By Thailand News Group
Thailand fellow practitioners were going to a local Au Lac refugee camp. The truck was traveling at a very high speed, carrying lots of things to be distributed to the refugees. Suddenly they heard a loud noise. The back tire exploded! The loaded truck began to tilt losing it balance and control. Several times the truck almost fell into the ditch along the side of the road, however, it seemed to be supported by some unknown force and was pushed back to its normal position again and again. The initiates dare not imagine how disastrous it would have been if the whole truck had fallen down into the ditch. Going at such a high speed, if they had tried to stop the truck by pressing the brake, the situation would have been even worse. Therefore, they all immediately sincerely prayed to Master to help.
The truck continued in this way on the rough road. Fellow initiates in the truck concentrated on their meditation and also comforted the driver so that he would not panic . The most frightening moment came when the truck tilted to the left, gradually getting closer and closer to the ground. Finally it hit the ground. With a great impact it rubbed the road surface for a few seconds. Coming back from the shock, they noticed that the front windshield was not there. This became their way out, so all of them easily got out of the truck. They found that they had no serious injuries, only a few minor pains. When they recalled the whole frightening incident it seemed like a dream. They could hardly remember any of the details except that they had maintained total faith in Master.
After the accident, they transferred all the over-turned things to another truck without being tired, and then went on with their journey as if nothing had happened at all. Later when a fellow initiate began to think about the incident, he realized that he should have been injured the most since he was sitting on the left, they had the truck window opened, and none of them wore seat belts. However, all of them were safe and sound after such an accident. Only those who have had this experience can understand the fear, danger and urgency of the situation at that time. Therefore, they felt even more grateful to Master for Her omnipresent care! o
A Collection Of
Miraculous Stories From China
Compiled By Resident Disciples, Hsihu, Formosa
Contest Of Miracle Powers
Among Master's followers in Mainland China, there is no lack of people who have practiced miracle powers, chi-kong or the so-called magic. From their inner cultivation and experiences they have learned that Master is at an "extraordinary level", and She is truly an enlightened Master who has great power. After receiving initiation, they all forsake their miracle or psychic powers, and concentrate on practicing the Quan Yin Method, the supreme method that leads them to eternal liberation and the great wisdom.
More than ordinary people do, these fellow practitioners know that miracle powers bind people within the Three Realms. It is because praise from the public all too easily nurture human's ego, making one become arrogant. As time goes by, one forgets the noble ideal of "attaining the Tao", and puts his mind solely on the study of the illusive practice of miracle power.
Here are several stories of their miraculous experiences, including some which describe how they came to make affinity with Master.
The Lucky Pilgrims
Several earnest spiritual practitioners got together, took with them simple luggage, and made pilgrimages to various Buddhist holy places all over the country. During their travel they often had to stay in small inns in remote places, and so inevitably they came across thieves and bandits. However, due to their strong faith in the Tao, and because one of them possessed miracle powers, disastrous situations that confronted them were all averted.
Once they met one fellow initiate at the foot of the Chiu Hua Mountain. During their conversation they found that they seemed to have some affinity with each other, so they rented and stayed in one large room together. Consequently they had a chance to exchange experiences and opinions about their spiritual practices.
One of them showed great interest as he listened to the fellow initiate introduce Master and Her teachings. Another had his eyes closed, taking a rest. Afterwards, when both of them learned the Convenient Method, they immediately saw, in a vision, Master's manifestation form. The one with miracle powers, who closed his eyes to have a rest earlier, said that while the fellow initiate was talking about Master, he wanted to get up and argue. He did not because somehow he suddenly felt a spasm of sharp pain in his eyes. That enabled him to understand more about Master. Come to think of it, the pain in his eyes was Master's kind arrangement! Also, as he put on a necklace with Master's photograph, the evil spirit inside of him wanted to prevent him from doing so. However, he ignored it, and the spirit ran away, never to return.
Most astonishingly, when they practiced the Convenient Method for the first time, their eye complaints immediately got better, and their eye-sight improved. Hence they had great faith in the Quan Yin Method.
Immeasurable Merit From Initiation
A spiritual practitioner gained some understandings from inside such as the concepts of: "it is useless to recite the scriptures; do not interfere with other's cause and retribution; do not do the salvation ritual for the deceased..., etc." However, he could talk to no one about them, because people could not understand him or believe him. When he read Master's books, he was very pleased that he finally found someone who was in tune with his insight.
On the initiation day, while on his way to the fellow practitioner's house, he again heard the voice inside him saying, "The place where the initiation will take place is very dignified and sacred. Guardian angels from the ten directions will come to bless it, and even the biggest demon could never enter it." He was also told to keep quiet and be respectful once he got there. Before he received initiation, he already saw Master's manifestation form strolling around blessing the scene. During the initiation, he saw all the Five Buddhas (enlightened beings) come down together. So he could not help but repeat that there is immeasurable merit from initiation.
When he related his spiritual experiences, his tour of the Buddha-land in the ten directions, he said that Amitabha Buddha was no longer in the Western Paradise. Because He had accomplished His mission there, He has now risen to a even higher level to practice. Amitabha Buddha represents a level of consciousness, not a particular person. Anyone who has the same love, vow to help sentient beings, and merit from spiritual practice is the patriarch of the Western Paradise, the Amitabha Buddha. Indeed, his understanding can be comprehended and agreed upon by all who practice the Quan Yin Method.
The Magical Powers That Failed
A fellow initiate was the head of a certain chi-kong organization. When he first practiced the Convenient Method, he immediately saw the divine light. After receiving initiation, apart from sincerely recommending to others the ultimate method, the Quan Yin Method, he also stopped healing people's illnesses by using chi-kong. He deeply understands that ignorance is the greatest sickness. If you do not heal your illness from the root by keeping a vegetarian diet and practicing spiritually, there will be no end to your illness.
Once he went to the home of a practitioner from his previous spiritual practicing group, with one of his previous patients. Then he sat aside, focused his attention on his wisdom eye and silently recited the Five Names. His friend tried to display some magical powers such as "lighting a fire from a long distance" and "obtaining medicine from the air", but he failed to do any of them. He thought that it might have something to do with his presence, and so he left the scene. Sure enough, his friend then successfully performed the magical powers. So he curiously tried again and confirmed that magical powers could not be carried out in his presence. He could not help praising the Quan Yin Method, that it provides the best protection!
Return Of A Lost Sheep
This artist initiate-to-be was a typical northerner. He is not only fond of meat and alcohol, but frequently got blind drunk. Very often in his sleep he had nightmares of people attacking him, and he suffered greatly. Someone explained to him that it was the result of the karma he had accumulated from eating meat, and that he was being demanded in his dreams to repay his debts, to fulfill this retribution. From then on, he dared not eat meat any more. However, he still could not change his old habit of drinking.
His wife, an initiate, introduced him to Master's teachings. He could perceive a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere from Master's paintings. However, because they were distinctly different from his "defiant and shifting" style of painting, he feared that if he took initiation, his painting would have the same style as Master's. So he was reluctant to go any further.
One day, when his wife was troubled by not knowing what to do about his drinking problem, she put a Master's sample booklet under his pillow. A miracle happened. That night Master's manifestation form communicated with him. Since then he often asks Master many questions, all of which She has answered. He even learned about his affinities and the causes and effects of this life. It happened that the purpose of his present life was to follow Master and practice to attain a higher spiritual level. However, he forgot that purpose as he came down to this world. Due to his ignorance he created a lot of karma for himself, and his level dropped drastically. In his next life he would have to become a pig to pay off his karma. If he did not turn back and begin to practice in time, even Master could not help him.
This initiate-to-be was very grateful for Master's reminders, and vowed to become Her good instrument and disciple.
The Life Saver On Earth, The Living Quan Yin Boddhisattva
In sister Yang's kitchen hundreds of pieces of coal were stored. One day, as usual, after she took the unburned coal out of the stove, she went to visit her sister. At her sister's home, for no reason, she felt uneasy and cried continuously. She even felt in her heart that Master was saving her from some terrible things.
When she returned home, she found that all the coal was burning, but the house did not catch fire. What was most fortunate was that the several tanks of gas beside the burning coal were safe. Outside her house was a large public sink for washing hands, and if the gas tanks had caused an explosion, there could have been a fatal accident.
Sister Yang is very grateful to Master for saving her. She often heard other fellow practitioners talk about miraculous incidents, people walking away unhurt or even the car was not dented in traffic accidents. It is indeed very fortunate to have Master looking after everything in all respects.
Celebrating A Bumper Harvest
Master often looks after the fellow practitioners in need in their everyday life. As long as we are sincere, and we practice earnestly, Master will make the best arrangements for us.
Before a married couple received their initiation, when they began to be vegetarians and were awaiting initiation, they could not decide what kind of grain or vegetable they should grow. So they delayed planting for a month. Unexpectedly there was a flood disaster at the normal time of harvest, which led to a very poor harvest for everyone. However, the fellow practitioners' harvest was delayed, and hence not affected by the disaster. Not only they yielded a bumper harvest, but also sold it for a very good price. The money they made could last them for over a year. In their hearts they knew that Master had been silently looking after them even before they were initiated, so that they could practice with even more peace of mind.
In Shensi Province, a fellow initiate brought with him to a group meditation a few pieces of sweet-corn that had full round seeds kernels. He related the following story. He lived in a neighboring county near Xian, Shensi, where the weather is dry all year round. The harvests of the crops are usually poor due to the shortage of rainfall, and it was exceptionally bad this year. He decided to pray for rain, to improve the condition. So he prayed to Master sincerely, and began to meditate. A few hours later, it started to drizzle, and then the rain became heavier and heavier, so much so that the maize in the fields almost toppled. The odd thing was that every corn stock in the fellow practitioner's fields, which were scattered throughout the area, remained standing upright, receiving the blessings of the sweet rain. Lastly he happily told everyone, "Spiritual practice gives one the greatest Reward!"
Master "Appeared" And Saved Those With Affinity
Last year, there was a period of time when fellow practitioners in Mainland China frequently asked one another, "Is Master in China? Someone saw Her at Wu Tai Mountain!" Further investigations concluded that, this was another story of the appearance of Master's manifestation form!
This story turned out to be from a friend from inner Mongolia who made a pilgrimage to Wu Tai Mountain. He met a lady practitioner in a yellow robe. He was deeply impressed by Her dignified and solemn appearance. When he returned home, he happened to be given a sample booklet. The moment he saw Master's photograph on the cover, he told our fellow practitioner that he met Her at Wu Tai Mountain. So the message was promptly passed on from one fellow practitioner to another.
In Szechwan there was also a fellow initiate who ran into Master on the street. Master passed by him very quickly, giving him a bag of money for his travelling expenses and told him that he should go and take initiation. Another fellow practitioner, before he was initiated, also saw Master in the congregation at a temple. He saw Master appear as a nun, so dignified and holy, which deeply attracted his attention. So he watched Her without blinking for half an hour.
A fellow practitioner from a certain area also talked of the amusing incident about his initiation. One day, he received an anonymous cable instructing him to go quickly to a certain place and seek the Darhma. Although he was puzzled, he still hurried to the place. It turned out that it was the venue for an initiation session. Until now he still does not know who sent him that lucky cable. Maybe it was also one of Master's mysterious ways of saving sentient beings! o