celestialmaiden04/25/02 at 03:50:53#1I have just read Grandmaster's Whispers of Solitude book online. It is very sad :'( I always seem to think that Grandmaster does not encounter such things. It especially hurt to read Chapter 3 "A Wild Tale" about the True Buddha disciples chasing after him. I wonder where are the Dharma Protectors? If they are always by his side, then why does Grandmaster still need to run. Is there really such a chapter which has discarded the statue of padmakumara? Where is this chapter? Why have they strayed so far from the path?
It makes me feel so helpless and guilty that I live so well, and our Grandmaster, whom I love the most and revere the highest is living in conditions more poorly as I. If I saw him, i would recognize him immediately. Why did those students not recognize him? We would all get on our hands and knees and pay homage to him, yet those students chase him away! I hope that in the future, the True Buddha School will not abandon Grandmaster like in that story.
Lyciss04/25/02 at 05:23:57#2Re: Whispers of SolitudeCele,
sometimes the use of Dharma Protectors isnt the best way to handle a situation and Grand Master understands this well... and i also think that if GM would of been in real danger his Dharma Protectors would of warned him before hand...
i think there is a point he is making instead when he writes about that... shakyamuni use to do similar things... its like the story of the Buddha when he went to spend the night in a potters shed there happened to be another monk who was there... the monk didnt recognize the Buddha and the Buddha knew when the monk greeted him by saying, "Brother" so the buddha asked the monk who he was following and the monk told him that he had not met the Buddha but knew his teachings were worth following... finally the Buddha told the monk he was the one he was following and the monk felt bad for not "properly" greeting the Buddha...
i feel that Grand Master is showing us this exact same thing except in another way...
when you dont know where your master is does his teaching still appear? yes... when you least expect it your Master may appear... its not important if you recognize him its only important that you practice and put into use his Dharma... Grand Master has gone into reclusion not to abandon us but so we can use his dharma and rely on our own Buddhas within...
om mani padme hum
mimosa04/25/02 at 08:13:06#3Re: Whispers of SolitudeI know what you meant. The "Wild Tale" made many people cry... :'( I was one of them. After that, I even wrote a Chinese article on the True Buddha News..
I miss Grand Master
Mimosa
celestialmaiden04/25/02 at 19:59:59#4Re: Whispers of SolitudeThank you Lyciss for your interpretation. Yes, perhaps it is not the best to evoke the Dharma Protectors unless in grave situations. I was always wondering what GM was trying to teach us with that story. Now that you have told me I shall always cherish the dharma and our Guru.
Mimosa, it makes me feel a lot better that you also cry. That all his students love him and care for him so much.
This reminds me of when I was at the Seattle Dharma Ceremony. Before the ceremony began, I went to the washroom. Do you know who I ran into when I came out from the washroom? Nobody thinks much when they go to the washroom but when I came out, the first thing I saw was someone kneeling on the ground. When I looked up, I saw Grandmaster and 'See Mo' . The person was paying homage to both of them, and 'See Mo' told him to get up. They were both delighted and happy. One does not expect that when one comes out from the washroom to see one's own guru standing in front of you, face to face. I was so shocked I ran away because I did not expect it!! Now that I look back, I always regret running away. I guess I was so nervous I had no time to prepare. We go to the temple all the time and pay homage in front of the statues millions of time, but when the real life Padmakumara is in front of you, you do not know how to pay homage anymore!! Yes, I really regret running away from such an opportunity.
Grandmaster was waiting in the washroom corner area before the ceremony started.
Last edited 04/25/02 at 20:02:58 by celestialmaiden
celestialmaiden04/25/02 at 20:04:54#5Re: Whispers of SolitudeIt makes me remember my previous saying in a posting. 'Grandmaster will never leave us because he is always in our heart. It is only us that will reject him.'
Even when we go to the washroom, Grandmaster is there. It is me that ran away from him! **sigh** If only I could relive that moment again and go back in time.
Lyciss04/25/02 at 21:16:19#6Re: Whispers of SolitudeCele,
and you say my insite is good? lol the way i see it, you actually did pay homage to Grand Master when you left the washroom but you didnt realize it! lol
some people pay "empty" homage to him out of habit or for respect purposes, but others pay homage to him because of the compassion he holds for you and all beings... your running away became a homage in a sense... because had he of been anyone else what would you of done? just went on your way probably... see in ur mind you feel he is worthy of ur deepest respect but you couldnt express that in a physical form other than running away... he understood ur homage! lol it wasnt traditional in the "usual sense" but a form non-the less... 8)
om mani padme hum
celestialmaiden04/25/02 at 22:33:23#7Re: Whispers of SolitudeLyciss,
I feel so much better after reading your post. I felt like I disrespected GM by running away but now I feel you read my thoughts. Yes, I felt that I was so unworthy and could not express it in physical form. It is as if you put all my thoughts into words in ways I cannot express. As I was running away, I could sense GM smile and that he understood why I ran away. Thank you so much for making me feel better.
I remember the very first time I saw GM. I was kneeling in a line up and GM walked by us to give each of us a blessing. When he got to me, I looked straight up at him and smiled. It was the happiest moment of my life because when he looked at me and smiled, I could tell he knew me better than I know myself, almost as if he knew me from a past life. That made me really happy. He had a look of surprise in his eyes, like "hey, I remember you. So now you have been reborn as your present form." I felt as if he could read all my thoughts.
Last edited 04/25/02 at 22:41:37 by celestialmaiden
Lyciss04/25/02 at 23:20:41#8Re: Whispers of Solitude its ok to feel bad or regret certain actions that you feel if you had chance to do it over you would do it differently... these feelings are good because they are the first step of "repenting" because had you never had those feelings you would probably keep acting in that way... so which is better? in some cases the word repenting may sound too strong to use... but infact its not... since the feeling of wanting to repent for past misdeeds all comes from your intention which is compassion...
i learn all these things by reading Grand Masters Dharma talks and books... if it helps you by me saying something then you can thank Grand Master for the wisdom... if it causes you problems then you can blame me... 8)
om mani padme hum