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2018年4月2日 星期一

BUDDHA-DHARMA FOR ATTAINING ACCOMPLISHMENT AT THE FASTEST SPEED MUST BE OBTAINED USING ONE’S PURE AND UPRIGHT MIND AND CONDUCT


The true dharma of the Tathagata astounded me and all others!

I gratefully thank Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for opening my eyes to the holy dharma. That is worthy of my devoting the current life to becoming a bhiksuni!

On the eve of 2018 lunar New Year, we were joyfully waiting for the three great virtuous ones, Gelan Deqian Shile Yu Zun, Wang Zha Shang Zun, and Venerable Mo Zhi, to come and celebrate the New Year with us. Unexpectedly, the karmic condition suddenly changed at that time. A tremendously great, broad, and profound cause with the dharma even emerged from the originally planned New Year celebration with the holy virtuous ones. That let we Buddhist disciples present have a supremely magnificent eyesight.The supreme and magnificent state truly opened the eyes of all the Buddhist disciples at the scene.  The circumstance was truly “difficult to encounter even in millions of eons!”

On that day, there were nearly one hundred Buddhist disciples with deep good roots present. Suddenly, one of the fellow sisters raised her hand to speak. Her voice was not loud, but was filled with sincerity. She said, “It is New Year now. I must present my offering to the tremendous holy virtuous one. I will present all my assets, including all my money in the bank, as an offering without leaving a cent behind!”

The tremendous holy virtuous one said, “If you offer everything, what do you have for eating and living?” She was stunned for a moment and then regained her sense and replied, “Then I will keep 20,000 dollars as my living expense.”

The tremendous holy virtuous one said, “You absolutely cannot do that. You have to have sufficient resource of good fortune for cultivation.” She said, “My business will have money come in. Please do not worry about me. If, at the time of New Year, I do not even have this mindset of offering, I would not be a Buddhist disciple and would not be as good as a pig or a dog. Then, how could I become accomplished?” She stated very firmly.

The tremendous holy virtuous one said, “I will not accept even a cent of your offering.” But she was very stubborn and insisted on making the offering. Her entire body was trembling due to excitement. My heart was also moved by her sincerity and piousness and was in continuous upheaval.

Since the stalemate could not end, the tremendous holy virtuous one could only persuade her that she could present the offering to the Ancient Buddha Temple and the merit of doing that is also very great, but she did not agree, saying, “My vow and action is to present the offering to the tremendous holy virtuous one.”

Since she could not be convinced to listen no matter what, the tremendous holy virtuous one could only say, “If you continue to insist on this, I will not teach you. In short, I absolutely will not accept a cent from your offering.” So, she had no choice and finally agreed to make an offering to the Ancient Buddha Temple.

The tremendous holy virtuous one said, “Since I came to this world, I have not met any disciple in this lifetime who treated me so sincerely. You are the first one who is selfless and pious to present all your assets as an offering to me without leaving a cent behind. That is so pure. You made me so moved. Since you treat me so seriously and present such a great gift to me, although I do not accept a cent from you, I and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have accepted your mindset and action. According to the stipulation of the dharma, I must give you a holy gift in return. My holy gift is: Tonight, between 1am to 5am after midnight, the yidam who is a Bodhisattva will come to meet you in person!” A round of exclamation of excitement came from the astounded crowd.

Next, a petition was written before the crowd, which was laid on a table before the disciples to let everyone take turns to view respectfully. The tremendous holy virtuous one said, “After you all have looked at it, this written petition will be burnt. Tonight, the Bodhisattva will restore it and return it to you. You bring it here tomorrow to let everyone see whether it is this written petition. This written petition is a treasure. With it, you can learn whatever great dharma.”

Hearing that, I simply could not understand. Others seemed to have the same feeling. A written petition that has already been burnt will be restored by a Bodhisattva and sent back in its original form. How could that be possible?! Therefore, all looked at the written petition especially carefully, paying attention to observe its characteristic of hand writing, so that one can make sure whether it is restored to the same written petition.

After we all had looked at it carefully with respect, the tremendous holy virtuous one took the written petition from the table and burnt it before everyone’s eyes. The tremendous holy virtuous one returned from the crowd of disciples to His dharma seat and said, “Tonight, the Bodhisattva yidam will come to you in person and return this burnt written petition to you.”

The next day, we the same group of people came back. That fellow sister also came to the Buddha hall early. I believed that everyone was like me and wanted very much to know whether she had received the written petition or not, but also feared for causing disrespect and thus dared not ask.

It was until about an hour later that the tremendous holy virtuous one pushed the door of the Buddha hall open. We all rose to pay respect. The tremendous holy virtuous one asked her, “Did you receive it?” She said, “Yes, I did.” Then, the tremendous holy virtuous one told her to take it out and place on the same spot on the table where it has been placed the day before and let us all take turns to view respectfully. What else could be said now? This written petition which had been burnt before our eyes a day ago now was lively placed before our eyes again. Other than the astounded exclamation and admiration for the subtle, marvelous, and inconceivable holy feat, we simply could not control the excitement in our heart!

At this time, the tremendous holy virtuous one said, “You tell everyone how it was received.” She said that, after returning home yesterday, she entered her room a little after 11pm to sit in meditation with the light turned off and wait for the Bodhisattva’s arrival. As she waited until after 1am, the Bodhisattva did not come. At 2am, the Bodhisattva did not come. At 3am, the Bodhisattva still did not come. She was somewhat worried, “Why has the Bodhisattva still  not come yet? Does this mean it will not be sent back?” It was until after 4am in the morning, she simply could not continue and was dazed to fall asleep. She said that at that time she did not know clearly whether she fell asleep or not. Anyway, it was just such a situation. Suddenly, she heard a yell, “So-and-so, I come to deliver the written petition to you!”

Her mind was somewhat slow then and she did not know how to respond. Then, she heard another yell, “So-and-so, I come to deliver the written petition to you!” She opened her eyes and saw that the room was fully filled with flashy and shining golden light! The golden-colored majestic yidam was in the space, standing before her! She joyfully listened to the Bodhisattva speaking to her. After a while, she somehow was activated to wake up from the dream. As she opened her eyes, the golden light was still tremblingly flashing in the room. She turned on the light and looked at her hand, which was holding the burnt written petition!!! She was so excited while holding the written petition in both hands and did not know what to do. She did not feel safe for placing it at any place. She said that she was afraid that the written petition might fly away! She carefully wrapped it with another sheet of white paper and put it near her chest under her clothing. After coming to the Buddha hall that evening, only after seeing the tremendous holy virtuous one, did she dare to take it out before everyone.

What great and magnificent Buddha-dharma this is! Her deep good root and her piousness and purity toward Buddha-dharma enabled her to receive the highest or first-class initiation of the “Initiation of Dharma Affinity with the Yidam.” This is to first burn a written petition which has been written before everyone to send it to the yidam and then the yidam restores the written petition and send it back in person to the disciple receiving the initiation. This is the step that this fellow sister received. This is the first step of the first-class Initiation of Dharma Affinity with the Yidam. The next step is Presenting a Petition to a Bodhisattva. This written petition will again be transformed into a rainbow in front of the crowd to be taken away by the Bodhisattva. At that time, utmost precious nectar will be bestowed to confer her the initiation. The yidam will manifest with her beseeching. She will become a holy one right away!!! As long as she can strictly abide by the precepts, she will not recede from the accomplishment!

This is the most powerful Buddha-dharma that I have seen since I became a monastic. I am truly moved and excited with all kinds of feelings. Very profound Buddha-dharma that can enable one to expediently and quickly attain accomplishment is truly possessed and upheld by the tremendous holy virtuous one and great holy virtuous ones for anyone to receive. However, the key is: how pious are we really? Anything in the world can be bought with money and wealth, regardless of how precious and expensive it is. However, true Buddha-dharma cannot be bought and can only be exchanged with one’s thoroughly pure mind and conduct!


Buddhist Disciple, Shi Liao Zheng


2017年11月26日 星期日

Listening to the Buddha Dharma by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has helped me to cultivate as a true Buddhist disciple

Listening to the Buddha Dharma

by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III  has helped me

to cultivate as a true Buddhist disciple



Time passed so fast! It has been 7 years since I first came to Hua Zang Si.

I am greatly humbled by what I have learned so far. I feel I can do a lot more and grow a lot faster spiritually. When I look back at the time before I came to Hua Zang Si, I did not know much about Buddhism and cultivation. I had wasted a lot of time in housework, watching TV and going to restaurants. Decades past, now I am in my 70s and wonder how many decades there are for me to live. I know the impermanence soon will come, so I remind myself about the urgency to cultivate myself and do the right things.

When I reached retirement, I was lucky to get to live in a government senior housing project on 21st Street in San Francisco. I lived there for several years without knowing I was right behind Hua Zang Si and had to travel to faraway City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to pray. In 2009, when my neighbor asked me to go with her to a temple to worship and eat a vegetarian meal, I thought we were going to travel far away, but my neighbor said it was that temple with pointed roofs on 22nd street! How come I never knew it was this close!

Then I realized that it must be Guanyin Bodhisattva who had come to lead me, because, that year, I somehow started to chant silently Guanyin Bodhisattva’s name whenever I was walking, driving, or by myself. I did not know anything about Buddhism. I just chanted like others. I would even talk to myself and be very grateful to Guanyin Bodhisattva for being able to live in government housing and have everything I need. I started to look for Buddhist followers. Finally, my neighbor brought me to Hua Zang Si.

The first time I came to Hua Zang Si with my husband, there was a Dharma Assembly. The statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas at Hua Zang Si are so solemn and majestic. My husband said he felt very peaceful and comfortable there. So I said to him, ” From now on let’s come here to learn Buddhism. It is close and convenient.” At home, I have a chanting player, which was gifted by a friend. I usually leave it on all day, but I can never understand what is chanted. However, after the first visit to Hua Zang Si, strangely, I can understand clearly if it is chanting the holy names of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Amitabha, or other holy names, From then on, we both go to Hua Zang Si every Sunday for the group cultivations and I also started to listen to the recorded Dharma expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.

Hua Zang Si is like a family to me. There is no separation between you and me. We help and care about each other. It is at Hua Zang Si where I learn to have a pure selfless heart and do everything to benefit all living beings. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has bestowed on me rich and boundless knowledge. To me learning Buddhism and cultivation is like attending a high-end college There are so many things to learn. I have realized how ignorant and lack of understanding I was before I came to Hua Zang Si. Now I feel very happy, even happier than any other people. Hua Zang Si is an orthodox temple of correct Dharma of the Buddha. Therefore, at Hua Zang Si, I am able to learn the correct Dharma of the Tathagata of the Buddha. In addition, Hua Zang Si is so close that I feel like Buddha is right next to me all the time. This kind of happiness cannot be obtained with money and I want to treasure it and protect it.

I remember in the early days when I was at Hua Zang Si, I did not do much because of lack of Buddhist knowledge. When I was asked if I was “doing my homework”, I did not know what it meant. Later when I read the book written by Pamu, I finally understood the ultimate goal of Buddhism, and why I must cultivate my behavior and practice the Buddha Dharma at the same time and all these must be built on the correct Buddhist views and understanding. Therefore, I have been devoting my spare time to listening to the recorded Buddha Dharma expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III at Hua Zang Si or other Dharma-Listening centers.

In the beginning, because I did not know much Buddhist knowledge and I speak mainly Cantonese, I had a hard time understanding the Buddha’s accent, I could not understand many of the words, but I persisted. After three months, slowly and miraculously, I could easily understand the recordings. I felt so good that I almost listened to the recorded Dharma every day for about 2 hours. Even when I was done, I was reluctant to leave. I thought to myself, “If I can listen to it the whole day, that will be great.”

After listening to the recorded Dharma, I gain a lot of Buddhist knowledge and understand the principles of the Buddha Dharma, which are correct and meaningful. I gradually understand the true goal of leaning with the Buddha and cultivation. I deeply feel the Bodhicitta and great compassion and kindness of the Buddha. The Buddha is so patient and skillful in teaching us. All he wants is to liberate all living beings. On the other hand, I also feel so sorry for those who are ignorant of Buddha Dharma. They are always so deeply indulged in greed, anger, infatuation, affection, joy, resentment, sorrow, and happiness. They tumble in the colorful lives of theirs, and cannot be awakened. I feel so sorry and anxious that they are still subject to the impermanence and the in the cycles of birth and death. I feel so powerless. Therefore, I must first focus on my practice and sincerely dedicate the merits of my practice and cultivation to all living beings who have karmic affinities with me. May they have a chance to encounter the correct Buddha Dharma of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and get onto the holy Bodhi road to liberation and accomplishment.

After all these years of learning Buddhism, there is one thing that I believe deeply with no doubt: if we study and cultivate according to the teachings of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, we will definitely rid ourselves off all our sins and hindrances, ignorance and confusion, greed, selfishness, and pettiness; we will become a good person with wisdom, compassion, and a pure mind, a true Buddhist disciple who has correct views and understanding and will not wander away on a wrong path, a nobleman who is devoted to helping, benefitting and serving all living beings.

Amitabha !


Humble Buddhist disciple:
Shaomei Huang