Team, need you to check the correct wording or spelling of the two words I have highligted in red.
Once I have a correction, if there are any, then I will post S1B2 to the Miscellaneous forum. Thanks.
==============================================
1. Sariras - An Affirmation of the Correct Buddha Dharma
by Master Lian-han, August, 1992
The last several issues of the True Buddha News have reported on the finding
of sariras [relics] among the cremated remains of newly executed death row
prisoners in the Singapore Chang-yi Prison. Several times, during the reading
of the reports, my eyes filled with tears. I was especially touched by the
letters written by the prisoners themselves, and I believe that even a hardhearted
person would be moved to tears upon reading them.
Besides the self-realized adepts in this world, who have the ability to know
their own times of death, there are probably only two kinds of people who
can foretell their own deaths: terminally ill patients (such as terminal
cancer patients) and death row prisoners. These two groups of people can
foretell their own deaths and know that their dying processes will be painful.
One can imagine the great fear and suffering which death row prisoners experience,
waiting for the approaching day of the ghastly gallows when they will be
subjected to a grim and struggling death!
Many are still young and strong and have parents, wives, and children who
care for them. Surely they must want to go on living!
Yet, the death row prisoners in the Singapore Chang-yi Prison are able to
transcend their fears of death. They are the only group of death row prisoners
in this world who are full of confidence and optimism about their own deaths.
They are not merely acting calm, nor are they pretending to be optimistic;
they have, indeed, attained a level of spiritual realization and are secure
in the knowledge that they have strong backing!
This is because they have taken refuge in the Holy Honored One, Living Buddha
Lian-sheng, and have been diligently cultivating the True Buddha Tantric
Dharma. They know perfectly clearly what they have chosen and that they will
be reborn in the Buddha's Pure Land after their deaths!
Consequently, during the period from September, 1991, to April, 1992, four
of the death row prisoners were executed and sariras and sarira flowers were
found in their cremated remains! (After further investigation, a total of
nine executed prisoners were found to have sariras and sarira flowers!)
This is hard evidence, which has sent tremors through the Buddhist community
and attracted worldwide attention!
Throughout the twenty five hundred year history of Buddhism, only enlightened
monks and masters have been found to have sariras in their bodies - a confirmation
of their realization after a whole lifetime of dedicated cultivation. Eminent
monks and masters in possession of sariras receive highest praise and are
idolized by all cultivators throughout the Buddhist world. They are regarded
as the most successful and perfect models for generations to come.
Now it does not matter to which class one belongs, whether one is from an
exalted or an ordinary position. One can even be a death row prisoner! As
long as one takes refuge in the Living Buddha Lian-sheng and seriously studies
and practices the True Buddha Tantric Dharma, one will definitely be reborn
in the Pure Lands of the Buddhas and have the opportunity to have sariras
in one's body.
The sariras found in the bodies of the executed Singapore prisoners have
caused slanderers of the True Buddha School to become speechless in awe!
Those whose faith in the True Buddha School had wavered have changed their
perceptions and strengthened their faith! The sariras have caused students
who had left the True Buddha School to regret their decision and return to
the school! The sariras have also generated a stronger heart and mind in
all True Buddha School students, inspiring them to be more vigorous in their
cultivation.
I shall quote a portion of a letter written by one of the executed prisoners,
Lianhua You-ching, to his sister, Lianhua Jing-yue, several days prior to
his execution.
"Dear sister Jing-yue, I know I must depart very soon and today I find this
rare opportunity to write you this letter. Grand Master has taught me to
`open up my heart,' which is the most important key. That is why, even though
I am on death row, I am worry-free and living very peacefully and happily.
It does not matter which pathway one practices, as long as the longer one
practices, the calmer and freer one feels, and the happier and more liberated
from worries one is, I absolutely believe that this cannot be a wrong pathway.
"In the future, if I leave behind sariras:
(1) They can serve to affirm that the Dharma that I practice is a 'Correct
Pathway,' not a 'Deviated Pathway' nor a 'Demonic Pathway.'
(2) Please publish this letter for me. If the Buddhist world acknowledges
that sariras will be found only in people who cultivate the Correct Dharma,
then I hope people who do not understand the True Buddha Tantric Dharma will
refrain from attacking a true Living Buddha. This will help them avoid the
retribution of speech karma.
(3) You may submit the sariras to various tests to certify their authenticity,
and please present the most beautiful one to our most honored, most compassionate,
and most perfect Living Buddha Lian-sheng...."
(Consequently, at the time of execution, Lianhua You-ching had a serene smile
on his face as he walked towards the gallows. After execution, his face remained
smiling and benevolent. Twenty hours later, his head was still warm and his
complexion still looked as if he were alive. After his cremation, there were
many kinds of auspicious signs including many inconceivable sariras and sarira
flowers.)
In this excerpt from the letter, one can see how a death row prisoner attained
peace, happiness, self-mastery and confidence through cultivation of the
True Buddha Tantric Dharma. To the Holy Honored Lian-sheng, he communicated
a heart-felt outpouring of infinite reverence and appreciation. To the people
who slander and attack the True Buddha School, he expressed benevolent and
sincere advice. These were the sincere words and earnest wishes of Lianhua
You-ching!
Undoubtedly, sariras and sarira flowers can be engendered by cultivation
of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma. This has been proven!
Cultivation of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma can enable a death row prisoner,
who has committed unpardonable crimes, to neutralize his karma and obtain
peace, happiness and liberation, and to be reborn in the Pure Lands of the
Buddhas. This has been proven!
Slanderers who claim that the True Buddha School is a demonic school, please
note the sincere advice of an executed prisoner and the evidence of his rebirth
to the Buddhas' Pure Lands!
Could people who practice a "Demonic Dharma" engender sariras?
Could people who practice a "Demonic Dharma" be reborn in the Buddhas' Pure
Lands?
The evidence proves:
The True Buddha Tantric Dharma is a Righteous Dharma!
The True Buddha School is a Buddhist Religion of Righteous Beliefs!
The Holy Honored Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu, is a true Living Buddha!
2. The Correct Buddhist Dharma1
By Grand Master Sheng-yen Lu
1 Translated from the Hwa Yu Post #27, August 14, 1992.
The news that recently has caused a great uproar in the Buddhist world
is:
"Several Death Row Prisoners of the Singapore Chang-yi Prison took refuge
in the Living Buddha Lian-sheng and diligently cultivated the True Buddha
Tantric Dharma. As a result, after cremation, sariras were found in their
remains."
The following is a record of the sariras found in the remains of the four
executed prisoners who had taken refuge:
(1) Lianhua Ah-lin - He had practiced the Four Preliminary Practices for
approximately one year. He was executed on September 6th, 1991. After cremation,
twelve sariras were found.
(2) Lianhua Ching-wen - He had practiced the Four Preliminary Practices for
about three years. He was executed on November 15th, 1991. After cremation,
more than thirty sariras were found.
(3) Lianhua Bao-sheng - He had practiced the Personal Deity Yoga of the Cundhi
Bodhisattva for three years and nine months. He was executed on March 28th,
1992. After cremation, three sariras were found. The next day, one more sarira
was found which had been generated from the original three sariras.
(4) Lianhua You-ching - He had practiced the Personal Deity Yoga of Padmakumara
for four years and five months. He was executed on April 3rd, 1992. After
cremation, many sarira flowers and twenty crown sariras were found.
Sariras are also known as "firm relics" and are only found in cultivators
who have attained a high level of spiritual realization. Since ancient times
they have been regarded as proofs of enlightenment. Throughout the past,
if sariras were found after an eminent monk had been cremated, people would
enshrine and worship the sariras.
Therefore, beyond any doubt, Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu is a true
Living Buddha. The True Buddha School is a Buddhist School of Righteous Belief,
and the True Buddha Tantric Dharma is a Correct Buddhist Dharma. This is
supported by the fact that people who cultivate this Dharma, even including
death row prisoners, all will obtain great spiritual achievement. What can
the slanderers say about this? All rumors are ruptured!
To the people who slander the True Buddha School, I would advise them to
look at the facts and proofs, and I suggest they sincerely rectify their
errors and mend their ways. They can take refuge again, and really immerse
themselves in the cultivation of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma. Hesitate
no longer. Do not sow any more seeds in the realm of Hells!
3. The Miraculous Transformation of Decaying Matter1
1Translated from the True Buddha News, March 1, 1992.
Just when the media of the Buddhist world are still entrapped in the heated
debates over whether or not one should be a vegetarian and whether or not
a certain teaching is of the Right Dharma (by quoting the various sutras),
a group of ordinary and peaceful True Buddha students have been quietly studying
and practicing the True Buddha Tantric Dharma. After their deaths, they have
all been able to achieve meritorious rewards and be reborn in the Pure Lands
of the Buddhas.
Some of these True Buddha students are ordinary citizens who have abided
by society's laws and some are prodigal sons who have transgressed. All,
after immersing themselves in a not-too-long period of studying and practicing,
have been able to achieve the spiritual fruits that have been longed for
day and night by other cultivators.
The most spectacular examples among the numerous cases of victory come from
a Singapore prison. From the dark cells of death row, a series of remarkable
Buddhist stories have spread to the outside world.
One of the cases involved an executed prisoner called Lianhua Ah-lin. Shortly
after he entered prison he took refuge in the True Buddha School's Living
Buddha Lian-sheng. He had only practiced the True Buddha Tantric Dharma for
a little over a year when time came for his death sentence to be carried
out. After execution, his body was cremated on September 9th, 1991 and twelve
sariras were found among the ashes.
This news became a feature story in the Singapore newspaper, Sun Ming Daily,
for three successive days, and it caused an uproar. The relics are now located
in a Singapore Buddhist temple, the Fuo Kuong Jing She.
A similar case is the executed prisoner whose refuge name was Lianhua Ching-wen.
After taking refuge in the Living Buddha Lian-sheng, this prisoner only practiced
the Four Preliminary Practices and the chanting of Buddha's names. After
cremation on November 17th, 1991, many sariras were found among the ashes
by Mr. Li Mu-yuan, who was in charge of the Deliverance Ceremony. All family
members and friends who were present also witnessed this event. The relics
were claimed by his family and are currently placed in a temple in Malaysia.
A third case involved another executed prisoner, who wished to remain anonymous.
After his death, a touching story about the manifestation of a butterfly
became known to the public. According to a reliable source, this converted
Buddhist prisoner's cremated ashes displayed an extremely shiny and beautiful
tone. In following and carrying out the executed man's wishes, his family
brought his ashes to the ocean. While the ashes were being sprinkled over
the ocean, a completely white butterfly suddenly appeared and flew above
the ocean's surface. Shortly afterwards, his fellow prisoners discovered
a white butterfly inside their prison, which had never before had any butterflies
inside. According to the prisoners, they saw this butterfly fluttering around
and lingering for quite some time in the area where this executed prisoner
had stayed.
4. Striding Towards the Icy Cold Gallows1
1Translated from the True Buddha News, June 1, 1992.
Although many people live monotonous, dull and drab lives, there are many
desires that are latent in the human existence. On one hand, these desires
can lead one to better oneself and evolve to a higher level; on the other
hand, these desires can cause one to try to secure gains for oneself by force
or trickery, thus falling unwittingly into the trap of materialism.
Lin You-ching, a thirty-one year old construction contractor in Singapore,
was a case in point.
Like many young people, he had a heroic fantasy about his own intelligence
and luck, and he was dissatisfied with the condition of his life and the
slow, ordinary ways of making money. He designed for himself a shortcut,
a way of profiteering that he thought was flawless; he changed himself into
a drug dealer.
On April 26th, 1985, Lin and his partner, Chan Zhong-yi, met their Waterloo
during one of their drug deals. Lin had persuaded Poison Rose Shen Bin-chu
to imitate what was portrayed in the movie, The Midnight Express, by dividing
2.3 kilograms of pure heroin into ten small packages and taping them to various
parts of her body. They had planned to have her smuggle the heroin into the
United States. However, she was caught in the Singapore Chang-yi Airport
before boarding the plane. Right on the spot, Shen gave the authorities the
identities of the chief of operations and her fellow conspirator and all
three of them were arrested and put behind bars.
On July 29th, 1988, all three were convicted of drug trafficking, as well
as persuading others to deal in drugs. They were sentenced by the high court
of Singapore to the death penalty. Although they had appealed the verdict,
the appeal was rejected and the original death sentence stood. At this point,
with all their hopes for survival extinguished, they could only linger on
in their dark cells, their condition ever worsening, and await the inevitability
of their deaths.
At 6:00 a.m., on April 3rd, 1992, Lin You-ching's soul finally departed his
body. The icy cold gallows had brought a stop to his short life of thirty-one
years.
Such a tragic ending brings sighs to people, as the final exit of a person
who committed evils. Surprisingly, however, reports from the execution scene
greatly baffled many people.
The lay Buddhist, Mr. Li Mu-yuan, who had volunteered to chant sutras for
the prisoner at the scene of execution, was very touched afterwards when
he commented, "The young man, Lin You-ching, was smiling when walking up
to the gallows' platform. I believe that he was full of joy."
The family and friends of the deceased also stated that Lin's will directed
that the organs of his body, including his corneas and the bones of both
of his legs, were to be donated to a hospital. When his body was finally
claimed by his family, after the removal of the organs, it was more than
twenty hours after his death. But, when they were dressing him in preparation
for the funeral, they touched the upper half of his head and found that it
was still warm! In addition, his family noted that his face was still smiling
and looked calm and peaceful, as if he were alive. This rare and auspicious
sign in death astonished the people who witnessed it.
Two days later, according to custom, Lin's body was cremated and the result
was even more spectacular. According to the people who witnessed it, not
only were the ashes either pure white or completely pink in color, more than
twenty sariras and many multiple-colored sarira flowers were discovered amid
the ashes.
Lin's sister, Lin Jing-yu, revealed the last words of her brother, "If sariras
are found after my cremation, you must pick the most beautiful one and present
it to my dear guru, Living Buddha Lian-sheng!"
5. The Two Last Letters of an Executed Prisoner1
(Letter No.1)
1Translated from the True Buddha News, June 1,
1992.
My dear sister Jing-yu,
Amitabha!
I have thought about whether or not I should write this letter. Indeed, writing
this letter is not very important for me but, when I think of you and the
other family members, I feel that I should provide some record of my own
cultivation. I hope it will serve to strengthen your (and the parents') faith
in Buddhism and your confidence in the True Buddha Tantric Dharma.
Before I was imprisoned, (although I worshiped the Buddhas and could even
recite a few short phrases from the sutras in Pali,) my karmic hindrances
were so deep and strong that, in my heart, I really did not understand the
true meanings of the Buddha Dharma. I was only interested in pursuing materialistic
pleasures and being completely selfish and egocentric. Although my nature
is relatively open and cheerful and I enjoyed helping people I knew, I belonged
to the group of people whose greed was great.
When I first entered prison, I was afraid of dying. This fear made it easy
for me to accept the chanting of Buddhist sutras, the reading of Buddhist
books, and the practice of meditation. However, I was still groping on my
own. At that time, a small group of my fellow inmates were also chanting
the sutras and worshiping the Buddhas. As I remember, there was one of us
who had a little bit more knowledge about Buddhism than the rest of us. My
eventual taking of refuge in the Grand Master was linked to him because it
was he who requested the purchase of Grand Master's books and who had them
brought to the prison. In the beginning, I was mostly reading books written
by another Buddhist monk, Master Sheng Yen, as well as other books on Zen
meditation and many other kinds of Buddhist books. Although I was reciting
the sutras (the Heart Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra),
the mantras (the Great Compassion Dharani), practicing meditation (using
the Breath Counting Method), and had become a vegetarian (though I still
ate eggs), all I knew at that time was that I should reform and again become
a good person. Due to the lingering effects of bad habits, I still lived
my days unclear and without much understanding.
Thus I wasted the first year and a half of my time in prison. Then, around
the beginning of 1987, that fellow inmate introduced me to the books of the
Grand Master. I remember the first book I read was One Bhikshu Between Sky
and Earth. The more I read, the more interested I became. Many other inmates
were also eager to read the Grand Master and had asked their families to
purchase his books for them. What I found so fascinating at first were the
many, many remarkable events recorded in the books. Of course, I was also
attracted to them because they made sense to me and used the simplest language
to explain the most profound Buddhist Dharma. These books gradually enabled
me (and others) to understand the Buddha Dharma at a deeper level.
Then I started to notice that I was often in tears. That was because, when
I read very moving incidents in the books, I began to open up my inner conscience.
I realized that I had, indeed, committed too many mistakes in my past. I
felt very sorry for the wrongs I had done to my parents, society and country.
I truly learned "repentance." Through the moving words of Grand Master, I
have truly learned to repent.
At that time there grew in me a desire to take refuge in the Grand Master.
I knew that there was not much time left for me, and that time had come for
me to take refuge and start cultivating the Buddha Dharma. I was very glad
that the Grand Master had the insight to design the "remote initiation empowerment"
for people who were unable to make the trip personally to see him. I persuaded
several inmates to take refuge in the Grand Master with me.
At that time, the desire to study Buddhism was quite strong among the inmates.
Many of us were very vigorous in our cultivation and would get up at around
four in the morning to take showers and do our practice. I also stopped all
the games I was playing and even quit the smoking habit which I had had for
more then ten years. It has been five years since I last smoked. At that
time, I started practicing the Four Preliminary Practices very devoutly,
according to the True Buddha Dharma: The Actual Practice. (My letter requesting
refuge had met with some initial difficulties and it was not until much later,
when Yu-mei was able to bring it to a Dharma Ceremony at the Dai Guan Tang
in Sun Shan, that my refuge became official.)
The Grand Master is inconceivable! In the beginning I had two requests and
Grand Master actually fulfilled both wishes before he had even received my
letter asking for refuge. All I had done was pray very sincerely in front
of my very simple shrine, which was made up of a few Buddha pictures and
the offering of a cup of water. Do you know what I asked for in my prayers?
Ha! I asked for the conversion of you, Yu-mei, and the parents, because both
you and Cheng-fa were atheists, and mother, father, and Yu-mei only worshiped
the Buddhas superficially. I was very sincere in my prayers and I had great
faith that the Living Buddha Lian-sheng would use his transcendental powers
to attract all of you to him.
Then, a short time later, you came to visit me in prison and told me that
you had had a very lucid dream in which you had seen a great, white, lotus
blossom and heard a voice telling you that it was the Lotus Bodhisattva.
Do you know how thankful I was at that moment and how great was my joy? It
was just too wonderful! Today you can study the Buddha Dharma and have been
able to receive some mystical experiences. This is, of course, due to your
own karma, but it was also due to the great compassion of the Grand Master
in answering my wish.
Yu-mei is another example. I had tried to persuade her to take refuge in
Grand Master, yet she objected. Finally, it was also a dream that changed
her mind. The Grand Master appeared to her in the form of a monk, with a
golden halo around his head. In her dream, Grand Master stood in front of
her and asked her to follow him to do some sutra chanting. Yu-mei did not
want to go and in her dream she saw Grand Master reaching out his hand to
draw her to him. She became afraid and woke up. She could no longer disbelieve!
That was why I asked for her to bring my letter seeking refuge to the Dai
Guan Tang in Sun Shan - she had also decided to take refuge at the same time.
I had made these wishes in front of the Grand Master's picture inside my
cell and had not yet written any letter to him. That is why it was so inconceivable!
If he were a false master, how would the Grand Master have been able to know
of my wishes? He would never have heard my requests if he did not possess
transcendental power.
There was another matter which had to do with my hemorrhoids. This condition
caused me a great deal of discomfort, whether I was sitting, sleeping or
standing. Walking was even more painful. It even prevented me from concentrating
on my chanting and meditation. As a last resort, I prayed again to Grand
Master. Then, after a while, I dreamt of myself lying in a hospital bed and
being operated on by doctors. The morning after the dream, the pain was gone.
At the time, I was not sure that the condition was permanently gone, but
the pain has not recurred in all these years. I was indeed cured! I truly
appreciate the Grand Master and this is a feeling that cannot be described
in mere words. I have personally experienced the grace of the Living Buddha
and can swear it truly exists!
Many Para psychological events happened during the Dharma practice. I remember
that many of my Dharma brothers had different psychic experiences and these
really served to act as encouragement. The experiences were much stronger
during group practices. For instance, there was the presence of the scent
of fragrance, and the appearance of all kinds of light. Some people also
dreamt of the Grand Master, and more and more inmates started to take refuge
in him. I understand that all these experiences were only encouragement and,
in following the teachings of Grand Master, I have adopted the attitude of
neutrality to them.
I am also very grateful to the Grand Master who asked that we get in touch
with Master Yang Zhong-chi and Master Yang. These masters have come to visit
us from Sun Shan, and they care very much about all of us. This has all served
to increase our faith and confidence in the path.
Although I was sentenced to death a year and a half later, I did not lose
my faith. I have understood and accepted the laws of karma and there was
not even one trace of regret in my taking refuge in the Buddhist path. On
the contrary, it actually has spurred me to dedicate myself more energetically
to the cultivation. In addition to practicing, I also enjoy reading Buddhist
books. I often compare various kinds of Buddhist scriptures with the Grand
Master's True Buddha Tantric Teachings. I have discovered that Grand Master
is truly great and has given much thought to his writings. The Buddhist sutras
to which I have referred include the Vimalakirti-nirdesa-sutra, the Surangamasutra,
the Lotus Sutra, the Avatamsaka-sutra, the Diamond Sutra, and some sutras
on the precepts, such as the Sutra of Rules for Upasaka. I also have read
the Sastra on the Maha Prajnaparamita-sutra and the Madhyamika Sastra, as
well as many other key teachings and sayings from the School of Zen. I also
read books from the Hinayana school. I would not let go of any of the books
written by the many, many eminent Buddhist teachers and monks. I am, indeed,
a fanatic when it comes to Buddhist books - I just love to read them. Anyone
who has read these scriptures and Buddhist books might easily decide that
there are just too many teachings and that they are too confusing. Yet Buddha
Shakyamuni gave these teachings based on the karma and disposition of many
different individuals. In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha has taught, "Those
who know that the teachings about Dharma are like a raft should renounce
Dharma and, even more, renounce adharma." Therefore, I only read the books
to increase my knowledge in Buddhism and do not cling tightly to them.
According to the Grand Master, the understanding of Buddhist tenets must
be integrated with actual cultivation. If one only understands the tenets
and does not apply them to one's way of life, then no practical purpose is
served. Actually, I am very embarrassed by my own practice of the Tantric
Dharma, because I am really not up to the standard. I have, however, gained
great benefit from the teachings on Emptiness of Ego and Emptiness of Phenomena
in the book True Buddha Dharma: Postmeditation Practice. These teachings
concur with the thoughts of the Zen school. An ordinary mind is the mind
of the Tao, and it is not easy to accomplish liberation form worries by becoming
centered and achieving self-mastery. In all these aspects, however, I have
felt and tasted their truths and this is why I can keep a clear, fresh coolness
in my inner being. I once wrote to the Grand Master to seek advice regarding
entering into Samadhi, and he had instructed me to "open up my heart." I
often contemplate these Dharma Words of the Grand Master, and gratitude is
all I feel towards him.
Last year, Grand Master used another method to lead our mother to take refuge
in him, and I know you are aware of it! Mother said that Grand Master had
talked to her and comforted her inside her mind and that was why she decided
to take refuge. I think all the burdens in my mind have been lifted. Since
mother has taken refuge, all my wishes are fulfilled! Even if I had to depart
this world this very moment, I have no more attachments.
After their departure, the ashes of many of my Dharma brothers in prison
have displayed a white color. This is a good sign. In addition, two Dharma
brothers (Lianhua Ah-lin and Lianhua Ching-wen), as well as another Buddhist
friend, have left behind sariras. This has completely confirmed all the teachings
of Buddha Shakyamuni, as well as confirming that the True Buddha Tantric
Dharma is a Righteous Dharma from a Righteous School. The True Buddha Tantric
Dharma is definitely not a Demonic Dharma, as some people of prejudiced viewpoints
have claimed. Amitabha! Ultimately, I have not lived this life in vain!
On the surface, it seems that I am going to meet a tragic end, but you must
remember that this is what is meant by the Grand Master when he speaks of
Negative Reinforcement. If I had not been locked behind bars, then I would
not have been able to evolve to this level. As this is my fate and karma,
do not grieve for me. I have already generated the Bodhicitta and committed
myself to the Path of the Bodhisattvas in all my future lives. This is the
only way I will be able to repay all my debts to the guru, Buddhas, my parents,
and all sentient beings. Therefore, you and I must treasure the study and
practice of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma - it is a connection that we have
built up over many lifetimes.
The Grand Master has used many skillful means to help people, including his
knowledge of geomancy and feng-shui. He has energized paper charms and employed
other Taoist practice. This is exactly what is written in the Vimalakirti-nirdesha-sutra,
"Scriptures, mantras, occult practices and various other skillful means are
employed to bring benefits to all beings." In the Avatamsaka-sutra, Sudhana
encountered fifty three Bodhisattvas, each of whom had used his or her own
special method to guide and aid the sentient beings.
This only proves that the Living Buddha Lian-sheng is, indeed, in possession
of the Wisdom of all Wisdoms and has attained the Full Enlightenment. Only
a truly awakened person, a Buddha, or great Bodhisattva can have these kinds
of wish-fulfilling Dharma treasures to benefit all the various beings. If,
however, an awakened person or Buddha only knows the spiritual Dharmas and
not the various methods that can benefit sentient beings on the physical
plane, then he is at most a great Buddha who only benefits himself.
What has given me the most satisfaction is that our whole family has now
taken refuge in the True Buddha and are practicing the True Buddha Tantric
Dharma.
Amitabha!
Your brother,
Lianhua You-ching
March 7th, 1992.
Once I have a correction, if there are any, then I will post S1B2 to the Miscellaneous forum. Thanks.
==============================================
1. Sariras - An Affirmation of the Correct Buddha Dharma
by Master Lian-han, August, 1992
The last several issues of the True Buddha News have reported on the finding
of sariras [relics] among the cremated remains of newly executed death row
prisoners in the Singapore Chang-yi Prison. Several times, during the reading
of the reports, my eyes filled with tears. I was especially touched by the
letters written by the prisoners themselves, and I believe that even a hardhearted
person would be moved to tears upon reading them.
Besides the self-realized adepts in this world, who have the ability to know
their own times of death, there are probably only two kinds of people who
can foretell their own deaths: terminally ill patients (such as terminal
cancer patients) and death row prisoners. These two groups of people can
foretell their own deaths and know that their dying processes will be painful.
One can imagine the great fear and suffering which death row prisoners experience,
waiting for the approaching day of the ghastly gallows when they will be
subjected to a grim and struggling death!
Many are still young and strong and have parents, wives, and children who
care for them. Surely they must want to go on living!
Yet, the death row prisoners in the Singapore Chang-yi Prison are able to
transcend their fears of death. They are the only group of death row prisoners
in this world who are full of confidence and optimism about their own deaths.
They are not merely acting calm, nor are they pretending to be optimistic;
they have, indeed, attained a level of spiritual realization and are secure
in the knowledge that they have strong backing!
This is because they have taken refuge in the Holy Honored One, Living Buddha
Lian-sheng, and have been diligently cultivating the True Buddha Tantric
Dharma. They know perfectly clearly what they have chosen and that they will
be reborn in the Buddha's Pure Land after their deaths!
Consequently, during the period from September, 1991, to April, 1992, four
of the death row prisoners were executed and sariras and sarira flowers were
found in their cremated remains! (After further investigation, a total of
nine executed prisoners were found to have sariras and sarira flowers!)
This is hard evidence, which has sent tremors through the Buddhist community
and attracted worldwide attention!
Throughout the twenty five hundred year history of Buddhism, only enlightened
monks and masters have been found to have sariras in their bodies - a confirmation
of their realization after a whole lifetime of dedicated cultivation. Eminent
monks and masters in possession of sariras receive highest praise and are
idolized by all cultivators throughout the Buddhist world. They are regarded
as the most successful and perfect models for generations to come.
Now it does not matter to which class one belongs, whether one is from an
exalted or an ordinary position. One can even be a death row prisoner! As
long as one takes refuge in the Living Buddha Lian-sheng and seriously studies
and practices the True Buddha Tantric Dharma, one will definitely be reborn
in the Pure Lands of the Buddhas and have the opportunity to have sariras
in one's body.
The sariras found in the bodies of the executed Singapore prisoners have
caused slanderers of the True Buddha School to become speechless in awe!
Those whose faith in the True Buddha School had wavered have changed their
perceptions and strengthened their faith! The sariras have caused students
who had left the True Buddha School to regret their decision and return to
the school! The sariras have also generated a stronger heart and mind in
all True Buddha School students, inspiring them to be more vigorous in their
cultivation.
I shall quote a portion of a letter written by one of the executed prisoners,
Lianhua You-ching, to his sister, Lianhua Jing-yue, several days prior to
his execution.
"Dear sister Jing-yue, I know I must depart very soon and today I find this
rare opportunity to write you this letter. Grand Master has taught me to
`open up my heart,' which is the most important key. That is why, even though
I am on death row, I am worry-free and living very peacefully and happily.
It does not matter which pathway one practices, as long as the longer one
practices, the calmer and freer one feels, and the happier and more liberated
from worries one is, I absolutely believe that this cannot be a wrong pathway.
"In the future, if I leave behind sariras:
(1) They can serve to affirm that the Dharma that I practice is a 'Correct
Pathway,' not a 'Deviated Pathway' nor a 'Demonic Pathway.'
(2) Please publish this letter for me. If the Buddhist world acknowledges
that sariras will be found only in people who cultivate the Correct Dharma,
then I hope people who do not understand the True Buddha Tantric Dharma will
refrain from attacking a true Living Buddha. This will help them avoid the
retribution of speech karma.
(3) You may submit the sariras to various tests to certify their authenticity,
and please present the most beautiful one to our most honored, most compassionate,
and most perfect Living Buddha Lian-sheng...."
(Consequently, at the time of execution, Lianhua You-ching had a serene smile
on his face as he walked towards the gallows. After execution, his face remained
smiling and benevolent. Twenty hours later, his head was still warm and his
complexion still looked as if he were alive. After his cremation, there were
many kinds of auspicious signs including many inconceivable sariras and sarira
flowers.)
In this excerpt from the letter, one can see how a death row prisoner attained
peace, happiness, self-mastery and confidence through cultivation of the
True Buddha Tantric Dharma. To the Holy Honored Lian-sheng, he communicated
a heart-felt outpouring of infinite reverence and appreciation. To the people
who slander and attack the True Buddha School, he expressed benevolent and
sincere advice. These were the sincere words and earnest wishes of Lianhua
You-ching!
Undoubtedly, sariras and sarira flowers can be engendered by cultivation
of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma. This has been proven!
Cultivation of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma can enable a death row prisoner,
who has committed unpardonable crimes, to neutralize his karma and obtain
peace, happiness and liberation, and to be reborn in the Pure Lands of the
Buddhas. This has been proven!
Slanderers who claim that the True Buddha School is a demonic school, please
note the sincere advice of an executed prisoner and the evidence of his rebirth
to the Buddhas' Pure Lands!
Could people who practice a "Demonic Dharma" engender sariras?
Could people who practice a "Demonic Dharma" be reborn in the Buddhas' Pure
Lands?
The evidence proves:
The True Buddha Tantric Dharma is a Righteous Dharma!
The True Buddha School is a Buddhist Religion of Righteous Beliefs!
The Holy Honored Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu, is a true Living Buddha!
2. The Correct Buddhist Dharma1
By Grand Master Sheng-yen Lu
1 Translated from the Hwa Yu Post #27, August 14, 1992.
The news that recently has caused a great uproar in the Buddhist world
is:
"Several Death Row Prisoners of the Singapore Chang-yi Prison took refuge
in the Living Buddha Lian-sheng and diligently cultivated the True Buddha
Tantric Dharma. As a result, after cremation, sariras were found in their
remains."
The following is a record of the sariras found in the remains of the four
executed prisoners who had taken refuge:
(1) Lianhua Ah-lin - He had practiced the Four Preliminary Practices for
approximately one year. He was executed on September 6th, 1991. After cremation,
twelve sariras were found.
(2) Lianhua Ching-wen - He had practiced the Four Preliminary Practices for
about three years. He was executed on November 15th, 1991. After cremation,
more than thirty sariras were found.
(3) Lianhua Bao-sheng - He had practiced the Personal Deity Yoga of the Cundhi
Bodhisattva for three years and nine months. He was executed on March 28th,
1992. After cremation, three sariras were found. The next day, one more sarira
was found which had been generated from the original three sariras.
(4) Lianhua You-ching - He had practiced the Personal Deity Yoga of Padmakumara
for four years and five months. He was executed on April 3rd, 1992. After
cremation, many sarira flowers and twenty crown sariras were found.
Sariras are also known as "firm relics" and are only found in cultivators
who have attained a high level of spiritual realization. Since ancient times
they have been regarded as proofs of enlightenment. Throughout the past,
if sariras were found after an eminent monk had been cremated, people would
enshrine and worship the sariras.
Therefore, beyond any doubt, Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu is a true
Living Buddha. The True Buddha School is a Buddhist School of Righteous Belief,
and the True Buddha Tantric Dharma is a Correct Buddhist Dharma. This is
supported by the fact that people who cultivate this Dharma, even including
death row prisoners, all will obtain great spiritual achievement. What can
the slanderers say about this? All rumors are ruptured!
To the people who slander the True Buddha School, I would advise them to
look at the facts and proofs, and I suggest they sincerely rectify their
errors and mend their ways. They can take refuge again, and really immerse
themselves in the cultivation of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma. Hesitate
no longer. Do not sow any more seeds in the realm of Hells!
3. The Miraculous Transformation of Decaying Matter1
1Translated from the True Buddha News, March 1, 1992.
Just when the media of the Buddhist world are still entrapped in the heated
debates over whether or not one should be a vegetarian and whether or not
a certain teaching is of the Right Dharma (by quoting the various sutras),
a group of ordinary and peaceful True Buddha students have been quietly studying
and practicing the True Buddha Tantric Dharma. After their deaths, they have
all been able to achieve meritorious rewards and be reborn in the Pure Lands
of the Buddhas.
Some of these True Buddha students are ordinary citizens who have abided
by society's laws and some are prodigal sons who have transgressed. All,
after immersing themselves in a not-too-long period of studying and practicing,
have been able to achieve the spiritual fruits that have been longed for
day and night by other cultivators.
The most spectacular examples among the numerous cases of victory come from
a Singapore prison. From the dark cells of death row, a series of remarkable
Buddhist stories have spread to the outside world.
One of the cases involved an executed prisoner called Lianhua Ah-lin. Shortly
after he entered prison he took refuge in the True Buddha School's Living
Buddha Lian-sheng. He had only practiced the True Buddha Tantric Dharma for
a little over a year when time came for his death sentence to be carried
out. After execution, his body was cremated on September 9th, 1991 and twelve
sariras were found among the ashes.
This news became a feature story in the Singapore newspaper, Sun Ming Daily,
for three successive days, and it caused an uproar. The relics are now located
in a Singapore Buddhist temple, the Fuo Kuong Jing She.
A similar case is the executed prisoner whose refuge name was Lianhua Ching-wen.
After taking refuge in the Living Buddha Lian-sheng, this prisoner only practiced
the Four Preliminary Practices and the chanting of Buddha's names. After
cremation on November 17th, 1991, many sariras were found among the ashes
by Mr. Li Mu-yuan, who was in charge of the Deliverance Ceremony. All family
members and friends who were present also witnessed this event. The relics
were claimed by his family and are currently placed in a temple in Malaysia.
A third case involved another executed prisoner, who wished to remain anonymous.
After his death, a touching story about the manifestation of a butterfly
became known to the public. According to a reliable source, this converted
Buddhist prisoner's cremated ashes displayed an extremely shiny and beautiful
tone. In following and carrying out the executed man's wishes, his family
brought his ashes to the ocean. While the ashes were being sprinkled over
the ocean, a completely white butterfly suddenly appeared and flew above
the ocean's surface. Shortly afterwards, his fellow prisoners discovered
a white butterfly inside their prison, which had never before had any butterflies
inside. According to the prisoners, they saw this butterfly fluttering around
and lingering for quite some time in the area where this executed prisoner
had stayed.
4. Striding Towards the Icy Cold Gallows1
1Translated from the True Buddha News, June 1, 1992.
Although many people live monotonous, dull and drab lives, there are many
desires that are latent in the human existence. On one hand, these desires
can lead one to better oneself and evolve to a higher level; on the other
hand, these desires can cause one to try to secure gains for oneself by force
or trickery, thus falling unwittingly into the trap of materialism.
Lin You-ching, a thirty-one year old construction contractor in Singapore,
was a case in point.
Like many young people, he had a heroic fantasy about his own intelligence
and luck, and he was dissatisfied with the condition of his life and the
slow, ordinary ways of making money. He designed for himself a shortcut,
a way of profiteering that he thought was flawless; he changed himself into
a drug dealer.
On April 26th, 1985, Lin and his partner, Chan Zhong-yi, met their Waterloo
during one of their drug deals. Lin had persuaded Poison Rose Shen Bin-chu
to imitate what was portrayed in the movie, The Midnight Express, by dividing
2.3 kilograms of pure heroin into ten small packages and taping them to various
parts of her body. They had planned to have her smuggle the heroin into the
United States. However, she was caught in the Singapore Chang-yi Airport
before boarding the plane. Right on the spot, Shen gave the authorities the
identities of the chief of operations and her fellow conspirator and all
three of them were arrested and put behind bars.
On July 29th, 1988, all three were convicted of drug trafficking, as well
as persuading others to deal in drugs. They were sentenced by the high court
of Singapore to the death penalty. Although they had appealed the verdict,
the appeal was rejected and the original death sentence stood. At this point,
with all their hopes for survival extinguished, they could only linger on
in their dark cells, their condition ever worsening, and await the inevitability
of their deaths.
At 6:00 a.m., on April 3rd, 1992, Lin You-ching's soul finally departed his
body. The icy cold gallows had brought a stop to his short life of thirty-one
years.
Such a tragic ending brings sighs to people, as the final exit of a person
who committed evils. Surprisingly, however, reports from the execution scene
greatly baffled many people.
The lay Buddhist, Mr. Li Mu-yuan, who had volunteered to chant sutras for
the prisoner at the scene of execution, was very touched afterwards when
he commented, "The young man, Lin You-ching, was smiling when walking up
to the gallows' platform. I believe that he was full of joy."
The family and friends of the deceased also stated that Lin's will directed
that the organs of his body, including his corneas and the bones of both
of his legs, were to be donated to a hospital. When his body was finally
claimed by his family, after the removal of the organs, it was more than
twenty hours after his death. But, when they were dressing him in preparation
for the funeral, they touched the upper half of his head and found that it
was still warm! In addition, his family noted that his face was still smiling
and looked calm and peaceful, as if he were alive. This rare and auspicious
sign in death astonished the people who witnessed it.
Two days later, according to custom, Lin's body was cremated and the result
was even more spectacular. According to the people who witnessed it, not
only were the ashes either pure white or completely pink in color, more than
twenty sariras and many multiple-colored sarira flowers were discovered amid
the ashes.
Lin's sister, Lin Jing-yu, revealed the last words of her brother, "If sariras
are found after my cremation, you must pick the most beautiful one and present
it to my dear guru, Living Buddha Lian-sheng!"
5. The Two Last Letters of an Executed Prisoner1
(Letter No.1)
1Translated from the True Buddha News, June 1,
1992.
My dear sister Jing-yu,
Amitabha!
I have thought about whether or not I should write this letter. Indeed, writing
this letter is not very important for me but, when I think of you and the
other family members, I feel that I should provide some record of my own
cultivation. I hope it will serve to strengthen your (and the parents') faith
in Buddhism and your confidence in the True Buddha Tantric Dharma.
Before I was imprisoned, (although I worshiped the Buddhas and could even
recite a few short phrases from the sutras in Pali,) my karmic hindrances
were so deep and strong that, in my heart, I really did not understand the
true meanings of the Buddha Dharma. I was only interested in pursuing materialistic
pleasures and being completely selfish and egocentric. Although my nature
is relatively open and cheerful and I enjoyed helping people I knew, I belonged
to the group of people whose greed was great.
When I first entered prison, I was afraid of dying. This fear made it easy
for me to accept the chanting of Buddhist sutras, the reading of Buddhist
books, and the practice of meditation. However, I was still groping on my
own. At that time, a small group of my fellow inmates were also chanting
the sutras and worshiping the Buddhas. As I remember, there was one of us
who had a little bit more knowledge about Buddhism than the rest of us. My
eventual taking of refuge in the Grand Master was linked to him because it
was he who requested the purchase of Grand Master's books and who had them
brought to the prison. In the beginning, I was mostly reading books written
by another Buddhist monk, Master Sheng Yen, as well as other books on Zen
meditation and many other kinds of Buddhist books. Although I was reciting
the sutras (the Heart Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra),
the mantras (the Great Compassion Dharani), practicing meditation (using
the Breath Counting Method), and had become a vegetarian (though I still
ate eggs), all I knew at that time was that I should reform and again become
a good person. Due to the lingering effects of bad habits, I still lived
my days unclear and without much understanding.
Thus I wasted the first year and a half of my time in prison. Then, around
the beginning of 1987, that fellow inmate introduced me to the books of the
Grand Master. I remember the first book I read was One Bhikshu Between Sky
and Earth. The more I read, the more interested I became. Many other inmates
were also eager to read the Grand Master and had asked their families to
purchase his books for them. What I found so fascinating at first were the
many, many remarkable events recorded in the books. Of course, I was also
attracted to them because they made sense to me and used the simplest language
to explain the most profound Buddhist Dharma. These books gradually enabled
me (and others) to understand the Buddha Dharma at a deeper level.
Then I started to notice that I was often in tears. That was because, when
I read very moving incidents in the books, I began to open up my inner conscience.
I realized that I had, indeed, committed too many mistakes in my past. I
felt very sorry for the wrongs I had done to my parents, society and country.
I truly learned "repentance." Through the moving words of Grand Master, I
have truly learned to repent.
At that time there grew in me a desire to take refuge in the Grand Master.
I knew that there was not much time left for me, and that time had come for
me to take refuge and start cultivating the Buddha Dharma. I was very glad
that the Grand Master had the insight to design the "remote initiation empowerment"
for people who were unable to make the trip personally to see him. I persuaded
several inmates to take refuge in the Grand Master with me.
At that time, the desire to study Buddhism was quite strong among the inmates.
Many of us were very vigorous in our cultivation and would get up at around
four in the morning to take showers and do our practice. I also stopped all
the games I was playing and even quit the smoking habit which I had had for
more then ten years. It has been five years since I last smoked. At that
time, I started practicing the Four Preliminary Practices very devoutly,
according to the True Buddha Dharma: The Actual Practice. (My letter requesting
refuge had met with some initial difficulties and it was not until much later,
when Yu-mei was able to bring it to a Dharma Ceremony at the Dai Guan Tang
in Sun Shan, that my refuge became official.)
The Grand Master is inconceivable! In the beginning I had two requests and
Grand Master actually fulfilled both wishes before he had even received my
letter asking for refuge. All I had done was pray very sincerely in front
of my very simple shrine, which was made up of a few Buddha pictures and
the offering of a cup of water. Do you know what I asked for in my prayers?
Ha! I asked for the conversion of you, Yu-mei, and the parents, because both
you and Cheng-fa were atheists, and mother, father, and Yu-mei only worshiped
the Buddhas superficially. I was very sincere in my prayers and I had great
faith that the Living Buddha Lian-sheng would use his transcendental powers
to attract all of you to him.
Then, a short time later, you came to visit me in prison and told me that
you had had a very lucid dream in which you had seen a great, white, lotus
blossom and heard a voice telling you that it was the Lotus Bodhisattva.
Do you know how thankful I was at that moment and how great was my joy? It
was just too wonderful! Today you can study the Buddha Dharma and have been
able to receive some mystical experiences. This is, of course, due to your
own karma, but it was also due to the great compassion of the Grand Master
in answering my wish.
Yu-mei is another example. I had tried to persuade her to take refuge in
Grand Master, yet she objected. Finally, it was also a dream that changed
her mind. The Grand Master appeared to her in the form of a monk, with a
golden halo around his head. In her dream, Grand Master stood in front of
her and asked her to follow him to do some sutra chanting. Yu-mei did not
want to go and in her dream she saw Grand Master reaching out his hand to
draw her to him. She became afraid and woke up. She could no longer disbelieve!
That was why I asked for her to bring my letter seeking refuge to the Dai
Guan Tang in Sun Shan - she had also decided to take refuge at the same time.
I had made these wishes in front of the Grand Master's picture inside my
cell and had not yet written any letter to him. That is why it was so inconceivable!
If he were a false master, how would the Grand Master have been able to know
of my wishes? He would never have heard my requests if he did not possess
transcendental power.
There was another matter which had to do with my hemorrhoids. This condition
caused me a great deal of discomfort, whether I was sitting, sleeping or
standing. Walking was even more painful. It even prevented me from concentrating
on my chanting and meditation. As a last resort, I prayed again to Grand
Master. Then, after a while, I dreamt of myself lying in a hospital bed and
being operated on by doctors. The morning after the dream, the pain was gone.
At the time, I was not sure that the condition was permanently gone, but
the pain has not recurred in all these years. I was indeed cured! I truly
appreciate the Grand Master and this is a feeling that cannot be described
in mere words. I have personally experienced the grace of the Living Buddha
and can swear it truly exists!
Many Para psychological events happened during the Dharma practice. I remember
that many of my Dharma brothers had different psychic experiences and these
really served to act as encouragement. The experiences were much stronger
during group practices. For instance, there was the presence of the scent
of fragrance, and the appearance of all kinds of light. Some people also
dreamt of the Grand Master, and more and more inmates started to take refuge
in him. I understand that all these experiences were only encouragement and,
in following the teachings of Grand Master, I have adopted the attitude of
neutrality to them.
I am also very grateful to the Grand Master who asked that we get in touch
with Master Yang Zhong-chi and Master Yang. These masters have come to visit
us from Sun Shan, and they care very much about all of us. This has all served
to increase our faith and confidence in the path.
Although I was sentenced to death a year and a half later, I did not lose
my faith. I have understood and accepted the laws of karma and there was
not even one trace of regret in my taking refuge in the Buddhist path. On
the contrary, it actually has spurred me to dedicate myself more energetically
to the cultivation. In addition to practicing, I also enjoy reading Buddhist
books. I often compare various kinds of Buddhist scriptures with the Grand
Master's True Buddha Tantric Teachings. I have discovered that Grand Master
is truly great and has given much thought to his writings. The Buddhist sutras
to which I have referred include the Vimalakirti-nirdesa-sutra, the Surangamasutra,
the Lotus Sutra, the Avatamsaka-sutra, the Diamond Sutra, and some sutras
on the precepts, such as the Sutra of Rules for Upasaka. I also have read
the Sastra on the Maha Prajnaparamita-sutra and the Madhyamika Sastra, as
well as many other key teachings and sayings from the School of Zen. I also
read books from the Hinayana school. I would not let go of any of the books
written by the many, many eminent Buddhist teachers and monks. I am, indeed,
a fanatic when it comes to Buddhist books - I just love to read them. Anyone
who has read these scriptures and Buddhist books might easily decide that
there are just too many teachings and that they are too confusing. Yet Buddha
Shakyamuni gave these teachings based on the karma and disposition of many
different individuals. In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha has taught, "Those
who know that the teachings about Dharma are like a raft should renounce
Dharma and, even more, renounce adharma." Therefore, I only read the books
to increase my knowledge in Buddhism and do not cling tightly to them.
According to the Grand Master, the understanding of Buddhist tenets must
be integrated with actual cultivation. If one only understands the tenets
and does not apply them to one's way of life, then no practical purpose is
served. Actually, I am very embarrassed by my own practice of the Tantric
Dharma, because I am really not up to the standard. I have, however, gained
great benefit from the teachings on Emptiness of Ego and Emptiness of Phenomena
in the book True Buddha Dharma: Postmeditation Practice. These teachings
concur with the thoughts of the Zen school. An ordinary mind is the mind
of the Tao, and it is not easy to accomplish liberation form worries by becoming
centered and achieving self-mastery. In all these aspects, however, I have
felt and tasted their truths and this is why I can keep a clear, fresh coolness
in my inner being. I once wrote to the Grand Master to seek advice regarding
entering into Samadhi, and he had instructed me to "open up my heart." I
often contemplate these Dharma Words of the Grand Master, and gratitude is
all I feel towards him.
Last year, Grand Master used another method to lead our mother to take refuge
in him, and I know you are aware of it! Mother said that Grand Master had
talked to her and comforted her inside her mind and that was why she decided
to take refuge. I think all the burdens in my mind have been lifted. Since
mother has taken refuge, all my wishes are fulfilled! Even if I had to depart
this world this very moment, I have no more attachments.
After their departure, the ashes of many of my Dharma brothers in prison
have displayed a white color. This is a good sign. In addition, two Dharma
brothers (Lianhua Ah-lin and Lianhua Ching-wen), as well as another Buddhist
friend, have left behind sariras. This has completely confirmed all the teachings
of Buddha Shakyamuni, as well as confirming that the True Buddha Tantric
Dharma is a Righteous Dharma from a Righteous School. The True Buddha Tantric
Dharma is definitely not a Demonic Dharma, as some people of prejudiced viewpoints
have claimed. Amitabha! Ultimately, I have not lived this life in vain!
On the surface, it seems that I am going to meet a tragic end, but you must
remember that this is what is meant by the Grand Master when he speaks of
Negative Reinforcement. If I had not been locked behind bars, then I would
not have been able to evolve to this level. As this is my fate and karma,
do not grieve for me. I have already generated the Bodhicitta and committed
myself to the Path of the Bodhisattvas in all my future lives. This is the
only way I will be able to repay all my debts to the guru, Buddhas, my parents,
and all sentient beings. Therefore, you and I must treasure the study and
practice of the True Buddha Tantric Dharma - it is a connection that we have
built up over many lifetimes.
The Grand Master has used many skillful means to help people, including his
knowledge of geomancy and feng-shui. He has energized paper charms and employed
other Taoist practice. This is exactly what is written in the Vimalakirti-nirdesha-sutra,
"Scriptures, mantras, occult practices and various other skillful means are
employed to bring benefits to all beings." In the Avatamsaka-sutra, Sudhana
encountered fifty three Bodhisattvas, each of whom had used his or her own
special method to guide and aid the sentient beings.
This only proves that the Living Buddha Lian-sheng is, indeed, in possession
of the Wisdom of all Wisdoms and has attained the Full Enlightenment. Only
a truly awakened person, a Buddha, or great Bodhisattva can have these kinds
of wish-fulfilling Dharma treasures to benefit all the various beings. If,
however, an awakened person or Buddha only knows the spiritual Dharmas and
not the various methods that can benefit sentient beings on the physical
plane, then he is at most a great Buddha who only benefits himself.
What has given me the most satisfaction is that our whole family has now
taken refuge in the True Buddha and are practicing the True Buddha Tantric
Dharma.
Amitabha!
Your brother,
Lianhua You-ching
March 7th, 1992.
Last edited 01/15/03 at 04:46:51 by Thor