One Must Be Diligent In spiritual Practice
An episode occurred during an initiation in mainland China. One of the
initiates-to-be came for initiation with a child, who was not quite
six years old yet, but insisted on getting initiated, too. The Quan
Yin messenger told him to wait a few more months. The child wouldn't
listen and started to cry very loudly.
At that time, a 60-year-old initiate-to-be sitting across from the
child started to cry also. Everyone was surprised and puzzled by this
sudden occurrence and asked him why he was crying so sadly. He
answered while still crying, When I saw the child cry, I suddenly saw
our previous lives. We were brother practitioners six thousand years
ago, studying under Master Kuang-Chen-Tse on Kong-Tong Mountain. The
little brother practitioner was very lazy, not very serious in his
practice. He often fell asleep during meditation. Therefore, he has
come back in this life to continue his spiritual practice. When I saw
this, I couldn't help but cry loudly and uncontrollably out of
sadness.
This elderly initiate-to-be, Liu, well-known in the world of
Chi-kung. He has attained many special abilities, such as healing,
exorcism, determining one's fortune, and predicting the future, etc.
Even before he was born, a relative proficient in I-Ching had
predicted that he would be guided by sages to follow the spiritual
path. Brother Liu can not read much at all, but he is able to
understand extremely difficult and ancient books like the I-Ching
without an instructor. During the past several decades, he has
continued to read literature concerning spiritual practice and to
look for a worthwhile teacher to learn from.
When Chi-kung became popular in mainland China, practitioner Liu also
practiced various types of Chi-kung. Although he has attained many
special abilities, he was still not satisfied. One day, his son told
him that there was a very peculiar tree growing next to a
thousand-year-old grave and many people had gotten wonderful results
by practicing there. He immediately went to that place. During his
first visit, while he was meditating, a monk in a yellow robe with
white light on his head taught him how to practice and opened his
third eye for him. Brother Liu was overjoyed, thinking he had found
the real teacher. Until one day, while he was practicing under the
tree, a Taoist dressed in black came from the southeast direction,
riding a beast with a single horn, and yelled out loudly, Why did you
teach him Kung-fu? The monk in the yellow robe fled quickly.
Brother Liu realized that he had been cheated once again. This
black-robed Taoist riding a one-horned beast was brother Liu's
spiritual teacher six thousand years ago, Kuang-Chen-Tse. Since then,
he has come from the southeast to teach brother Liu everyday.
Visualizing The Secret During meditation
One day, brother Liu saw three suns during meditation. Two of them
gradually set and eventually disappeared. The remaining one rose from
the southeast and got closer and closer. A mirror suddenly appeared in
the sun, and a shape of a person gradually appeared within the
mirror. As it became clearer, he saw someone dressed like an emperor
sitting on a dragon chair. At that time, he didn't know who it was.
On one occasion, brother Liu received Master's sample booklet and
video tapes. That night, he dreamed someone put circles of light on
his chest. He felt very relaxed and comfortable. His ailing heart
problem was completely cured without treatment.
What puzzled brother Liu most was when fellow initiates came to visit
him. Brother Liu used to believe that his magic power was very great,
and he had the ability to know in advance if someone was coming to
visit him. He was very confident that no matter how high-level that
visitor might be, he always could know ahead of time of the guest's
coming. Except this time, not only could he not predict this event,
but our fellow initiate knew that he was desperately searching for an
enlightened master.
Coincidentally, one of the pictures on the cover of one of the Supreme Master
Ching Hai News magazines, given to him by our fellow initiate, was
Master dressed in imperial attire. He immediately recognized that
Master was the person who had appeared in the sun.
Practicing Magical Powers Results In Endless Obstructions
Since then, he had been filled with dharma joy, anticipating the
coming of initiation. He was overjoyed when the fellow initiate
informed him that in three days he would be initiated. However,
something terrifying happened as soon as the initiate left. His family
members saw his face, mouth and eyes all become crooked. The right
side of his body became numb and his left side was heavy and
sluggish. Somehow, he managed to raise his left hand and point to his
meditation room where he kept Master's sample booklet. By then, his
family was scared and confused. Fortunately, his wife understood what
he wanted and brought Master's sample booklet to him. He was, then,
able to recite Supreme Master Ching Hai . As soon as he recited Master's name,
his crooked eyes and mouth returned to normal and his paralyzed body
became nimble again.
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All this was the result of playing with magical powers. Brother Liu
once learned some kind of magic and borrowed the astral body of an
astral being, which now was trying to obstruct him from practicing
the supreme Quan Yin Method to be liberated. If he followed Master's
path, then he would never have to be in the cycle of transmigration
again. The astral being didn't want him to get initiated. It would not
let him go, and tried to bind him.
After brother Liu got initiated, just as he had desired, the astral
being still continued to try to obstruct his spiritual practice. It
even tried kill him. Fortunately, Master taught us how to protect
ourselves. As soon as he recited the Holy Names, the astral being
fled, after promising not to bother him again. Without the protection
of an enlightened Master, even if one struggled with all one's might,
one still could not get rid of the annoyance of astral beings. Brother
Liu is very thankful to have the great fortune to follow Master on
the spiritual path.
After initiation, once during meditation, brother Liu saw his past
relationships with Master. In his numerous transmigrations, three
times, Master tried to liberate him, but each time he was in love
with magical powers and didn't follow Master's footsteps. If he missed
this opportunity again, he would have to wait many millennia. Now, he
has gotten tired of the endless transmigrations and has realized that
magical powers are not the greatest; they are only illusionary. The
Quan Yin Method is the truly supreme, perfect and flawless method.
The Powers Of An Enlightened Master Are Quite Inconceivable
Another incident also made brother Liu extremely respectful of the
inconceivable powers of Master. His wife normally stayed home to do
house chores. Her ability to express herself was very limited as most
village women. She couldn't recognize the different kinds of food
stamps. She couldn't even tell the value on the face of paper money.
Naturally, she didn't know how to use it. She didn't speak but a few
words in an entire year. Whenever there were visitors, she would hide
herself. Brother Liu had thought her level must be very low.
Unexpectedly, after initiation, she became more open and her language
ability improved greatly.
One day, brother Liu was playing Master's cassette tapes, and at the
same time, closed his eyes to get a vision with his wisdom eye. He
played each tape only three to four minutes then switched to another
tape. However, when he was playing the third tape, his wife rushed in
from the next room and said with annoyance, What are you doing? Why do
you keep changing tapes?
What happened was that she was meditating in the next room. Each time
brother Liu played a tape, she would get a different vision.
Sometimes, she saw Master in a very beautiful place surrounded by
numerous monks in yellow robes. They were paying full attention to
Master's lecture. Another time, she saw beings dressed in white with
luminous bodies. They were listening to Master's lectures with great
respect. Each time, when she was enjoying the state of being one with
heaven, she heard a ka-tsa and the tape was changed and her vision was
interrupted. When this happened for the third time, she couldn't stand
it anymore, so she came out to scold him.
Brother Liu was shocked when he heard this. His wife just got
initiated a few months ago, how could she have abilities similar to
his, one who has had so many years of practice. He was overwhelmed. He
couldn't but surrender under Master's great powers.
That night, he was taken to an even higher level. He couldn't remember
the details, but clearly knew that someone told him, What you can
still see is not yet the highest Truth.
The Conception Of spiritual Practice Must Be Correct
Through this experience, brother Liu has realized two things. First,
when Master gives a lecture, it's not just for the Earthly people to
hear. In the universe, there are different levels of universes and
beings listening at the same time. Second, this proves what Master has
said, Whatever state you can still see, you are only half-way there.
In truly high levels, there are no shapes or forms.
Now, he understands that Master was teaching him not get attached to
or long for inner experiences. Otherwise, he would remain in the same
level and not be able to progress beyond it; as it becomes an
obstacle. He is very grateful to Master for Her timely reminder. He
will no longer be attached to experiences in the future.
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