[eBook] Pure Heart: A Young Boy’s Spiritual Journey

[eBook] Pure Heart: A Young Boy’s Spiritual Journey

Introduction

This is a story about a young boy and his mother’s journey between two worlds: one with conflicting life values and one that fosters compassion and alleviates suffering. Despite their differences, the mother-son pair, through abundant love and respect, finally came to embrace a new vision together.

Born and raised in Northern California, Christopher Yang, nicknamed Xiao Niu(Little Calf), is gentle, kind-hearted, and soft-spoken. His mother, Jessica Su, worried that her son’s innocence would not fare well with the individualistic values of society, and she hoped to shape him into a more well-rounded and “street smart” person.

At the age of four, Christopher attended Tzu Chi Academy in San Jose, California, to begin his Mandarin lessons; in class, he became fascinated by Tzu Chi’s charity missions, and he found his place at the Jing Si Abode, the spiritual home of all Tzu Chi volunteers. Twelve-year-old Christopher, inspired by the teachings of Master Cheng Yen, grew determined to carry out Master’s great vow as his own lifelong mission—to work “for Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.”

About Author

Dharma Master Cheng Yen was born in 1937 in a small town in Taichung County, Taiwan. When she was twenty-three years old, she left home to become a Buddhist nun, and was instructed by her mentor, Venerable Master Yin Shun, to work “for Buddha’s teachings, for sentient beings.” In 1966, she founded a charity, which later turned into the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, to “help the poor and educate the rich”—to give material aid to the needy and inspire love and humanity in both givers and recipients.


In recent years, Master Cheng Yen’s contributions have been increasingly recognized by the global community. In 2011, she was recognized with the Roosevelt Institute’s FDR Distinguished Public Service Award and was named to the 2011 TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people. In 2014, she was presented with Rotary International’s Award of Honor in recognition of her humanitarian efforts and contributions to world peace.