This book captures well the history and spirit of Tzu Chi and its volunteers. It explains the passion and devotion that have made it the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world. Stan Shih Group Chairman Soft Capital Mark O'Neill's dispatches from Greater China over the span of many years have earned him a distinguished reputation as a gifted, insightful writer, versatile on a wide range of topics. A fluent Chinese speaker, he possesses that rare combination for a writer—of a keen nose for news as well as a heart for social responsibility. In Tzu Chi, he has chronicled the extraordinary story of a Chinese Buddhist nun whose selfless vision has built a global organization committed to doing good. O'Neill's book is the definitive story of her life and—more importantly—the organization she has built from humble roots in Taiwan. Thomas D. Gorman Chairman and Editor-in-Chief FORTUNE China Tzu Chi is a brilliant introduction to one of the most important—but to Westerners probably least-known—international charities and religious movements in the world. Tzu Chi is part of a renaissance of belief in the Chinese world and Mark O'Neill has captured it beautifully. Ian Johnson Pulitzer Prize-winner Author of Wild Grass and A Mosque in Munich Tzu Chi has inspired the generosity of millions of Asians and mobilized them for service to the poor and sick. But its good deeds are not sufficiently known in the West. Mark O'Neill's book will change that. He has written a comprehensive, sympathetic, and eminently readable chronicle of this inspiring movement. Richard Madsen Distinguished Profess or of Sociology University of California, San Diego Mark O'Neill has produced a most impressive and timely book to enlighten the many people who are not yet familiar with Tzu Chi, a remarkable organization of universal compassion. While many Buddhist societies focus on meditation and personal enlightenment, Tzu Chi concentrates on community services and global outreach with the scale, vision and management skills of a large business corporation. In a world full of injustice, poverty and disasters, Tzu Chi has been a guiding light toward peace, harmony and happiness. O'Neill's book eloquently describes the story of the many individuals behind this remarkable movement. Professor Dominic Man-Kit Lam Chairman Word Eye Organization This story of the largest worldwide organization you've never heard of will knock your socks off. First with aid to Katrina victims, first outside organization to aid the tsunami-devastated people of Indonesia, first NGO with aid after the Sichuan earthquakes in China, it's called Tzu Chi. This organization was founded by a penniless nun in an obscure town in Taiwan. Mark O'Neill has given us a page-turner in his account of how she transformed pennies in a bamboo tube into three hospitals, an international bone marrow bank, and a quick-response global rescue organization that moves faster than you can imagine. If you are overdosing on bad news, this book is a must-read. Don Gibbs Founding Chair University of California–Davis, Department of Asian Languages

This book is the first comprehensive sociological account and in-depth analysis of a new Chinese Buddhist movement, known as Tzu Chi (otherwise, the Buddhist Compassion Merit Society). Based in Taiwan, it was founded in 1966 and still led by a female Buddhist master – Master Cheng Yen. Its members are laity, and women play a major role. The main focus of the movement is medical charity – to ease and if possible prevent suffering and to teach ethics to the wealthy; at the same time, it also offers members a religion and a way of life. Recruitment typically attracts people from the urban middle class. With some 3.5 million members and a very low drop-out rate, Tzu Chi is extraordinarily successful, and has spread to other parts of the world, not least mainland China where it is attracting the attention of the general public and the media. The book stands in the Anglo-American tradition of the sociology of religion; it also draws on the author’s knowledge of Buddhist history. The data come from participant observation and many long interviews. It will be of particular interest to students of new religious movements, religious studies in contemporary China, and studies in ethics and social change in East Asia.

The threat from global warming is growing and human activity is a major contributor to the problem. It is clear that we must change our wasteful behavior before it is too late. The Tzu Chi Foundation believes it can make a difference in addressing this critically important challenge. Over the last three decades it has embraced the cause of recycling and conserving resources to ensure a cleaner environment for future generations. Tzu Chi has mobilized tens of thousands of people in this campaign, expanding from Taiwan to 19 countries and territories around the world. Co-Existing with the Earth, Tzu Chi's Three Decades of Recycling tells the story of this uniquely effective grassroots effort and examines the reasons for its success. It also relates the stories of individual recycling volunteers and explains why they chose to join this international movement.

Teachings and Commentary on the Sutra of Infinite Meanings is compiled from the teachings expounded during the seven-day Buddhist retreats in 1972 and 1973. Master Cheng Yen explained the sutra word by word, verse by verse, and complemented it with many analogies and real-life stories, connecting matters to principles.The book is organized as follows: The first volume includes the Preface, which describes the background of the teachings and Master Cheng Yen’s karmic affinity with the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, as well as her commentary on the first chapter of the sutra, “Chapter on Virtues.” The second volume includes the commentary on the second and third chapters of the sutra, “Chapter on Expounding the Dharma,” and “Chapter on the Ten Merits.” As for the last passage in the “Chapter on the Ten Merits,” “At this time, Great Magnificent Bodhisattva-Mahasattva and the eighty thousand bodhisattva-mahasattvas then rose from their seats” to, “At this time, all in the assembly rejoiced. They paid their respects to the Buddha and accepted and upheld the teachings as they departed,” the audio tape of Master Cheng Yen’s teaching on this section has been lost. Therefore, only the sutra passages have been kept without any additions.《無量義經講述》編纂依據一九七二年及一九七三年佛七開示《無量義經》內容，證嚴上人逐字逐句講述經文，輔以較多譬喻、生活點滴，事理相應。此書章節編輯，將上人與《無量義經》因緣、背景等段落，輯成「前言」一章，而〈德行品〉、〈說法品〉、〈十功德品〉，則各自獨立成章。第一冊包含了「前言」以及〈德行品〉；第二冊則包含了〈說法品〉以及〈十功德品〉。唯〈十功德品〉最後一段經文「是時大莊嚴菩薩摩訶薩，與八萬菩薩摩訶薩，即從坐起，……爾時大會皆大歡喜，為佛作禮，受持而去」，因錄音帶佚失，闕漏當時開示此段經文的內容，故僅保留經文未作增補。

This is the story of a remarkable woman who presides over a small Buddhist temple and an enormous program to bring medical services to Taiwan and emergency relief to the needy all over the world. Through the eyes of others, and then in her own words, this book chronicles the personal stories that inspired Cheng Yen to search for a form of Buddhism that would reflect unconditional love in action.