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I never had the opportunity or affinity to meet the Venerable Master Hua in person, but I did read some books about him. Certain conditions led me to meet a certain left-home disciple of the Venerable Master. Later our family went regularly to hear the Dharma Masters lecture on Sutras at the International Translation Institute. One Sunday in May, the Dharma Master wanted everyone to tell about their personal experiences of being helped by Bodhisattvas. Some fellow cultivators gave accounts of how they’d been rescued and helped by the Venerable Master Hua. This made me suddenly think of a friend I had in Virginia who had cancer. Afterwards I asked the Dharma Master for some photographs of the Venerable Master Hua and a tape of the recitation of Amitabha Buddha’s name, which I sent by express mail to my friend. I also called my friend and said,
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t know him. Just pray
to him to help you.”
The miracle happened one day after noon. As she was taking a nap, she had a vision of someone walking into her room. He took something wrapped in leaves and stuffed it in her mouth. She seemed to taste a slight butter flavor. When she awakened, she ran to the bathroom with a case of diarrhea (at that point she was already in the final stages of the cancer and her body was seriously bloated with water, a condition which entailed unspeakable suffering). Afterwards, she felt more comfortable than she had ever felt before. She had no religious faith, but when she called to tell me what had happened, she was amazed and grateful. Although she still passed away not long afterwards, her face was very peaceful.
I believe that the people who have been helped by the Venerable Master are not a few. He devoted his life to lecturing on the Sutras and speaking the Dharma, to teaching and helping us, and his contributions to the society are not something that my clumsy pen could describe. In my mind, he is a living Bodhisattva. He was never born and never died. His teachings are the standard and reminder for my conduct throughout my life.
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