Premier Liu meets Abbot President for Mind Relief Project
In the afternoon of August 27 2009, Premier of Executive Yuan, Chao-Shiuan Liu, met Abbot President Venerable Guo Dong at the An Ho branch office in Taipei to discuss the collaboration of the Mind Relief Project for people in the southern and eastern regions of Taiwan who were affected by Typhoon Morakot.
The Premier stressed that the government has stepped up its reconstruction efforts and has been working hard to guard against outbreak of diseases in typhoon-inflicted areas.
He further added that the government understands the pressing need for spiritual counseling for those affected by the disaster, and thus it hopes that Dharma Drum Mountain and other humanitarian organizations could offer their assistance towards that call, in addition to providing material relief.
Abbot President Venerable Guo Dong cited the late Venerable Master Sheng as saying: “Those who relieve the suffering of others are bodhisattvas, and those in the throes of suffering are great bodhisattvas.”
Premier Liu stated that DDM has devoted a significant amount of effort to aiding those in need in any way they could following the “88 Flood,” reflecting the same spirit of compassion embodied by Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva).
Abbot President expressed that the Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation (DDMSWCF) has established the Peace of Mind Relief Stations at Liukuei Township and Jiaxian Township respectively in order to reach towards the disaster-affected people to provide spiritual counseling, material relief and medical care.
He went on to say that DDMSWCF will continue to work on the Mind Relief Project in collaboration with the government in the hope that the typhoon survivors could soon leave their sorrow behind and carry forward with their lives.
(translated by Jin Yang/edited by Chiacheng Chang and Lisa Tu)
