While On The Path

Supporting Each Other On The spiritual Path

By Fellow Initiate Chen, Nantou, Formosa

Someone once said, "Practice for three days, the Buddha is at your side; practice for three years, the Buddha is at the furthest end of the sky." Unfortunately, these words came true, they happened to me.

Newly initiated by Master, I had an abundance of experiences. Master said: Those who wish to become fully enlightened beings quickly should be diligent, meditate for at least two and a half hours each day, and keep your actions, speech and thoughts pure. The conditions seemed simple, but the nervousness and tedious irritations created by worldly life had invisibly whittled away my lofty goal of becoming a fully enlightened being. Gradually, I neglected my spiritual practice. The mind always cheated me: "Because I have been initiated by Master, I am Her disciple, and She would not forsake me. Nothing will go wrong regardless of the level of my spiritual cultivation." On and on, my daily meditation turned into a symbolic routine. Finally, I did not even wish to attend group meditation.

A sister initiate named Lee lived close to my house, and her situation was exactly the opposite of my own. In the beginning, she had no spiritual experiences at all. All she relied on was the thought of "believe in Master." She meditated persistently every day, and even turned her shop into Master's Book Circulation Center, guiding people longing for liberation to know Master. Each time there was group meditation, she always drove her motorbike to take me along. Even when there was a storm or heavy rain, or in the chilling, gusty days of winter, she would still go as always, wearing a raincoat and a mask. This made me feel very ashamed, as very often, I went to the meditation center with her reluctantly.

Deep inside, my mind-self and my inner self were battling vigorously. The mind-self kept consoling me: "I have too many worldly jobs to finish. I am too tired physically. I need proper rest...." And, my inner self was urging me repeatedly: "We are confined by karma life after life because of ignorance. That's why we are bound and can not be liberated. Now that we have met an enlightened Master in this life, if we do not practice diligently, Master's painstaking efforts will have been wasted. When do we expect our souls to be saved?" These conflicts and struggles went on repeating in my heart.

Each time I went to the meditation center, seeing so many fellow initiates who were diligent, I was always somewhat inspired and touched. When I watched Master's videos and listened to Her discourses, each of Her words seemed to have been directed to me personally. Therefore, I always came home from group meditations filled with bliss. One evening, I even dreamt of Master teaching me to do a physical exercise. The action of this exercise was meant for my 'sciatica.' Shortly afterwards, during a group meditation, the painful spot of my sciatica was penetrated by a strong energy current. My chronic ailment of over a decade was cured instantly without any medication.

Master always conveys plenty of love to Her disciples, but they must practice according to the method to benefit. The situation after the initiation is like Master is guiding us on our way home. Should we continue to wander outside, this is not of much use. So Master will then arrange for some fellow initiates who are especially firm in seeking the Truth to support us. Here, I wish to convey my exclusive gratitude to Master and the fellow initiates.

Words From A Freshman's Heart

By Fellow Initiate Wong, Taipei, Formosa

One noon in the hot summer before I received initiation, I met a former school mate in a vegetarian restaurant. We were surprised by the coincidence that we both followed a vegetarian diet. He had stopped eating meat after he read Master's sample booklet. As for myself, because my fiance had just passed away, I went to attend a Buddhist repentant ceremony, hoping to lessen his karma and pay off his karmic debts. It was because of this that I lost all interest in eating meat.

My friend told me that only a living enlightened Master could shoulder the karma that people had accumulated over many lifetimes, and that if I really wanted to erase the karma, I should go to the "Supreme Master Ching Hai". Then he went home and got me a copy of Master's sample booklet. During that time, I thought, "If it can inspire a meat-eater to become a vegetarian, perhaps it is worth studying." In a short time I finished reading the sample booklet, but I could not stop at that. I wanted to read more of Master's publications, because Her teachings coincided very much with my own philosophical concepts. Therefore, before I practiced the Convenient Method, I had already read all six volumes of "The Key of Immediate enlightenment" and other books such as "Questions and Answers," and decided to take the initiation.

After reading the several volumes of "The Key of Immediate enlightenment", I sometimes recited "Supreme Master Ching Hai" in my heart. In a dream one night, I saw Master, dressed in a red Tibetan monk's robe. A few days later, in a branch meditation center where I went to buy some books, I was surprised to find a photograph of Master that was the same as what I had seen in my dream.

My fiance died suddenly of a disease. Each time I thought about that, deep sorrow emerged. Moreover, I faced repeated setbacks in finding a job, and my funds for living were just about exhausted. Unfortunate events occurred one after another. I was in an extremely low mood. When I was at the end of my rope, I said in my heart, "Master! I want to practice, but I even have problems providing my daily meals. What should I do?" Unexpectedly, not long after, I was informed that there was a position available in a certain school, which was very close to my home. Thinking that I might as well give it a try, I went to the interview with the head master. I received the notice of employment the same day. I was so delighted, and wholeheartedly grateful for Master's invisible help.

It was also due to Master's help that I did not miss my chance to receive initiation. In the beginning after my initiation, I very often did not meditate enough. Once, while listening to a cassette, I heard Master say, "Whenever I ask who has problems, I know that these people have not meditated earnestly, or have not kept the precepts strictly." I became vigilant.

Once, I met a former colleague at Hsihu meditation Center. She said that the best way to make progress in our spiritual practice is to gradually change the way we complete the specified time for meditation, from several sessions to one, and even lengthen the time. That day, when I meditated as suggested, sure enough I made progress and had a vision of a beautiful and magnificent realm. I was filled with endless bliss, and truly experienced the meaning of the lyrics in one of the songs Master composed, "Separated by the Milky Way, my longing is river deep, mountain high."

One day, I was determined to ignore the numbness in my legs and meditated on the inner light and sound for several hours continuously, and at the same time prayed for Master's blessing. Sure enough, I had a wonderful experience that I had never had before. I also heard inner sounds that were too beautiful to describe. I am truly very grateful to Master! I also comprehend more deeply that sincerity and effort are the secrets to making progress in one's spiritual practice.

I would like to especially thank our compassionate Master. It is Her constant and invisible help that resolved my doubts and enabled me to break through layers of obstructions on the path of my spiritual practice.

The True Monastic Devotee

By Resident Disciple Liu, Hsihu Center, Formosa

Before meeting Master, I was a nun in a temple. I witnessed the death of several nuns and the agonies they were in. I knew they were not liberated. One of them could not even recognize her daughter, a lay person who had come to see her. I began to think: "How can she recognize the Amitabha Buddha when he comes?" These incidents impressed me deeply. Therefore, with palms together, I always prayed to heaven: "Amitabha Buddha, please give me an enlightened Master!"

Very often, I did not lie down to sleep at night, just for the sake of seeking the Truth. I worked hard in the day, cooking vegetables and rice, and cleaning the floor. One day, an old gentleman came to the temple and said to me, "Someone will come and take you away within three years." I thought then that I was going to die.

Shortly afterwards, while walking on the street, I saw a huge poster printed with the words 'Immediate enlightenment, One Life Liberation,' so I went to attend Master's lecture. I felt every word that Master said coincided very much with the scriptures. Therefore, I left the temple with the determination to follow Master.

Eventually, I really understood that only after finding an enlightened Master can one be considered a true monastic devotee.