2009/08/08莫拉克颱風：證嚴法師致災民慰問信Master Cheng Yen's letter to Typhoon Morakot survivors

親愛的鄉親：

　　今年以來，全球各地氣候異常，火災、水災、風災頻傳，相較之下，臺灣屬較平安之地，雖然多次颱風形成，行進方向卻都遠離臺灣，沒有登陸；然而沒有颱風降臨，相對的雨水也稀少了，隨著夏季氣溫升高，臺灣陷入缺水的危機，大旱望雲霓，大家期盼著雨水滋潤大地，滋養生機，古德云：「禍兮福所倚，福兮禍所伏」禍與福是互相依存，互相轉化的。

　　值此之際，莫拉克颱風的形成，令人一則以喜，一則以憂，颱風雖能帶來雨量一解旱象，但由輕颱轉而成為中颱，行進方向直撲臺灣而來，證嚴祈望人人警戒防颱。感恩慈濟志工於颱風前，即至社區宣導提醒做好疏通排水溝等防颱工作、並至弱勢的家庭關懷及致上生活物資，期待透過事先預防，讓災害減至最低；同時在全省各地成立防災協調中心，隨時關注著颱風動向及各地災情，以利為鄉親提供及時的協助。

　　莫拉克颱風在八月七日深夜於花蓮登陸，帶來強風與豪雨，造成臺東、屏東、高雄、臺南、苗栗、新竹等地災情頻傳，土石坍方、溪流暴漲、街道淹水、電力中斷等等災害，而部分地區鄉親必須暫離家園至安全之處。諸位鄉親，大家辛苦了！在持續風雨交加的時刻，證嚴與全球慈濟人心繫諸位鄉親的安危與處境，慈濟志工秉持慈悲喜捨的大愛情懷，積極投入賑災關懷行列、膚慰受災鄉親。帶著至誠祝福的心，謙恭地奉上代表全球慈濟人無量的關懷與祝福，更誠摯的祝福人人平安渡過傷痛，互愛互助，重建家園。

　　「慈濟」緣起於臺灣，四十多年來，秉持「無緣大慈、同體大悲」的理念，力行「克己．克勤．克儉．克難」的簡樸精神，伴隨所有鄉親同成長、共患難，一路走來無怨無悔。以感恩、尊重、愛守護鄉親、守護鄉土，是全球慈濟人的責任與使命，更是證嚴創立慈濟功德會以來恆持的心念與願望。

　　全球暖化，氣候變遷異常，乾旱、洪澇交替；風災、山林野火頻傳。末法壞劫時代，人心浮動難調，人禍亦不斷發生。期待人人提起一份戒慎的心，虔誠祈禱，匯聚眾人心聲，上達諸天諸佛聽，同時以實際行動愛護萬物、用心用愛守護環境，讓大地保存其自然生機，讓善念常存人心；人人敬天愛地，凝聚善念，廣聚福緣，讓臺灣以善以愛為寶，福德綿延。

祈願家家戶戶時時吉祥平安

臺灣佛教慈濟基金會

To dear friends affected by Typhoon Morakot,

I offer my deepest condolences for survivors of Typhoon Morakot. For those who have lost their family, friends, and communities, I offer most sincere prayers that the lost ones may peacefully transition to the next stage. For those whose houses and things have been swept away, damaged, or ruined, let us be grateful that we are still alive and well, and offer an extra hand to help those less fortunate to quickly rebuild our communities. With mutual love and support, we shall overcome these difficulties together. May we emerge awakened to Mother Nature's needs and vigilant of our individual and collective responsibility to each other and to our Earth in challenging times.

In truth, we all shared a sense of joy as well as worry from the formation of Typhoon Morakot. Before the typhoon made landfall there was hopeful anticipation that the typhoon would end the drought, yet I had prayed that people would make necessary safety preparations if the typhoon upgraded in intensity. I am deeply grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers who reminded their local community to make necessary preparations for sufficient draining and disaster prevention, including ensuring that vulnerable families had sufficient supplies, in the hopes that such preparedness would minimize suffering for potential victims. We also established a center for coordination of disaster preparedness and aid, for real-time monitoring of the typhoon conditions and disaster situation and timely relief for those affected.

On the evening of August 7, Typhoon Morakot arrived in Taiwan with severe winds and rains, followed by much destruction in the regions of Taitung, Pingtung, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Miaoli, and Hsinchu, from mudslides, bursting rivers, flooded streets, interrupted electricity, etc. Several village communities also had to evacuate their homes to reach safety amidst the constantly pouring rainfall. To those communities, I offer my deepest sympathies and concerns on behalf of all Tzu Chi people around the world. Keeping a heart of great love and great compassion, Tzu Chi volunteers have made constant relief efforts to soothe the suffering of our fellow village communities. On behalf of Tzu Chi people around the world, with a heart of utmost sincerity and faith I offer their immeasurable blessings to quickly emerge from the suffering of Typhoon Morakot.

For more than forty years, Tzu Chi Foundation has upheld the maxim of "Great love for those who bear no relation to us; great compassion as though we share the same body" and followed the simple spirit of "Overcoming difficulty through diligence and frugality". It is the mission of Tzu Chi people around the world to accompany our fellow citizens and village communities without resentment or regret and keep a heart of gratitude, respect, and love as we protect our local communities. Indeed, these have been our prayers and hopes ever since I founded Tzu Chi Foundation more than forty years ago. In this era of degenerate teachings, amidst persisting global warming, climate change and extreme weather patterns, we shall see human disasters continually occur as human hearts stubbornly wander in this ocean of suffering. I pray that every person can raise their vigilant mindfulness and together pray for all awakened beings (Buddhas) to hear, and may we also at the same time protect all of earth's beings. With mindfulness and with love, let us protect Mother Earth, the great nurturer of life, and let only virtuous thoughts stay in human hearts. Together, let us combine our efforts and collect our good thoughts to extend blessed connections. May Taiwan keep love and goodness as its treasures, and let blessings of virtue infinitely spread forth.

Master Cheng Yen
Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation
(Translated by Victoria Fan )