清淨赤子心

The Pure Heart of an Innocent Child-Yang Kai-Chen (nicknamed Xiao Niu, meaning “calf”) and Tzu Chi’s Humanistic Education

How did a mother who did not understand Buddha’s Dharma changed her mind, from initial opposition to full support for her child to learn Buddhism?
Let’s take a look at how Xiao Niu carries out his great vow at a tender age.

This story describes how a mother and her son express mutual love and respect, and learn to let go.

Yang Kai-Chen, nicknamed Xiao Niu, was born and raised in Northern California, USA. He is inherently kind and gentle, as well as meticulous and mindful. Worrying that her child would not be able to survive in today’s utilitarian society, Xiao Niu’s mother hoped that he could learn to be tougher or even more socialized into the norms of society at large. He went to Tzu Chi Academy to learn Chinese, where he found a deep sense of belongingness and then determined to pursue a path in the Buddha Dharma. 12-year-old Kai-Chen has aspired to live out Master Cheng Yens great vow,“ working for Buddhism and for all living beings,”and regards it as his lifelong mission.

Initially, his mother, Su Mei-Chuan, who did not understand about the Buddha Dharma, couldn’t accept her son’s decision; she felt anxious and uncertain, and was very much against it. She even deliberately arranged a series of lessons for Kai-Chen to try and reform him. But after getting to know more about Tzu Chi, out of love and respect for Kai-Chen, she decided to “let go,” so that he could walk on the path he has chosen, and gave him her sincere blessings.

Su Mei-Chuan’s life became broader after she released herself from her worries. She realized that no matter how society changes, the best education for the next generation is to nurture children in an environment full of good will, where they can learn to develop tactful “soft power”to get along with others.

The wondrous karmic affinity between Kai-Chen and Tzu Chi keeps going and progressing. Through watching Da Ai TV, he immerses himself in Master Cheng Yen’s teachings and learns them diligently. Kai-Chen’s diligent and pure heart has moved and inspired his friends and the adults around him. His stories are a reflection of Tzu Chi’s unique humanistic education. There are also many interesting stories depicting how Kai-Chen interacts and gets along with his mother. Let’s read the book to find out how Xiao Niu applies the Buddha Dharma in his daily life!

清淨赤子心 - 小牛楊凱丞與慈濟的教養人文

一個對佛法不理解的母親，如何從反對到支持孩子學佛？

看看師公的小牛，稚齡如何展現清淨大願力。

這是一個親子之間，關於愛、尊重，與學習「放下」的故事。

在美國北加州出生成長的楊凱丞，暱稱「小牛」，天性善良、心細聲柔，母親擔心孩子無法在現今功利社會中生存，期望他「強悍」，甚至「社會化」。凱丞到慈濟人文學校學習中文，他的天性在這裡找到歸屬感，在佛法中獲得認可。才十二歲的凱丞，更立志以證嚴上人「為佛教，為眾生」的宏願，作為自己往後的人生志向。

當時尚不理解佛法的母親蘇美娟，難以接受凱丞的選擇，內心徬徨、抗拒、掙扎，甚至刻意為兒子安排一連串的改造學習計畫。在逐漸了解慈濟後，出於對孩子的愛與尊重，她決定放手，讓兒子走在他自己選擇的路上，並給予祝福。

心，放下了；生命，卻拓展了。蘇美娟從中體悟到，無論社會如何變遷，把孩子放在充滿「善知識」的環境中，以圓融的「軟實力」待人處世，就是對下一代最好的教育！

凱丞與慈濟這段奇妙的因緣，仍持續進行著。透過收看大愛台，他浸潤在證嚴上人的法中努力學習，勤奮不懈的清淨赤子心感染了周遭的朋友與大人。他的故事，揭示出慈濟獨特的人文教養。書中還有多則親子互動的精彩故事，讓我們一起看看「師公的小牛」如何將佛法落實在生活中。