Deepest Gratitude to the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva.
Deepest Gratitude to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma Protectors.
Deepest Gratitude to Master Jun Hong Lu.
Good afternoon to all shi xiongs.
I’m very grateful to be given this opportunity to share with you about my personal experience that has motivated me to remain steadfast and diligent in my Buddhism cultivation journey.
Master Lu once said, “Essentially, you can only rely on yourselves. You need to have self-awareness. Don’t muddle through life in this world, and keep falling down. You need to keep up, otherwise, you will be eliminated”.
17 August 2020 marked the beginning of my ordeal. What started out as a seemingly benign urination problem was a precursor to something sinister that I was unprepared for. The twists and turns that followed caused immense anxiety and apprehension that is hard to put in words. Having said that, I have learned invaluable lessons. I realized that life-threatening dangers could be lurking around and therefore, we should not take things for granted and overlook the importance of accumulating meritorious blessings that could shield us from the consequences of a negative karmic eruption.
On that fateful day, I visited a doctor and was suspected to have contracted a urinary tract infection. While the pain had subsided after consuming the prescription, some soreness lingered on whenever I discharged urine.
A week later, I was prescribed some painkillers and was referred to the Accident & Emergency unit of Sengkang General Hospital, as the pain recurred. The medication brought some relief, but the strange sensation in the lower part of my abdomen refused to go away.
I visited Sengkang General Hospital on 26 August. With my blood test results indicating some infection, a CT scan was carried out. The scan revealed a tumour, measuring 9.8cm, on my right ovary. I was then referred to a gynaecologist in KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital for further consultation and examination.
I was overwhelmed with anxiety upon learning that the tumor could be malignant, as my tumor marker reading was in excess of 2,000 – way out of the normal reference range of 35 and below.
At such moments of apprehension, I could only find solace in Bodhisattva and decided to drop by the Practice Centre the following day. I confided to Bodhisattva and made a vow to offer 108 Little Houses, donate SGD200 for the purpose of printing the sutra booklet, and liberate 5,000 fishes and 49 soft-shelled turtles. I also vowed to share my personal testimony upon bouncing back from my malaise.
On 3 September, I went to KK Hospital. A Professor, who is a senior consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, happened to be walking by, as the attending doctor was assessing my medical history. The doctor took the opportunity to tap the advice of the Professor, who was shocked by my tumour marker reading of close to 2,500! He suggested that I undergo a hysterectomy, which involved the removal of my ovaries and womb.
I was petrified by the thought of having to undergo a major operation. It was of little comfort when I was told that my operation might be months’ away in light of backlog caused by COVID-19. I felt dismay and helpless at such critical juncture of my life. I was advised to undergo a CT scan of the thorax to ascertain whether my lungs had been ravaged by cancer cells. Upon hearing this, I feared for my dear life.
I returned to the Practice Centre two days after the medical consultation. I reiterated my earlier vows but increased the number of life liberation to 10,000 fishes and the number of Little Houses to 1,000. I also vowed to post 100 words of wisdom on social media, recite 108 times of Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO), and 10,000 times each of the Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou, and Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots. I pledged to honor the master and revere his teachings, and advance my cultivation single-mindedly and diligently.
The CT scan on my thorax was carried out on 9 September, but I needed to wait for almost a week for the results. On 14 September, the doctor broke the good news that no abnormalities were detected in my thorax. With that, the problem could now be isolated to my ovaries and womb.
It was comforting that the Professor paid personal attention to my case and helped secure an early surgery appointment on 17 September. I implored to Bodhisattva to give me the strength to face whatever eventuality that might befall me.
One day day prior to the surgery, a procedural hiccup cropped up, potentially delaying my operation. This added more stress to me.
On the operation day, a thought flashed into my mind, suggesting that I should consider making a vow not to consume whole eggs ever again. Coincidentally, a Buddhist friend asked whether I would consider making a vow not to consume whole eggs. It was like an “aha” moment for me and there and then, I decided to make the vow.
Shortly after that, I could feel a sense of tranquillity dwelling in my heart. This resonates well with what we have learned in one of the most recent sessions of Buddhism in Plain Terms which highlighted that ‘diamond proved no match for one’s power of vow’.
On my operation day, I burnt 23 Little Houses, along with two pieces of Self-Cultivation form for Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou and one piece of Self-Cultivation form for the Great Compassion Mantra. My mother and some Buddhist friends helped me liberate 6,000 fishes and 59 soft-shelled turtles.
The surgery was given the go-ahead after the initial worries over a potential procedural glitch. A sense of ease enveloped me, as I was wheeled into the operating room. I firmly believed I would be in the good hands of Guan Yin Bodhisattva.
The surgeon told me that the operation went smoothly and most importantly, the tumour was found not to be cancerous, contrary to what we had initially feared. I was extremely grateful to Bodhisattva to have survived this personal battle. I stayed in the hospital for the next three days for observation.
On 1 October, I was confirmed to be healthy and free from cancer. I was overwhelmed with emotions. I learned that the Professor had been working hard behind the scenes to ensure a smooth operation. I felt blessed and expressed my utmost gratitude to Guan Yin Bodhisattva for laying out a smooth path, allowing me to chance upon a benefactor like the Professor at the right time and right place. This was one of those miraculous works of Bodhisattva, responding to our cries for help, as long as we put in the effort to help ourselves.
I am 46 this year and had completely forgotten about the 3,6,9 predestined calamities. I had not taken good care of my health owing to my hectic lifestyle. My experience reminds me of what Master Lu once said, “We must be diligent in performing recitations and spiritual cultivation, and remember that to be safe and well is a blessing. Time is pressing, hence, I hope all of you will not waste your time. We need to have high expectations of ourselves – to make progress and not waste our days”.
That is the end of my sharing.
If my sharing today is improper in anyway, I seek the forgiveness from Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Dharma Protectors.
Thank you.
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