Candles without Tears

(Translated by Douglas Shaw)

Chinese version

Tzu Chi people refer to the candles made by the resident nuns of the Abode of Still Thoughts as "candles without tears."

Master Cheng Yen first thought of this kind of candle when she first began her spiritual cultivation. When she saw traditional candles running and dripping wax on the table, she felt that it was wasteful and messy. So she tried to think of a way to make the wax burn up completely. In 1981, she got a clever idea: she used a small plastic fruit juice container as a mold and incense for the wick, which she fastened with a little washer cut from corrugated sheet metal. When the wax had cooled and set, she removed the plastic mold and wrapped the candle with a piece of clear plastic. This was the first "candle without tears." The nuns in the early days at the Abode of Still Thoughts made these candles as gifts for visitors.

In 1982, the Abode acquired an automatic molding machine for large-scale production, and the candles became one of the main sources of income for the resident nuns.

Master Cheng Yen encourages Tzu Chi people to follow the spirit of the "candle without tears" by facing life courageously. The love in people's hearts should also be like the candlewick, which must be lit in order to fulfill its function.