an unrequested helper does not necessarily require a lot of time or effort. It could be as simple as holding an elevator door, pouring the tea for someone sits next to you, or give up the seat for elderly. From these small actions, our compassion grows as we help others each day.

Nevertheless, compassion alone sometimes is not enough. Without wisdom, our unrequested help could bring negative results. Accountants should not eagerly offer advice on tax evasion as it harms nation’s economy; teachers should not help students to cheat or skip school because it does not lead them towards the correct path. How do we determine if our unrequested help follows morality?

Is our action wholesome? When we provide unrequested help, does it lead to wholesome results? We should be of service to others, but we do not assist in someone’s wrong doing. Our action should alleviate other’s suffering, not to cause more pain.

Did our speech affect others in a negative way? Did our words bring joy and hope to others? A few sentences can bring smile to someone and brighten up their day, but it can also diminish their courage and indirectly result in their failure. We want to guard our speech carefully to bring positive impact on others.

Did we have a kind and compassionate heart? Or did we provide assistance with questionable intention? Only wholesome intention can lead to good outcome. Since we want to be a volunteer, we should always be of service and practice the three good manners: do good deeds, say kind words, have a compassionate heart.

It is said that a Bodhisattva is a volunteer for sentient beings, while a volunteer is a bodhisattva for the world. Being an unrequested helper is the first step towards Bodhisattva path. I hope everyone in NYYAD can be an outstanding volunteer, starting by helping your fellow members in YAD. The 2010 Children’s Summer Camp is around the corner. There are a lot of preparations need to be completed. With everyone’s unique talent and experience, I am confident we will finish the preparation in time. Yet, sometimes a few things might slip out of crack or fall behind because we might be too busy with our regular work and academic assignments. If each of us can be an unrequested helper and assist our friends, I believe we can make operations more smooth and deliver a memorable summer camp experience.