ABSTRACT
The origins of Tzu Chi began with a young woman searching for the meaning of life after her father's sudden death in 1958. The section traces Master Cheng Yen's personal journey from grief to spiritual awakening, as she ran away from home to pursue Buddhist practice and eventually take refuge under Master Yinshun in 1963. Upon taking her as his disciple, Master Yinshun gave her the words that would shape her life's purpose: to work “for Buddha's teachings, for all sentient beings.” After settling in Hualien, two transformative experiences influenced her decision to establish Tzu Chi: witnessing a pool of blood outside a medical clinic left by an Indigenous woman after being denied care due to poverty and conversations with three Catholic nuns that made her question Buddhism's role in addressing human suffering. The section also documents the “Pool of Blood” incident lawsuit regarding the validity of Master Cheng Yen's story, with the investigation leading to the truthfulness of this encounter.
