Wisdom in Every Room
Jing Si Aphorisms in U.S. Hotels
It’s common to find a Christian Bible tucked in a drawer in most hotel and motel rooms in the United States. Given today’s diverse society, guests in many establishments can now also request and obtain books representing other faiths.
Tzu Chi volunteers are passionate about the wisdom encapsulated in Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s Jing Si Aphorisms: Although they’re rooted in the teachings of the Buddha, they echo the universal truths taught by sages through the ages. And so, a group of volunteers sought to distribute collections of Jing Si Aphorisms within the hospitality industry.
Thanks to generous donors, they published over 100,000 books, each presenting the text in four languages – English, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese – then set out to make them available in hotels and motels in their region. At first, local managers were skeptical, but those who glanced inside the books and read a few passages, discovered the ageless truths they contain, of benefit to everyone regardless of culture or faith, and welcomed the publications.
Today, you can find books of Jing Si Aphorisms in over 700 hotels across the United States.