Deepest gratitude to the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva
Deepest gratitude to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma Protectors of the ten directions and three periods of time
Deepest gratitude to Master Lu
In 2014, I came across a book titled ‘Yi Ming Er Yun San Feng Shui’ when I was at Waterloo Street. I devoured the book in one sitting as the totem readings and case studies in it helped me to resolve many life issues that had perplexed me for years. When I was 9, my grandparents sent me back to my parents. This was the first time I knew about the concept of a mother.
However, my mother did not bring warmth into my life. In a poverty-stricken household, I was unwelcome and was often subjected to beatings regardless of whether I had done something wrong — even when my brother had made a mistake, I would have to bear the brunt of the beating.
From young, I was made to help out with hard labour at home. After helping out, I would carry an empty bag to school. My bag was empty because I did not dare to tell my mother that I had used up my books and pencils. Without these writing materials, I was unable to write essays and my results were dismal. My teachers were exasperated and my classmates made fun of me. In a nutshell, my growing up years were a torture.
When I grew up and got married, I was still living in poverty to the point where we were unable to buy oil and rice on occasion. After knocking off from my day job at a factory, I would have to rush to run a small business in incessant labour. Not only was my husband unsympathetic, he also thought that me running a small business embarrassed him and we argued everyday.
As though life wasn’t tough enough, we also got robbed twice. Once, my husband got slashed multiple times with a knife and played dead while lying in a pool of blood. The only thing that life had ever given me was depression and I thought of suicide everyday.
In the darkest of times, it was my son who gave me the strength to carry on. His small hands would cup my face and he would say, ‘Hold on mom, when I grow up, you won’t have to suffer anymore. I will earn money and be filial.’ However, fate and destiny never accords to the plans of man. When he grew up, negative affinity came along.
Everything I’ve experienced made me feel that life is unfair and full of grievances. Why is this so? ‘Yi Ming Er Yun San Feng Shui’ made me realise that there is nothing except for cause and effect. Everything that happens in our life is a result of a cause sowed in our past life. In this world, if you are suffering, you are not innocent as we are what we have sowed in the past.
Non-Buddhists are really pitiful as they have no idea about how much negative karma they have committed. In the past, others had likened me to Bodhisattva. I also thought of myself as a righteous and kind person. However, Buddhism opened my eyes, allowing me to realise that my hands were actually stained with blood.
I had performed abortions before, essentially killing my baby with my own hands. Back then, I believed that life had not begun since the baby wasn’t born. After learning Buddhism, I understand now that an unborn child still has a spiritual essence. He knows and feels everything happening. During the surgery, he must have been so scared and in such great pain. This is truly cruel and is such a serious act of killing!
I decided not to think too much, using my time wisely to perform recitation of Buddhist scriptures and eliminating my karmic debts as a priority. My daily recitation gradually increased to 49 times and I performed life liberations according to conditions. I consistently recited batches of 21 Little Houses and miraculous events have never stopped happening since then.
Shortly after beginning recitation, I dreamt that my father-in-law wanted $400 from me. I then made a vow to recite 49 Little Houses for him. After finishing this, I dreamt that he was riding a large red horse. He was radiant and laughed before leaving. I was also very happy as I was able to help the deceased to ascend to a higher spiritual realm.
My daughter sleeps with her eyes wide open. Although it isn’t a medical issue, it can be very scary and my daughter-in-law complained about it. Thinking that this was probably a result of karmic obstacles, I vowed to recite 21 Little Houses for my daughter. After completing this, she was able to sleep with her eyes closed and my daughter-in-law was pleased. This is truly miraculous.
My grandson fell down and he needed stitches on his lip. He got injured at 10am and he was scheduled for the stitches at 2pm. He was only given partial anesthetic because he did not fast. I recited the Great Compassion Mantra and prayed for Bodhisattva’s blessing. After a few hours, my grandson did not feel any pain and did not cry.
I have had neurodermatitis for many years, causing me much distress as no doctor could cure it. However, I fully recovered after making a vow to recite 21 Little Houses.
My daughter-in-law also had skin disorders. As I am staying in my daughter’s house, I made a vow to recite 21 Little Houses for the karmic creditor of their house. Unexpectedly, he fully recovered from her skin disorder subsequently.
These efficacious examples are endless and really make me feel that Bodhisattva truly answers all prayers.
In my tumultuous life, I always feel the blessing and protection of Bodhisattva. In many life and death situations, I would pray to Bodhisattva, asking Bodhisattva ‘are you really there?’ However, I had never dreamt of Bodhisattva.
I tried praying to see Bodhisattva one more time, and Guan Yin Bodhisattva appeared in my dream, clad in white. She hugged me just like a mother would. She said, ‘you are a good person, a kind person’. That gentle motherly affection warmed my heart.
Incessantly eliminating karmic obstacles and learning Buddhism gradually increased my wisdom. At the start, I would cling on to the notion of calling to Master Lu’s totem hotline as I wanted to know how my family members and I were related in our past lives. I also wanted to know what I had done wrong.
Now, I am free from such notions as I deeply understand that since everything is attributed to the law of causality, I should repay the karmic debts I owe others without any complaint.
I helped my father make vows to perform recitation and life liberation, eliminating many karmic debts before he passed on. My father’s lung cancer spread throughout his body. My spiritual prowess was too insignificant and was unable to battle with karmic force. However, he did not feel pain during the treatment process, and was able to depart peacefully from this world.
In 2019, my mother suffered from a pulmonary embolism. I was terrified as the risk of sudden death was very high. I offered heart incense immediately and made a vow to recite 21 Little Houses, transfer 30% of my meritorious blessings and liberate 200 fishes. I went to the Guan Yin Hall to repeat my vows. On the fifth day, my mother was discharged from hospital even though she had been put on life support!
When my son was 15, the negative affinity between us ripened and he was filled with hatred and a lack of understanding towards me. He had subpar results and was unable to make it to university. Nevertheless, he continued pursuing his ideal career of a researcher. With his current results, the road ahead looks really challenging.
Hence, I used the Three Golden Buddhist Practices to help him. Unexpectedly, he made it to a prestigious university in China, the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics as a masters researcher. This is truly exceptional.
After entering his ideal university, he found a decent job in a bank. He then wanted to get married. However, the custom in China is to buy a house before getting married. Hence, I borrowed more than ten thousand dollars to help my son buy a house. I bore this loan myself without the help of the husband that I had been separated from for many years. I repaid this slowly by working part time without any complaints.
I finally touched my son. He said that I was the best and strongest mother in the world. Our negative affinity had finally ended. This also touched my husband and his family. They never speak ill of me again after that.
However, working so hard may have harmed my health. On 1 June 2019, I dreamt of my daughter’s couch and couldn’t fathom its meaning. Two days later, I fell asleep on that couch. When I woke up, I felt like I was unable to get up as my back hurt to the point where putting on clothes was a difficulty. Just then, the smell of sandalwood wafted into my nose and I know that Bodhisattva was looking out for me and told Bodhisattva about the pain in my back.
However, this is not the time for me to crumble as there is still a lot more for me to do. Gritting my teeth, I took two tablets of painkillers and got ready for part time work. In the elevator, I caught the scent of sandalwood again. Although I thought that the pain would last for days, I did not feel any discomfort throughout the day of work. There was also no pain subsequently.
Bodhisattva is constantly blessing and protecting me. Hence, I would like to tell all Buddhist friends who are currently going through some trials that you should not fear sufferings. Buddhism in Plain Terms states that those who are suffering will enact change on their karmic force and we will eliminate our karmic debts faster this way. With this, good fortune will naturally follow.
As the saying goes, ‘when bitterness is exhausted, sweetness follows’. If everyone is able to grit their teeth to bear more suffering while relentlessly performing meritorious deeds, praying to Bodhisattva will be even more efficacious.
Master Lu says that sometimes when parent-child, between colleagues, with relatives or husband-wife relations are sour, it is due to the retributive effect from the law of causality. Hence, the Buddha once said, ‘even with the passing of millions of kalpas, committed karma will never vanquish; predestined affinities are biding their time, and retribution must be borne.’
Deepest gratitude to everyone, my sharing has come to an end.
If my sharing today is improper in any way, may Guan Yin Bodhisattva forgive me. May all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma Protectors forgive me.
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