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 Lu
My mother and I have always had Buddhist faith, but have never been able to find a suitable Dharma Door. During the year-end holidays in 2014, we went to Mt Jiuhua, the mountain of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and prayed sincerely to Bodhisattva. Throughout the journey, we did not ride on the cable car. Unexpectedly, I dreamt of Guan Yin Bodhisattva the next day!
In the dream, I clearly remembered that I was at the foot of the mountain. Suddenly, Guan Yin Bodhisattva appeared from the sky, clothed in white and carrying a heavenly aura. Bodhisattva asked if I was willing to conduct my childhood spiritual practice alongside her. Without any hesitation, I happily agreed. Bodhisattva then nodded in a gratified manner, and a stairway to heaven made up of clouds appeared. I ran forward, feeling incredible in that moment. This must be a sure indication of the affinity between Guan Yin Bodhisattva and myself.
After a few weeks, my mother spoke with the boss of a precious stones store. The boss, named Hong Xia, introduced Guan Yin Citta to my mother and showed her some totem reading videos. My mother thought that Guan Yin Citta was very mystical yet legitimate as the primary method of spiritual cultivation was by performing recitation of Buddhist scriptures. Since she could not see any disadvantages, she decided to try it out along with me. Due to the immense pressure I face at work, I was amiable to learning how to perform recitation upon hearing about how it can help to regulate my physical and mental health. However, my father did not have faith in this method and was unwilling to learn or allow my mother to set up a Buddhist altar. Nevertheless, my father is a kind and helpful man and we believed that his affinity with Buddhism will ripen eventually.
After performing recitation, the biggest change in my mother would be the improvement in her bad temper. In the past, she would argue with my father over the smallest of matters. For example, if my father purchased a larger amount of hometown goods, this could also serve as fodder for argument. However, my mother stopped being calculative over small matters after performing recitation. In addition, she used to be unable to live without meat in her meals. However, her liking for meat decreased after performing recitation, stating that she had gradual dislike for meat after learning to recite. Now, she adopts a vegetarian diet almost everyday.
Coupled with enthusiastic life liberation outings and helping Buddhist friends to set up Buddhist altars, these changes did not go unnoticed by my father. He saw how all Buddhist friends cultivating Guan Yin Citta were kind. When helping to set up Buddhist altars at others houses, Buddhist friends would refrain from eating, showing how they do not care for small advantages and wished to help from the bottom of their hearts. Gradually, my father let go of his prejudice against Guan Yin Citta.
On a cold winter day, my father drove my mother and some Buddhist friends to perform life liberation and set up a Buddhist altar at 4am. Subsequently, my mother saw an especially beautiful Buddhist altar at an antique shop. Unexpectedly, my father said, “Haven’t you wanted a Buddhist altar for the longest time? Why don’t we buy this.” My mother was incredibly emotional and couldn’t believe her ears. In May 2016, we finally set up a Buddhist altar at home. Deepest gratitude to Guan Yin Bodhisattva.
The second efficacious experience would be how Little Houses alleviated my eczema. On 10 May 2018, I had a sudden breakout of little red bumps similar to an eczema outbreak, covering my entire body within 2 days. It was unbearably itchy and painful to the point where I was unable to fall asleep. Over those 2 days, I visited 3 clinics and even had injections to no avail.
One of the doctors even said that there would be a scar, frightening me so much. I was worried that my illness may result in me being unable to attend the Singapore Dharma Convention in May. Hence, I went to A&E at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in the morning on 12 May.
They were unable to identify a cause despite performing a few tests. As such, they referred me to the National Skin Centre. I was especially nervous as my eczema was about to spread to my face and I feared that this would mean disfigurement. I also did not know when the National Skin Centre would contact me. At that time, I was uneasy and tortured to the point where I went without sleep for 2 to 3 days. My mother said that we should try offering Little Houses. Back then, I did not have many Self-Cultivation Record Forms and only had 5 pieces available. Without any other solution, there was no choice but to give it a shot. After offering the 5 Little Houses, I instantly felt my entire body relax and the itchiness was alleviated. That night, I slept especially well. Miraculously, the red spots were almost completely gone when I woke up the next morning, shocking me. My parents also thought of it as very magical.
The third efficacious event would be how practising Guan Yin Citta allowed my father to be protected and blessed in recovering from disease. In November 2017, a scan of my father’s abdomen indicated that there were many polyps of various sizes in his gastrointestinal tracts. The doctor suggested performing a minor operation next Winter.
In May 2018, I had just recovered from my skin disease. My parents and I participated in the Singapore Dharma Convention together. The event hall was simply too spectacular, impacting my father such that he was rid of all bias against Guan Yin Citta. My mother also started reciting Little Houses for my father, reciting about 21 Little Houses in total. At the end of 2018, my parents scheduled an operation to remove the polyps in my father’s intestines as per planned. Before the operation, my father initiated a trip to perform life liberation along with my mother. Right after the liberation, they headed straight for the operation theatre. Not long after my father lay on the operating table, the doctor asked my mother to enter the operating theatre. Initially, my mother was afraid that an issue had cropped up. The doctor asked, “Isn’t the patient here to remove polyps? There are no polyps present in his intestines.” There was not a single polyp to be found within his gastrointestinal tracts, and there were only traces of stomach ulcers. The doctor added on, “this is a strange phenomenon as polyps usually only increase in number but in this case they have completely disappeared!”
He even asked if my father took any medicine.
This must be attributed to how my father sends Buddhist friends to perform life liberation, set up Buddhist altars, attends Dharma Conventions. In addition, my mother recited Little Houses for him. This is why Guan Yin Bodhisattva had protected and blessed my father such that the polyps in his abdomen miraculously disappeared. My father was then wheeled out of the operating theatre onto a bed to rest. Looking at the suffering patients beside him, he even dissuaded them from eating live animals in future. After a short conversation, he found out that the patient loved to fish. He then urgently told them that fishing will give rise to karmic obstacles.
At the beginning of the year, my parents came to Singapore to spend New Year with me. After which, my father began to learn how to recite the Great Compassion Mantra, Heart Sutra and the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance gradually. During this period, my mother also offering 21 Little Houses targeting his stomach ulcers. A follow-up check 3 months later indicated that he recovered from his stomach ulcers!
Now, my father is zealous in performing daily recitation at home, and has memorised both the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra. He even asked my mother for a counter and for her to guide him in reciting the Little House. It fills us with dharma bliss that our family of three is learning Buddhism together!
I have come to the end of my sharing today, deepest gratitude to all.
Should there be anything improper about my sharing today, may Guan Yin Bodhisattva and all Dharma Protectors compassionately forgive me.
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