Abbot President Gives Encouragement at Taichung Veterans General Hospital
Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain, Venerable Guo Dong visited Taichung Veterans General Hospital on 23 March 2013 to share his insight with hundreds of physicians, nurses, and volunteers on how to embrace our vows and to maintain a positive and enthusiastic view on life.
The Abbot President said that physicians, nurses, and volunteers are more vulnerable to stress than ordinary people due to the nature of their work and often critical emergency situations they face in their working environment. They are more likely to face higher levels of stress and anxiety and needed to find a suitable way to cope with it in their everyday lives.
The Abbot President encouraged the audience to change own originally stubborn mind, let go of vexations that occupy the mind and concentrate instead on helping others to overcome the vexations and thereby gain control of the situation. This is the only way of establishing a calmer and more peaceful state of mind for oneself and others.
He expounded that letting go of vexations is an act of wisdom; helping out others to put down vexations is an act of compassion; embracing vows of unselfish dedications are acts of both compassion and wisdom. If we could bear these in the mind, we are less likely to be anxious and to complain, even if we are facing unpleasant challenges, he emphasized.
In closing, the Abbot President shared the notion that the true meaning of our life lies in fulfilling our own duties and the value of our life lies in altruistic and compassionate dedications for the well-being of others.
(translated by Jin Yang/edited by DDM Australia Editing Team)