The 1991 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership

RESPONSE of Shih Cheng-Yen

This is the most honored occasion in my life. Unfortunately, I am unable to witness personally the magnificence of this awards presentation and to extend my sincere gratitude to all who have shown their love and kindness to me. However, even though I am in Taiwan, I can feel the care and concern extended to me by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation and the encouragement given to me by all the distinguished guests at this awards ceremony. Your support and well wishes make me more aware of my responsibilities.

The ancient sages and worthy monks of China have said that no great event under heaven can be achieved by a single person alone in a single moment; instead, it is accomplished by collective efforts—from one person to another, from one generation to the next. The achievements that have resulted from the twenty-seven years of work of the Tz'u Chi (Compassion and Mercy) Buddhist Contribution Society must be directly attributed to all the Buddhist disciples, the Tz'u Chi committee and members, as well as all the kind-hearted lay people of our Society. Although this award is presented to me today, the actual honor and glory should belong to each member of the Tz'u Chi Buddhist Contribution Society.

Caring for others and providing relief to the poor and the sick symbolize the radiance of humanity and illumine man's benevolent nature. This nature is evidenced in our daily life when we see many successful people among us who are unhesitatingly helping others. It is these people who are taking practical action to create tangible benefits to improve our society materially and spiritually, thus elevating the people's quality of life. It is our hope that we can gather all goodhearted people to lead and guide our society—in a spirit of universal love—toward friendliness and harmony. In this way, we can purify our human nature by living in a land of "common wealth." I believe everyone assembled here for this significant ceremony must share similar high aspirations with me.

I am very grateful to those who have given me this honor today. There are a lot of people who are suffering in this world and are in need of assistance. Therefore, I would like to donate half of the award stipend given me to the government of the Philippines for the victims of the Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruptions. The other half will be given to the Tz'u Chi Buddhist Contribution Society for its relief purposes.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Magsaysay Foundation for the award given me, which symbolizes the highest honor for a social worker. The Philippines is a beautiful country, and her people are friendly and sincere. Regretfully, I am unable to visit this beautiful land due to personal reasons. However, as the Chinese saying goes, "Good friends feel close together even though they are actually far apart." And opportunities for us to meet will certainly arise.

Peace and good health to everyone, and prosperity to the great Filipino nation.