By Grandmaster Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Lianhua Zhi-wei, Edited by Jason Yu.
Dharma discourse on May 3, 2008 at Linkou Sports Stadium in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
First, let's compose ourselves. With single-hearted devotion, homage to Reverend Liao Ming, Vajra Acharya Sakya Zhengkong, His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa, Vajra Acharya Thubten Dargye. Homage to the Three Jewels of the shrine. Homage to the great Kalachakra. Vajra Acharyas, senior reverends, reverends, dharma instructors, dharma assistants, fellow school members, venerable honored guests, my venerable father, and the families of Grandmaster Lu and Vajra Acharya Lian-xiang (Shimu), good afternoon to everyone! (applause)
Today, we gathered here for the teaching of the Kalachakra Shield Practice. Kalachakra descended from emptiness into the shrine and stayed during the entire homa. I believe through the blessing of his greatest dharma power, all the guests present, every one of you will have your wishes fulfilled. Hence, as long as you receive Kalachakra's empowerment, as long as you receive his blessing, the blessing from his great dharma power, the effect of his great dharma power will manifest on everyone who attended this ceremony. (Audience applause) Hevajra Tantra was the first of the five great Heruka Tantras to appear in this world. Kalachakra Tantra was the last one revealed. For these five great Heruka Tantras, as long as you achieve siddhi in one, when you cultivate the other great Heruka Tantras, the Ten Great Vajra Vidyaraja Tantras, or the Eight Great Vajra Vidyaraja Tantras, you will achieve siddhi with them.
Now, I have to clarify some matters to avoid misunderstanding by Taiwan's reporters again. That's right! I also want to extend my greetings to all the honored press and TV reporters attending this event. The jewel-crown that I am wearing represents the Five Buddhas and all my Gurus. The two large earrings that I am wearing, they are not worn because I am practicing "Kui-hua-bao-dian." [Culture Note: Grandmaster is referencing the secret manual to ultimate martial power from Jing Yong's fantasy martial art novels in which practitioner castrate himself and become effeminate] They represent Vajrayana's Generation Stage and Completion Stage cultivation. These earrings symbolize that I have completely perfected both stages of Vajrayana cultivation. These earrings also intrinsically symbolize ignoring all the slanders and false accusations. They also symbolize pure and virtuous speech. The bracelet on my arm symbolizes purification of the body. The jade pendant symbolizes purification of the mind. These are purifications of body, speech, and mind. The ten rings on my hands symbolize that Grandmaster's body embodies the ten syllables of the Kalachakra Mantra. (Applause) So, please don't report or say that I had on all types of fancy jewelry. I only put on these symbolic adornments for special dharma ceremonies. Otherwise, I do not wear them.
I feel that our lives are very short. Taiwan is the place of my birth and is often on my mind. I already mentioned before that fallen leaves would eventually return to its roots. My final resting place will be in a stupa of Taiwan Lei Zang Temple. I welcome everyone to share this residence. If we share the residences in the stupa at Taiwan Lei Zang Temple, I will be able to give dharma teachings to you every day.
Human life, from birth to death, is extremely short. Chen Chuang-fang, who is a jokester, told me this joke. What is life? When you are a year old, it is "newborn photo op." [Culture Note: Chinese custom treats newborns to be a year old at birth] At ten years old, it is "schoolwork on top." At twenty, it is "sex drive amok." At thirty, it is "career in flux." At forty, it is "getting a bit fat." At fifty, it is "older but robust." At sixty, it is "blood pressure gone up." At seventy, it is "often forget." At eighty, it is "walk like a drunk." At ninety, some people already have Alzheimer's disease, so it is "directions are lost." At one hundred years old, it is "on the wall, your photo is hung."
Upon some reflection, we do see that life is basically like this joke. Very quickly, this hundred-year dream is over. But, I also want to remind everyone not to get depressed after thinking about this matter. These days, many people have bi-polar disorder, clinical depression, etc. Ms. Chen Chuang-fang also said, you don't need to be depressed if you are healthy. What is there to be sad about if you are healthy? If you are sick, your illness can be cured. So, you shouldn't be depressed. If you don't recover, then those of you here will all be reborn into the Pure Land. Hence, you don't need to be depressed either. She said, even if you fall into hell, you wouldn't even have enough time to chitchat because you got so many friends and relatives there. So, what is there to be depressed about?
Make a Vow with Kalachakra After Achieving Yogic Union, Attain Great Miraculous Power
Now, let's get back to the main topic. Kalachakra can sever afflicted emotions and thoughts. I taught Kalachakra Vajrakila Practice. Chant his mantra "Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha", "Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha", "Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha." When your achieve unity with Kalachakra, you will have great dharma power. When you recite Kalachakra's ten syllables mantra while holding your Kalachakra Vajrakila (also called Phurba or Dagger), there will be rain if you want rain; there will be wind if you want wind.
A person in our school has already achieved yogic union through the Kalachakra Vajrakila Practice. Kalachakra took him to a beach in his sacred vision. He raised the vajrakila and the ocean waves rose. When he lowered the vajrakila, the ocean waves receded. I thought waves normally do have its highs and lows. As soon as waves come, you can raise your vajrakila; and you can lower the vajrakila as soon as the waves recede. That is also a form of resonance. Kalachakra told him, I would teach you the Inner Fire yoga (tummo) if you take a vow with me. You will also be able to summon the wind and rain, even be able to control the entire world. (Audience applause) Accomplished Vajrayana practitioners (yogi adepts) have that kind of power. I will tell you something that happened recently. During the Kalachakra Vajrakila Initiation at Bukit Jalil Putra Indoor Stadium in Kuala Lumpur last year, I raised the vajrakila and said, since the world is getting gradually warmer, we can ask "the Sun to move a bit farther from the earth." I made that remark as an illustration of Kalachakra's power. As it turned out, my unintended illustration was taken as an actual dharma edict. This past winter, many places in the world endured unusual freezing conditions and severe blizzards.
I also raised the vajrakila and applied one of Golden Mother of the Jade Pond's Seven Great Practices. "Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha" commanding the tumors on the attendees' bodies to transform into bee hives. Your tumors will gradually shrink and vanish as all the bees fly out of the hives. Unexpectedly, after this practice was taught, there were reports that a significant percentage of bees in the world had deserted their beehives and disappeared. This was very strange, and this situation was especially bad with the bees in America. I don't know how the situation is in other countries. Basically, after I recited "Om Ha Kamala Walaya, turn all tumors into bees, let the bees fly into the sky and be gone, Soha," the bees all over world started disappearing. This is a serious problem. Vajra Acharya Lian-deng has some jujube trees on his lawn in Seattle. In the past, many bees would come to his home and pollinate his jujube trees and these trees would produce many jujube fruits. The flowers were in full blossom again this spring, but the bees didn't come. So, we used the "handmade" method and we tried to pollinate these trees ourselves with our hands, touching the flowers, hoping to cross-pollinate them. I thought, these bees have the ability to pollinate plants, but I can't ask the bees that are transformed from tumor to fly back. So, "Om Ha Kamala Walaya, Bees don't fly back onto people's body, fly back to your hives, Soha." Now, I am chanting "Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha" requesting Kalachakra to enable all the bees to fly back to their beehives. Om Mani Padme Hum. (applause)
"Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha," request Kalachakra to keep a good distance between the sun and the earth, so that they are not too close or too far away; so the Arctic ice cap won't melt, and the earth won't be that hot. Also, allow me to feel cool when I am performing the fire homa. Amitabha Buddha! Kalachakra Vajrakila practice can grant wishes.
If you achieve yogic union with the Kalachakra Vajrakila practice, you will have that kind of dharma power. You and all people should abide by Kalachakra's dharma command, then you will be able to order somebody to be reborn in a Pure Land, achieve Buddhahood in this present lifetime, or order someone to be able to achieve great siddhi.
The Kalachakra Shield Practice has Great Protection and Repelling Power
On other hand, after every student achieved yogic union with Kalachakra Vajrakila practice, they will be able to apply it. This might create a problem. If they use the Vajrakila practice on Grandmaster Lu, "Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha, requesting Kalachakra to bring Grandmaster Lu from Seattle's Lei Zang Temple to our chapter to give dharma teachings immediately." Then, those couple of days, I would not be able to sit still, or rest easy. I would be restless and cannot have peace even during meditation. What to do then? Grandmaster Lu still has the Kalachakra Shield Practice. (enthusiastic applause) I would raise the Kalachakra Shield, visualize the shield fly into the air, and transform into a great umbrella, completely enveloping Grandmaster Lu. This is providing protection for Grandmaster Lu. This shield practice has a ten syllables mantra. When the command from your Vajrakila flies up against the shield, it will be blocked by the shield. So, I will be able to sit here in perfect composure giving teachings. I wouldn't feel any restlessness.
This shield method can protect the cultivator. You can raise the shield and point it into the sky when you are at your home and visualize the shield transforming into a circular umbrella cover, enveloping your entire body. If you visualize it to envelop your home, that is the application of protecting your entire family. No demons or ghosts will be able to enter your home. When you raise this shield to transform it as an umbrella enveloping all of Taiwan, all the people in Taiwan will be able to live in peace and be productive. This is the application of nation-protection. This is Kalachakra shield protecting entire Taiwan
But the thing is, this mantra is chanted a different way. This is chanting it as Repulsion Mantra. Kalachakra's Repulsion Mantra is the Kalachakra Mantra chanted in reverse. "Ha So Yalawa Lamaka Ha Om" (applause). This ten syllables mantra is extremely powerful.
When you chant "Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha" to apply the Vajrakila practice on me, I would chant the Repulsion Mantra. My Repulsion Mantra will block the effects of your Kalachakra mantra and repel it. Raise this shield, visualize it to be in the sky transforming into a bright vajra net, transforming into a net like a mosquito net radiating boundless light enveloping you. This entire net envelops you. Inside this net, recite the Kalachakra Repulsion Mantra one hundred and eight times. Then, no evil sorcerers, curses, or spirits will be able to harm the cultivator. (Applause) Also, the more powerful the evil curse or sorcery used on you is, the greater the repelling effect will be. However strong the black art was used, the user will suffer the same amount of repercussion as the result of repulsion. This Shield Practice conceals Kalachakra's retinue of eight-trigram gods, gods of the twenty-eight constellations, six jia, six ding celestial armies, and Celestial General Wuji.
When you achieve yogic union through this shield practice, you should visualize the Kalachakra Shield enveloping you. This is cultivator protection. Visualize the shield to envelop your home, and then this is home protection. Visualize it to envelop the entire country, and then this is nation protection. Visualize it to envelop the entire earth, and then this is earth protection. So, those people who learn Kalachakra Vajrakila Practice, they also need to know Kalachakra Shield Practice. Put the shields by the four corners of your shrine. You should cultivate the Kalachakra Shield Practice once every 15 days, as that is the time it stays in effect, staying in the air protecting you. Its effectiveness lasts for a half month at a time. It can protect you, your family, your entire country, and the entire earth. This is all very genuine.
I have said it before, all of our True Buddha School's vajra acharyas/masters and students are first rate. There is a joke. Taipei's taxi drivers all drive extremely fast. Many foreign visitors riding these taxis for the first time often have to close their eyes because they are afraid to see how reckless these taxi drivers drive. One foreign passenger asked the driver, "Why are you driving so fast?" The driver answered, "We drive so fast because we are all first rate drivers, our driving skills are first rate." The passenger asked, "What happened to the second rate drivers?" The driver answered, "All second rate drivers are dead." (Audience laughed). There is no such thing as second rate. Hence, Grandmaster is first rate. (Audience applause) Our vajra acharyas/masters are first rate. Our True Buddha School students are first rate. We don't have anyone who is second rate. We don't know where the second rate people went.
The Kalachakra Shield Practice Sadhana will be published in Guru's 202nd book
Talking about Kalachakra Shield Practice's sadhana, it is basically the same as the Kalachakra Authentic Vajrakila practice. We have to enter the Kalachakra shrine, recite purification mantra, recite invocation mantra, and invoke the Root Guru, Kalachakra and multitudes of venerable beings. Perform the Great Homage, Great Offering, the Fourfold Refuge, armor protection, recite Padmakumara's heart mantra, and recite bodhicitta aspiration verse. Then invoke "The Precious Kalachakra, through the great bliss of Ten Directions and Three Times, and dance of emptiness, demonstrate the multitude enterprises of Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity; summon sentient beings to the Buddha Pure Land of Shambhala." Then, form the "Kalachakra mudra," visualize emptiness, and recite emptiness visualization mantra, which is "Om Si-ba-wa Su-da Sa-er-wa da-er-ma si-ba-wa su-du-hang." Visualize the seed syllable HUM; On the Wheel of Time, the HUM seed syllable transforms to the great elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and emptiness. In the center is Mount Sumeru, above the twenty-eight heavens is a big blue-colored lotus flower. In the center of the lotus flower is a moon and sun disc, the HUM seed syllable is in the center (of both the Moon and Sun disc), Kalachakra appears from that HUM seed syllable. Visualize Kalachakra to be standing with four faces, twenty-four arms, and two legs. There is a vajra scepter as adornment in his hair knot. With tiger skins around his waist, and adorned with various jewels and jades, his two feet firmly stomping down on Mahesvara and his consort, Uma. His eyes are fierce and his appearance gives off an authoritative aura.
When you start your visualization, you can first look at the image of Kalachakra's Thangka. Then, visualize the OM seed syllable in the divine eye of Kalachakra radiating light onto the cultivator's divine eye. The AH seed syllable in his throat illuminates light on the cultivator's throat. The HUM seed syllable in his heart shines light onto cultivator's heart. In a snap of the fingers, the cultivator transforms into Kalachakra. The cultivator forms the Kalachakra mudra. At this time, both hands hold the mala beads and recite Kalachakra's mantra, "Om Ha Kamala Walaya Soha" one hundred and eight times. This is to solidify Kalachakra. Then, do what I had talked about earlier. Visualize Kalachakra to be holding a shield on his left hand, and raise it toward the sky. Then, the shield spins in the air. The cultivator holds the Kalachakra shield implement in his left hand. Visualize the shield transforming into a vajra tent radiating jewel light. When you visualize this shield soaring into the air transforming into a vajra net that is like a mosquito net and surrounds you, radiating strands of jeweled light. At this time, you will be impervious to magic attack as if you have the "iron shirt" or "golden bell" skill. [Culture Note: a reference to body hardening practices of Chinese martial arts] Any sorcery, curses, or demons wanting to harm you will not be able to penetrate your protection boundary. (Applause)
When you cover a person with this vajra net, it is protecting that one person, this one cultivator. When you cover the cultivator's home, you protect the people inside the home. When you cover the entire country, then that is protecting the nation state. When you cover the entire universe with the vajra net, that is protecting the world, the human world. At this time, you have to chant Kalachakra Repulsion Mantra, "Ha So Yalawa Lamaka Ha Om," one hundred and eight times. Use the vajra shield and vajra net to halt the attack from an evil spell/curse, and then repel it back to the source. Then, the perpetrator will suffer the consequence of his/her own doing. At this time, you have to merge in unity with the Kalachakra, enter the meditative samadhi of Kalachakra, and transfer your consciousness into the nature of emptiness. Merge as one without duality and become one taste as Kalachakra, which means the cultivator and Kalachakra are the same.
In our Vajrayana cultivation, what is called yoga is really just one-taste, which is none-other-than one body. In the Kagyu teachings, there are four stages of Mahamudra, which are One-Pointedness yoga, Simplicity yoga (or free-from-conceptual-complication yoga), One-Taste yoga, and culminating with Non-meditation yoga. One-Taste yoga is when you achieve yogic union with Kalachakra, you achieve one taste. When you exit the meditation, sing the praise, "Kalachakra Shield Practice, Protected by Multitude of Jewel Lights, Evil practitioners and sorcery, Cannot cause harm to me." Then, give dedication. You can give this dedication, "Wish to be in peace during the day, night, and forever be in peace during all six times of the day. Those who are in peace at all times, pray for multitude of vajra acharyas' blessings, pray that the Three Jewels graciously accept us, pray all vajra protectors constantly give protection, everything and the Three Jewels are all auspicious." Then, perform the Great Homage, and exit the shrine. I will write down this Kalachakra Shield Practice Sadhana in my 202nd book. You will see this sadhana in my 202nd book.
Grandmaster's policy has always been as you wish, he will never ask for specific amount of offering
When Tibetans paint Kalachakra Thangka, the shield is not directed outward. Instead, the shield is directed inward beside the navel area. A vajra acharya raised the question, "This shield should be directed outward. Why do these artists paint the shield as directed inward?" In actuality, whether it is directed outward or inward, it all has its dharma flavor. If it is directed outward, it is for the purpose of repulsion and protection. Directed inward, it is used to prevent the arising of greed, hatred, and delusion, repelling your own greed, hatred, and delusion.
Why are there so many sentient beings? Why do we transmigrate in the six realms? This is because we still harbor greed, hatred, and delusion. Hence, there is transmigration. Mahayana Buddhism speaks of no-self. Hinayana Buddhism also teaches no-self. Even the Dviyana (two vehicles), it also teaches no-self. The Dviyana cultivators have very high intelligence. They see the affinity for causation and fruition, they arrive at the ultimate truth through contemplation and achieve liberation through their own wisdom, hence they are called solitary buddhas (also called pratyekabuddhas). Hinayana mainly focuses on self-liberation, yet, they also speak of no-self. The spirit of Mahayana is also no-self. As long as there is no-self, then there is no greed. When there is the mental projection of self, greed is generated. When you have the mental projection of self, anger is produced. When you have the belief of self, delusion is created.
I am going to tell two stories. A Taiwanese contractor wanted to win the bid for a major public infrastructure project. In Asian countries, the Singapore government is relative uncorrupted. The main reason is its strict enforcement of anti-graft laws. Hong Kong is also quite good with this. It has an Anti-corruption bureau. Taiwan is probably in the middle of the pack when it comes to corruption. Thailand was ranked number one and Indonesia number two as the most corrupted countries this year.
So, this contractor wanted to win the bid by bribing the official overseeing the bidding process. The contractor wanted to give the official a mansion. The contractor told the official, "I'll buy a mansion for you. Please let me win the bid for the contract." The official replied, "I have integrity and never take bribes." The contractor said, "I know you are very upstanding and never take bribes. How about this? I will sell this mansion to you for the price of $10,000 NT [$10,000 Taiwan dollars or $303 US dollars]." $10,000 Taiwan dollars is not even enough to buy ten square foot of this mansion. The official thought about it, and replied, "Since you are selling, I'll buy. But, I want to buy two of these mansions." This is greed. His so-called integrity is only an act, put on to fool people. It is actually somewhat embarrassing to mention this. In reality, if we talk about our own True Buddha School's vajra acharyas, they are very honest and upstanding. Many acharyas travel afar to propagate buddha-dharma. When students give them offerings, they would use a bit of these offering as offering to Grandmaster. There are three acharyas who had a discussion on giving the offerings to Grandmaster. One vajra acharya said, "I will draw a circle and throw the money toward the circle. The money that lands inside the circle is meant for me, the money that lands outside of the circle is meant for Grandmaster." The second acharya said, "Unlike you, I cultivate no-self. I also draw a circle. I throw the money really hard. The money that falls outside the circle is mine. The money that lands inside the small circle is meant for Grandmaster." This third acharya has the best line. "Isn't Grandmaster's dharma body omnipresent? Everything that is in the air/ether/void is meant for Grandmaster. I don't even need to draw a circle. I just throw all the money into the air. Those that stay in the air, Grandmaster had already accepted." So, all the money that lands on the ground is picked up by this vajra acharya.
A vajra acharya is like this. Some students would put offering money in a red envelope and ask this acharya to take it back to Seattle with him and forward the offering to our Grandmaster. He would accept it and say, "Good! This offering is for Grandmaster. Grandmaster has already received it through the air/ether/void." Then, he would toss the envelope up into the air. Then, he'll say, "Ah, Grandmaster is so compassionate. He didn't take it. I tossed it into the air and every time, he doesn't accept it. Then, what can I do? I'll just accept it myself!"
I, Grandmaster Lu, am standing here and letting you all know. Don't claim that you are giving Grandmaster one-third of the offering. Don't put price tags on me, claiming Grandmaster always take a thirty-three percent cut; one-third of the offering is for the chapter, one-third of offering is for you, and one-third of the offering is for Grandmaster. Don't ever claim that. Grandmaster never asks for any offering, it is always up to the individual to decide the amount of the offering or if he/she wants to make an offering at all. (Applause) Grandmaster never asks for money.
I have a good relationship with Zeng yao-chuan of Indonesia. He never asks me for any money. He makes offerings to Grandmaster on his own accord. Grandmaster always leaves the decision to the individual, which is to say, I will never ask for money. I will also never put up a price tag, telling you this service will require so-much money. I never have and never will. It is all up to your own accord and that is my personal principle. So, vajra acharyas, senior reverends, reverends, all the chapters, just make however much offering you wish, even if there is no offering that is okay as well. All these are inconsequential.
Grandmaster knows that everybody loves money. Everyone loves it. This is because there is this mental projection of "you," mental projection of "I," and mental projection of "him" in your mind stream. Consequently, these result in the generation of greed. True holy saints would take out all the money they have and donate it to all sentient beings. Grandmaster Lu will be setting up a Sheng-yen Lu Charitable Foundation. This July, I will be going to Switzerland, "because my daughter in Switzerland, Chanel Company President." I will ask her to return to supervise my foundation. She is a Juris Doctor (she has a doctorate in law). "She is a lawyer doctor." I welcome her to supervise my Sheng-yen Lu Charitable Foundation. All the extra offerings will be given back to sentient beings. Five types of human tendencies: Nihilism, Eternalism, Sound-hearing, Solitary Realization, Buddha-nature
In reality, all sentient beings have their special characteristics and these characteristics can be observed. The special characteristics of human beings can probably be divided up into five types. The first kind is nihilism. They believe that there is no such thing as karmic causation, fruition or transmigration. To them, when a person dies, it is as if a lamp goes out and it just ceases to be. To them, after a person dies, that is it. There is nothing beyond death. There is no causation-fruition. There is no transmigration. This is a belief some people tend to have. Those people with this belief, they are difficult to awaken. It doesn't matter what you say to them. They believe when they die, it is all over. Whatever you tell them, they won't believe. People like this have a nihilistic tendency.
The second characteristic is eternalism. What is eternalism? This house is mine forever. My wife is mine forever. My children are mine. My descendents are mine. The money I made is mine. I believe in anything that has form and shape. I don't believe anything that is formless and intangible. People like this only believe in that which has form. This is eternalism.
The third kind is "sound hearing." What is the feature of the sound-hearer? [Their attitude is:] I already know buddha-dharma, but guess what? I will keep it to myself and cultivate it myself. The attainment is mine alone. I attain the bliss of nirvana, but I am not willing to share it with other sentient beings. This is the nature of the sound hearer.
The fourth kind is the solitary realizer (also called pratyekabuddha). The solitary realizer's special feature is that they have extremely high intelligence. When he sees a skeleton, he would ask why is there this skeleton? It is because there is birth, old age, illnesses, and death. So, at the time of death, this skeleton will be produced. Then, how can I find liberation from this cycle? How can I validate the supreme Bodhi of Buddha? He would have these questions in his mind. How to liberate yourself from mental afflictions? He would use the Links of Dependent Origination, go through them one by one, and then he would realize the method of liberation and how to validate Bodhi. This is the solitary buddha. But, solitary buddhas are usually a bit arrogant.
Finally, there is our Mahayana, the Buddha-nature. All sentient beings have Buddha-nature. We all have Buddha-nature. Every one of us has Buddha-nature. You just have to re-discover it. Then, you can be like Grandmaster Lu, you will be able to have "slices and slices of realization" (or "glimpses of realization": here Guru uses the title of his 200th book). I have told a joke in the past. A person ordered a bowl of beef noodles. He flips the noodles with his chopsticks for a good while and found there were only noodles. There was no beef. He went to the restaurant owner, "Hey, why isn't there any beef in my noodles?" The owner retorted, "When you order sun cakes, is there any sun in it? When you buy moon cakes, is there any moon in the cake?" The person could not give a response. I use this example because a sun cake doesn't have any sun in it. In a moon cake, there is also no moon. This is asking you to contemplate and realize it on your own.
Do you know what the Earth has? Does the Earth have people? Yes, everyone in this stadium is human, but everyone here is also non-human. The thing that forever exists on this Earth is this ground. Human beings only come to visit time to time. If you have great wisdom, continue this line of thinking and you will easily achieve enlightenment.
Pray that Kalachakra blesses all sentient beings so everything will be fortunate and blessed
Some students came to me and said, "Other people are saying True Buddha School is really bad." I asked them, "What is bad about True Buddha School?" They answered, "Many other Buddhist groups don't recognize us as legitimate." I asked him, "Why do you need to seek their recognition and approval? You can't approve yourself or give yourself recognition?" (applause) What good is recognition and approval? What good is not being recognized or not being approved? What are you approving? You are studying Buddhist practices to become Buddha. You should authenticate yourself. No one will be able to authenticate you. There also won't be people who won't approve you. This is because they don't really exist. (applause) I am a person who speaks the truth, and do not lie. I don't use Vajrayana practices against anyone. (applause) When those people who don't recognize us, fail to become government ministers, or couldn't get elected, this was because vajra protectors weren't happy with them. That has nothing to do with me. If you want to look someone up for missing your opportunity, you should go find Kalachakra, or Golden Mother of the Jade Pond! Don't look for me.
I was told this, but I don't know if it is true or not. Those people who weren't nice to us, they all weren't elected. Those people who want to be elected, you should protect and treat True Buddha School with respect. Those who don't respect our school, we don't need to vote for them. A long time ago, I knew Qiu Chui-zhen. I really appreciated his guitar music and his voice, as they are very good. He came to help us. I didn't ask anyone to vote for him, but all the dharma protectors went to help him.
We as cultivators must have great wisdom. We should not always be moping around by our lonesome, feeling sad, like Persekutuan Agama Buddha Tantrayana Chen Foh Chong Malaysia (the True Buddha School Association established in Malaysia). They are sad every day, thinking, "Other people don't recognize us." "How can we keep going?" You are all adults. Don't you know how to walk [to keep going]? Just walk straight ahead, walk forward! (enthusiastic applause). You will definitely attain Buddhahood. What is there to be afraid of? Shakyamuni Buddha is standing besides us! (Grandmaster Laughed) We need to have great wisdom. We can't lose to parrots. I heard that parrots are very intelligent. Someone heard about a very smart parrot and decided to see it for himself. He saw the parrot and said, "I heard that you are very smart. I want to test you out." The parrot said, "Go ahead!" The guy said, "I can talk." Parrot replied, "I also can talk." The guy continued, "I can sing." The parrot responded, "I can sing too." Then, the guy told the parrot, "I can fly." What did the parrot said? "What kind of joke is that?"
Our True Buddha School members also have wisdom. You don't need to emulate other people. You only need to study Buddha's teaching and that's good enough. As long as you have ceased greed, hatred, delusion, and apply your Buddha-nature in your daily life, you are the Buddha! Do you actually want to go beg other people every day for those people to accept you? "Please, would you accept/recognize/authenticate me?" As long as you recognize yourself as the Buddha, that is good enough. There is no such thing as someone going to go recognize someone else.
Today, right here, I devotedly pray that Kalachakra Vidyaraja, pray that Kalachakra Vidyaraja shines his radiance on all genuine cultivators, protecting genuine cultivators, their families, Taiwan, and all the countries that have True Buddha cultivators, protect all sentient beings. "So, they can be at peace in day, night, all six times of the day, all Three Jewels eternally at peace." Enable the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha to be spread all over the world, let all Buddhist cultivators practice in peace and achieve accomplishment. Enable all cultivators to have good health, enable all cultivators to sever their mental anguish. Enable every cultivator to transcend transmigration. Enable every cultivator to awaken sentient beings, enable every cultivator to achieve the accomplishment of holy saints. Enable every cultivator to realize the ultimate truth, enable every cultivator to achieve Buddhahood in the present body.
Today, before everyone, I once again vow:
I willingly vow to spend all my future incarnations ferrying and awakening sentient beings.
I wish to share my experiential insight on knowing the heart and seeing Buddha-nature with all sentient beings.
I vow to awaken sentient beings even if it means that my body would be smashed to bits in the process.
I don't have the concept of "I" in my mind stream, so I don't have suffering.
Because I don't have the concept of "I" in my mind stream, all sentient beings are I.
I don't harbor any hatred because all sentient beings are I, so I don't have any hate.
I know that life is like a dream. In this dream, we must live to the fullest.
For each day that we are still alive, then that is a day we should be happy. Living one more day, then it is another day for cultivation. For everyday that we are alive, it is a day to be grateful.
I am certain, to eventually becoming Buddha.
My spirit is like my writing, and with perseverance, I continue to go forward.
My writing is just like my cultivation, it is continuously marching forward.
I will never become dispirited, I will never turn back on my aspiration to achieve Buddhahood.
I will forever help all sentient beings, not a bit of my effort is to benefit myself.
In the "Sun Cake," it simply doesn't have any sun. In the moon cake, it simply doesn't have any moon. On this Earth, Sheng-yen Lu simply did not exist before his birth. After Sheng-yen Lu passes away, intrinsically, there also no Sheng-yen Lu. If I reincarnate, that is also a transformation, a change. This is because this world is constantly changing, always changing.
When I observe myself, I am the Universe (applause). I merged with the Universe. I am one with the formless Universe. This human world is only a dream. Hence, Shakyamuni Buddha said he never gave any teaching, he did not even speak one word. There was no Three Turnings of the Dharma wheel. No. There is absolutely nothing. Shakyamuni Buddha said, "There was no Three Turnings of the Dharma Wheel," and "[I] never said one word" after he had became enlightened. This was because the supreme truth is the Buddha. Buddha is the supreme truth. "I" am also the supreme truth. Hence, "I" alone am the most venerable being.
Thanks everyone!
Om Mani Padme Hum