“Transforming the Buddha’s Birthplace”: The Nepal Aid Project

  
In 1993, Tzu Chi volunteers went to Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, to help flood survivors and build 1,800 Great Love Homes. In 2015, Tzu Chi volunteers from 38 countries returned to the land of the Dragon at the foot of the Himalayas as a result of a major earthquake in Nepal. As the volunteers traced the origins of Buddhism and arrived at the birthplace of the Buddha – the Lumbini Garden in Nepal, they discovered that 2,500 years after the Buddha’s teachings, the local residents still live in poverty and disease, and less than 10% of Nepalese people believe in Buddhism.

It was the vision of Master Cheng Yen that, through the gathering of a little charity, a great love can be achieved. By building schools, hospitals, helping the poor, and spreading kindness, it is hoped that Buddhism will restore in Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha; and the future of the local people could be transformed and the overall quality of life in the community could be improved through acts of great love.

From now until December 31, 2024, Tzu Chi volunteers around the world, who respond to Master Cheng Yen’s appeal and make a donation of US$800, will receive a plaque of the Jing Si Aphorism Heirloom by Taiwan Tzu Chi Foundation, which could be a family heirloom for your family.