The Master's Rice

(Translated by Mike Lee, Northern California)

Chinese version

On most days, Master Cheng Yen was so preoccupied with managing Tzu Chi affairs that she often neglected her meals. Whenever her disciples saw that she was not eating enough, they would prepare white rice stir-fried with soy sauce to whet her appetite. When the Master went away on trips, she often took along this dish of fried rice with soy sauce to quell her hunger.

Later on, there was a child of a Tzu Chi commissioner who wanted his mother to save money at home to be used for helping others. Thus he asked his mother to do likewise and cook plain rice stir-fried with soy sauce for his meals. The money saved was then donated to Master Cheng Yen to be used for charity. The boy called this dish, "the Master's Rice."