THE REASON BEHIND GUAN DI BECOMING A BODHISATTVA
Caller: Hi Master, I’d like to seek your guidance on several questions. Is it true that Guan Gong is a Bodhisattva?
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s correct!
Caller: How was it that Guan Di Bodhisattva could become a Bodhisattva as a war general?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Every Bodhisattva descends to the human realm with the aim of saving sentient beings, as they are already Bodhisattvas. In the case of Guan Di, His sense of loyalty and righteousness was so immense that it enabled Him to become a Bodhisattva. He merely took on the image of a war general.
Let me ask you a question, there are countless numbers of Dharma Protectors in heaven and how did They become Bodhisattvas? Aren’t They armed with weapons? That is because They are tasked with fighting devils and exterminating demons.
Caller: They are meant to expel evils and demons.
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s right! There are many types of Bodhisattvas. For example, what’s Wei Tuo Bodhisattva’s task and responsibility as a Dharma Protector?
While journeying to the West to retrieve the holy Buddhist scriptures, Sun Wukong, as a Dharma Protector, was constantly expelling devils and demons, and why was it that He was able to become Victorious in Battle Buddha? This was because He was exterminating the evils.
In my quest to save sentient beings, am I not often resorting to a very strict approach to root out the bad habits that I see in certain people? I must reprimand these people because if you bar me from doing so, I may as well go to the temple, and when you see me, all I will say is, “Amituofo”. If I don’t reprimand you at all, how will you ever be able to mend your ways?
Caller: I see. I get it now.
Source: Wenda20111106 04:30, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program