Written by Pan Xuan 

The Bond Between Master and Disciple 

Tzu Chi’s beginnings were deeply rooted in the profound realization of these words, "For Buddha’s Teachings, For All Sentient Beings." If you ask me who has influenced me the most in this life, the answer is undoubtedly my master. 

— Master Cheng Yen  

A Fateful Rainy Afternoon  

It was a rainy afternoon in 1963 at Light of Wisdom Dharma Hall in Taipei—a moment in history that shone with significance.  

Earlier that February, Linji Huguo Temple in Taipei had been preparing for a precepts transmission ceremony. Novices from across the region had gathered to receive the full ordination, which would officially mark their entry into the monastic community. 

A novice nun from Hualien, who had shaved her own head, arrived in Taipei the day before the ceremony. She first went to Linji Huguo Temple to register and then visited the Light of Wisdom Dharma Hall. 

It was at the Light of Wisdom Dharma Hall where she first encountered Venerable Yinshun. 

Venerable Yinshun reminisced about that moment, “At that time, I was residing at the Light of Wisdom Dharma Hall. A former student of the Women’s Buddhist College, Hui Yin (慧音), brought someone to see me. After meeting me, this person went to the lecture hall’s bookstore to purchase The Complete Works of the Venerable Master Taixu. It was then that Hui Yin mentioned to me that this person had come to receive ordination. However, in Hualien, she had only taken refuge under a lay teacher, Cong-Min Xu (許聰敏), and had already shaved her head. Without a proper ordination master, she realized she couldn’t proceed with the ordination ceremony. Someone had suggested that she could find a nearby master to take refuge under and then register, but she insisted on taking her time to find the right master. Instead, she came to the Light of Wisdom Dharma Hall to buy the complete works of Master Taixu and planned to return to Hualien. Unexpectedly, after buying the books, she told Hui Yin, ‘I’d like to take Venerable Yinshun as my master!’” 

Ven. Yinshun chuckled warmly at this point, “I’m not very good with words, and I don’t know what she saw in me, but I agreed. I immediately gave her the Dharma name ‘Cheng Yen’ and urged her to hurry back, as the registration for the ordination ceremony was about to close!” 

Ven. Yinshun gave this young nun the Dharma name, Cheng Yen and a personal name, Hui Chang. 

 An Enlightening Chance Meeting  

 Master Cheng Yen recalled that moment from the past, “I remember when I knelt to take refuge, my master said, ‘The bond between us as master and disciple is unique. The time has come for you to receive the precepts. I cannot say much to you, but remember these words: For Buddha’s teachings, for all sentient beings.’ I was deeply moved. These words, ‘For Buddha’s teachings, for all sentient beings,’ takes less than a second to say, yet they have guided me throughout my life, even to this day.” 
 
In an interview, Ven. Yinshun calmly reflected on the moment he accepted this disciple, “It was because she bought the complete works of Master Taixu that I agreed. Although Master Taixu was not my direct teacher, he was my mentor. The events of this world are truly beyond comprehension—it’s remarkable how these things come to pass." 

Master Cheng Yen spoke about the serendipity of buying the complete works of Master Taixu, “I once heard that if one can read Master Taixu’s concise Buddhist scriptures, it is almost as if one has grasped the essence of the entire Dharma.” 

From Venerable Yin Shun’s perspective, it was extraordinary that this disciple came to him through a book written by his own teacher. A single set of books had mysteriously linked three generations of masters and disciples, weaving an unbroken thread across three centuries.  

The Birth of Tzu Chi  

In 1966, Venerable Yinshun was invited to teach at the Cultural Institute, becoming the first monk in Taiwan to serve as a university professor. That same year, Master Cheng Yen founded the Buddhist Tzu Chi Merit Association in Hualien. While Venerable Yinshun was spreading Buddhist wisdom to students on campus, his disciple, Master Cheng Yen, was beginning her work with a group of thirty followers, tending to the poor and sick. Her actions ignited a wave of compassion that would eventually grow into a vast movement of love and kindness. 

A Legacy of Compassion  

Reflecting on her master’s influence, Master Cheng Yen once said: "My master tirelessly promoted the Mahayana teachings, emphasizing not only understanding but also practice. This deeply influenced my dedication to charitable work—a commitment that has only grown stronger over time. 

The rain, the purchase of scriptures, the giving of a Dharma name, and the simple words of guidance all merged into a stream of compassion. This compassion flowed outward, becoming the foundation of Tzu Chi, where love and kindness now touch the lives of all beings. 

(This excerpt is from the book 法影一世紀：印順導師百歲
[A Century of Dharma: The Hundred Years of Master Yinshun], published by Commonwealth Publishing in April 2005.)