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As long as you are sincere,
I will go to teach you no matter where you might be.
In remembrance of the Master's teachings to me, I have recorded these teachings in writing. I have done so for no other reason than that he is my teacher. I live in Taiwan, while the Master was in America. He once said to me,
As long as you are sincere, I will go to teach you no
matter where you might be.
It has been nearly a year since the Master left us, but I have never thought that he is gone. In fact, the Master has always been watching us from empty space to see how we cultivate. I would like to share some of the teachings that I received from the Master in dreams. I will just briefly relay what happened and not add any of my own thoughts so that readers can draw their own conclusions.
After I took refuge with the Master in 1993, I had several dreams in which the Master appeared with several very tall Bhikshus wearing red robes came to Taiwan to propagate Dharma. They were so tall that I couldn't see their faces, but they walked with dignity. In early 1993, I dreamed that the Master came to Taiwan accompanied by some monks and nuns. In one scene, the Master was sitting in a rectangular, red-carpetted reception room that was bare of furnishings except for three wooden chairs set along the wall. All the left-home disciples were gone, and the Master was sitting in the middle chair facing the empty hall waiting to receive visitors. After everything was set, I stood outside and said to those beings who were waiting to see the Master, "Those who want to take refuge with the Venerable Master may go in now, but one at a time." The beings were all very delighted. They stood in line with their palms respectfully pressed together and quietly awaited their turn. They had green noses, green eyes, and green faces; in fact, their whole bodies were green. (My duty was to maintain order.) All these things seemed perfectly normal to me in the dream, but Idid have two questions. I wondered, "How come these people have so many hands? one pair of which was placed together, joining palms.sort of like the image of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, but the Bodhisattva is not green." My second question was: I'm already very short, but how come these beings were just about my height? I could see their green faces and their expressions very clearly. The one at the front of the line gave me a friendly look and a smile. His face was filled with joy and gratitude as he waited to see the Master. I also discovered that he had big eyes with double eyelids, quite cute. He winked at me, which was how I found out he had double eyelids.
Since they went in one by one while I stood outside maintaining order, I didn't know what was going on inside. After they had all seen and taken refuge with the Master, the Master walked out. All of a sudden I noticed the mud wall outside the hall was covered with blood stains. I was astonished and told the Master, "Master, take a look! How come this wall is covered with blood stains? What happened?" The Master said nothing, but picked up some soil and rubbed it on the wall to cover the stains. I followed suit. With my small hands I also picked up some soil and rubbed it on the wall and covered all the blood stains.
When I woke up, it was four or five o'clock in the morning. It dawned on me then that the beings in my dream were trees. Their multiple hands were branches, and they were my height because they were "kneeling." I thought they were very adorable as they walked into the room on their knees, swaying their branches back and forth. I remember especially well the one in front with the double eyelids who winked and smiled at me. I soon forgot the dream, and only thought of it again a year later when I heard that a camphor tree at Mount Putuo in China had taken refuge with the Master. In my dream, not only one tree, but a whole line of them, took refuge!
In the seventh lunar month in 1994, two days before I went to Dharma Realm Buddhist Books Distribution Society in Taiwan to attend an Earth Store Recitation Session, I dreamed of an elder who looked a little peculiar. He wore a Chinese style long robe and had attendants respectfully standing to the side, very much like the modern day president of a large enterprise. His attendant led me into his office. I remained standing to one side. Outside of the office was a elegantly designed landscape with flowers, shrubs, small hills, and water falls. He told me, "There were too many typhoons in Taiwan this year. (Within a two-month period this summer, there were nine storms. However, all of them either became milder or disappeared all together.) Your teacher has been burdened too much by living beings' karma and could not come to Taiwan. You should go to America to see him." He handed me an unsealed transparent plastic bag with some Taiwan dollars in it and said, "When you see the Venerable Master Hua, give this to him. He will understand." I took the plastic bag respectfully and bowed three times to him. My heart was saddened and I remained silent throughout the meeting. I am used to keeping silent in front of the elderly to show my respect. This elder seemed to know the Master well; he called the Master by name, talked to me in a amiable manner, and accepted my bows.
When I woke up, I could not figure out the dream. I couldn't possibly go to America at this time. I did not have days off for one, and secondly, I couldn't afford the trip. How was I going to give the money to the Master? The next day it dawned on me that I had just received my paycheck. After all the fixed expenses were paid, I took some of the remaining money, which was used to pay for my monthly living expenses, to substitute for the money in the plastic bag and made an offering to the Master at the Session.
I came to America at end of March 1995 to bow the Jeweled Repentance of the Emperor of Liang. As the Master was gravely ill, I could not see him and ask him to explain my dream. I bowed the repentance very sincerely and made several vows. The responses I received during the seven-day bowing session moved me to tears. After the session was over, I arrived home late in the evening on April 9. Soon I dreamed that the Master opened the door and walked in unsteadily, leaning on his cane. He wore a thick yellow robe and yellow sash, and a black scarf covered both his face and neck, so that only his eyes showed. (The Master did not want me to see his sick condition.) At that time I was busy doing some unimportant chores. When the Master came in, I knew he had come to see me despite his illness. I immediately dropped to my knees and crawled toward him. I held his legs and wept. I asked him, "Master, have you gotten any better?" (This was in response to what the elder had told me. What I really meant was whether the karma of living beings had been lessened since all of his disciples had bowed the repentance very sincerely.)
In early May of 1995, for the first time in my dream I only heard the Master's voice but did not see him. He said,
I have come out of seclusion.
His voice penetrated the clouds and cut through empty space. At that time, I saw the multitude of living beings looked up into the air wearing a blank expression. I was still playing at the slide. Looking down from the top platform of the slide, I saw layer upon layer of men and women. When I heard the Master's voice, I quickly got up and quit playing. I said, "Darn! My teacher's come to look for me and I'm stilling playing in these six paths." I also told the multitude of beings, but their blank faces indicated they did not recognize the voice. I said anxiously, "That was my teacher, the Venerable Master Hua! Don't you know him? I've got to go." Then, I woke up.
During the Guanyin Session and Water, Land, and Air Dharma Session in 1995, I dreamed that the Master manifested the appearance of having entered Nirvana. I cried bitterly and asked the Master why he left the world so early? Wasn't he going to live to be one hundred years old? Besides, I had already made certain vows; why did he still want to leave? Master closed his eyes and instantly tears streamed down his face. He was grieved and remained silent. I continued to cry and asked the Master again why he decided to leave the world early? The Master's tears fell for the second time and he said,
Living beings' blessings are too scanty.
And he said no more. The Master's left-home disciples had been
kneeling to the side all this time. I asked the Master when he was coming back. At that time, I knew I could not detain the Master any longer so I walked the Master to his car. In the car, Master asked for a certain Dharma Master to give her instructions regarding the Buddhist Academy. That Dharma Master had been waiting outside for a long time so I got off the car. Strange! Where the Master was going? How come he was riding a jeep? And where was the driver? I knew the Master would not tell me even if I asked.
Perhaps someone sees him sitting in the Way place,
Enlightening to and knowing all dharmas.
Arriving at the other shore of merit and virtue
He exhausts the darkness of stupidity and afflictions.
Perhaps someone sees him as a victorious hero,
Replete with a mind of great compassion,
Turning the wonderful Dharma wheel,
Crossing over limitless living beings.
Perhaps someone sees him sounding the lion's roar.
His awesome brilliance has no peer.
Excelling all in the world,
The power of his spiritual penetrations is unequalled.
Flower Adornment Sutra, Chapter Nine, Light Enlightenment
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