我跪在上人法像前求加持，讓我有一夜好眠，因為明天還有好多工作，因為我不能倒下去。上人知道我的苦楚，屢次入夢開示我；我夢到上人喝了水後把玻璃杯交還我，雖然尚是杯形，玻璃卻全破碎了。上人在告訴我什麼？我參了好久，歷盡折磨才悟到上人是不是叫我要看破？在我恐懼貧窮時夢到上人及兩位法師，在僅有一個破磚牆及一口舊式大灶前談笑自如。雖然如此貧窮，他們卻一點也不以為苦，神清氣爽。我跪在上人面前，原想求加持，現在卻一個字也說不出口。我體悟到只要道不窮，貧窮並不那麼可怕。我應該認帳，心甘情願歡喜還債才是，至此煩惱自然少許多。
我雖然數落父母對弟弟用情太重不理智，其實自己也陷得很深而不願承認。當我拿出最後一筆積蓄時，曾深深地陷在父母與丈夫孩子之間，感到左右為難。上人入夢來說法，在我覺知上人在指點我的一剎那，老人家已站在我前面，並在我頭頂上重重打了一香板，頓時全身清涼，神清氣爽，心中的苦痛不見了，多年的病痛也不見了，上人消了我很重的業障。許許多多的感應是難以言喻的，上人常說「心誠則靈」、「感應道交」眞是不可思議。
我第一次看到爸爸老淚縱橫時，建議他們每天早晚頂禮上人，唸「懺悔文」，持南無觀世音菩薩聖號，並戴著小張上人法像及楞嚴咒本。我的父母及幾位親友由我「一生行善，怎麼會得到這樣的報應？」的態度，到「眞認自己錯」的改變；從無知到虔誠禮佛，佛號不斷；從苦惱憂愁到展顏輕鬆，雖然財富失去，債務龐大，但我們已不再畏懼、苦惱，只要我們盡心盡力的還就是了。今日回首，深覺師恩的浩蕩，我們獲得的遠比失去的多太多。現在才恍然大悟，十四年前上人那席「平凡無奇」的開示，原來道盡了我這一生的命運。只是天機不可洩，我又哪會想得到？
雖然上人盡力救拔，無奈業重習深，惡報來時當然受盡苦楚。幸好上人教導我們種種離苦得樂的法門；當我們眞認自己錯，誠心改過時，上人一定救拔我們出離苦海。上人就是萬佛寶殿中那尊千手千眼觀世音菩薩，化身千百億，尋聲救苦，把自己的所有福報都捨給眾生。把眾生的所有苦難都承擔下來。我們若不勤修戒定慧，老給上人添麻煩，豈不辜負上人的殷殷救拔，諄諄教誨？
兒子李明軒
約四年前親軒八歲時，第一次參加圓通精舍辦的楞嚴法會，由於不會唸楞嚴咒而急得當場流淚。恒泉師過去安慰他，鼓勵他。午齋後，當他嘗試專心學念楞嚴咒時，突然咒本上出現三個如日般的光，持續數秒慢慢消失，又出現。如此閃亮了數次後，親軒居然會唸而且可以跟上大眾快速的持唸楞嚴咒了。法會下來，親軒法喜充滿，眞是心誠則靈，感應道交難思議。
女兒李明欣
去年，七歲的女兒，法名親欣，第一次參加聖城觀音七法會。首日，她出其不意地發心要受五戒，並全程參加七天法會。在法會圓滿大迴向時，由於首次看到跑香，覺得很有趣忍不住一直笑。待跑了一圈多後，才能專心持聖號跑香。這時她看到觀世音菩薩、天女散花，許多大大小小的菩薩坐在蓮花座上重重圍繞。觀世音菩薩的光環比太陽還大還亮，手持如意對著她微笑，告訴她要孝順父母。菩薩的聲音又柔又亮，是她聽過最好聽的聲音。
往生堂重遇外公
我的外公三十二年前往生，當時我們不懂，一家大小隨侍在側，傷心難過，大聲哭求老人家不能撒下我們不管…。多年來，有許多親人陸續夢見老人家種種景象，總是放心不下子孫。四年前我們為外公、姨丈、表哥在聖城設往生牌位，並在弘法團回國弘法時，為他們受幽冥戒；在受戒前遵照法師指導，家人不斷地告訴已往生的外公、姨丈、表哥受戒的好處，並鼓勵他們要念佛修行。之後有幾位親人夢見他們來辭行。
去年我們到聖城，抵達當日在往生堂迴向時，不期而見外公慈祥的笑容，相好莊嚴的坐在蓮華座上修行，我感動得淚流滿面。之後的兩個月內，每有機會進住生堂迴向時，總可以見到外公。在我離城前一晚，唸完心咒回宿舍時，外公一路陪著我，依依不捨。這幾年來家人已很少在夢中見到這三位已往生的親人。能有這麼殊勝的境界，我們很感激上人的慈悲救拔，讓我們已往生的親人得以離苦得樂，在聖城或極樂世界修行，或往生三善道。
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I would kneel before the Venerable Master's picture to ask for his blessing so I could get a good night's rest, because I had so much work the following day and could not afford to collapse. The Master knew my agony and often appeared in my dreams in teach me. In one dream, the Master drank from a glass of water, which he then handed to me. Although the glass retained its form, it was shattered to bits. I pondered for a long time, trying to fathom the Master's message in that dream. An insight finally came to me after many trials and tribulations: Was the Master telling me to let go? When I was worried about poverty, I dreamed of the Master and two Dharma Masters laughing and chatting in front of a broken brick wall and an old-fashioned hearth. They weren't depressed by their apparent poverty; in fact they were in high spirits. I had knelt in front of the Master intending to ask for his blessing, but at that point I couldn't say a word. I realized as long as we are not poor spiritually, poverty is not that devastating. I ought to face my debts and pay them happily. With that attitude, I was much less afflicted.
I criticized my parents for being too attached to my brother, but refused to admit that I often made the same mistake. When I withdrew the last of our savings, I was torn between conflicting loyalties to my parents and to my husband and children. It was a difficult choice. The Venerable Master came to me in a dream. The moment I became aware that he was trying to tell me something, he was standing in front of me. He struck the top of my head heavily with the incense board. I was totally refreshed and my mental torment ceased. Chronic illnesses also went away. The Master had eradicated my heavy karmic obstacles. It is difficult to describe the numerous responses I've had similar to this one. The Master often spoke of how sincerity brings a response that intertwines with the Way, a truly incredible phenomenon.
The first time I saw tears streaming down my elderly father's face, I suggested that my parents bow to the Venerable Master every morning and evening, recite the "Repentance Text" and the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, and wear a miniature book of the Shurangama Mantra with the Venerable Master's photo. Seeing how my attitude changed from one of "I've done good all my life; how could this happen to me?" to recognizing my own faults, my parents and several close friends who had known nothing about Buddhism began to sincerely worship the Buddhas and recite the Buddha's name without cease. Letting go of our frustration and worries, we smiled and relaxed. Although we have lost our wealth and are deeply in debt, we are no longer afraid or worried. We will simply do our best to repay those debts. Looking back today, I feel the deep, vast kindness of our Teacher. We have gained so much more than we lost. It has finally dawned upon me that the Master's very ordinary advice to me fourteen years ago actually revealed my entire life destiny. However, the secrets of heaven cannot be said too explicitly; how could I have known?
Although the Venerable Master does his best to save us, alas, our karmic obstacles are too heavy and our bad habits too deep. When the retribution for evil arrives, we suffer terribly. Fortunately, the Master has given us numerous methods to leave misery and attain happiness. When we truly acknowledge our own faults and sincerely change ourselves, the Master will certainly pluck us from the sea of suffering. The Venerable Master is none other than the Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Who Observes the Sounds of the World, who stands in the middle of the Jeweled Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. His million transformation bodies listen to the cries of beings in distress, and go out to save them. He has given away all his blessings to living beings, and wants to take all their miseries upon himself. If we fail to diligently practice precepts, concentration, and wisdom, we will only create more trouble for our elder Teacher, disappointing him after he has so sincerely come to our aid and patiently instructed us.
My Son Robert Lee
About four years ago, my eight-year-old son Robert participated in a Shurangama Dharma Assembly at Yuantong Hermitage for the first time. He was so upset at not knowing how to recite that he broke into tears. Heng Chywan Shr went over to cheer him up and encourage him. As he was trying with great concentration to recite the Shurangama Mantra after lunch, three bright rays of light resembling sunlight suddenly appeared over the Mantra booklet. The light lasted several seconds, disappeared, then reappeared. After the lights had flashed several times, Robert could recite the Mantra and even follow the assembly to recite it at a high speed. After the Dharma assembly, he was filled with Dharma bliss. Sincerity brings a response; the response intertwines with the Way—inconceivable!
My Daughter Tiffany Lee
Last year my seven-year-old daughter Tiffany attended her first Guanyin Session at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. The first day of the session, she unexpectedly decided to take the five precepts and participate in the full seven days of the session. The first time she saw the "racing" circumambulation in the Great Transference at the end of the day, she thought it was so funny that she couldn't help laughing. It was only after circumambulatingmore than once around that she was able to concentrate on reciting the sagely names as she walked. At that point she saw Guanyin Bodhisattva, celestial maidens sprinkling flowers, and myriad large and small Bodhisattvas seated on lotus daises all around. The halo of Guanyin Bodhisattva was larger and brighter than the sun. The Bodhisattva held a scepter and smiled at Tiffany, telling her to be filial to her parents. The Bodhisattva's voice was soft and clear; it was the most pleasant voice she had ever heard.
Re-Encountering My Grandfather in the Rebirth Hall
My maternal grandfather passed away thirty-two years ago. Back then we didn't know any better, and our whole family, young and old, lingered around him in deep sorrow, weeping and begging him not to leave us. Through the years, many relatives saw the old man in their dreams, always reluctant to leave his children and grandchildren. Four years ago, we set up rebirth plaques for my maternal grandfather, my uncle (my mother's sister's husband), and my cousin at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. When a Dharma delegation from the City came to Taiwan, we received the Precepts for the Deceased on their behalf. Before receiving the Precepts, we did as the Dharma Masters instructed and told the deceased of the benefits of taking precepts and encouraged them to recite the Buddha's name and cultivate. Afterwards, several relatives saw the deceased appear in their dreams to bid them goodbye.
Last year, when I attended a Transference of Merit in the Rebirth Hall upon arriving at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, I was surprised to see my grandfather there with a kind smile on his face. He was seated on a lotus dais, cultivating with great dignity. I was moved to tears by the sight. For the next two months, I saw him every time I went to the Rebirth Hall for the Transference. The night before I left the City, my grandfather walked with me back to my dorm after the evening mantras, as if he could not bear to part with us. In recent years my relatives have seldom dreamt of these three deceased members of the family. Having had such sublime experiences, I am deeply grateful to the Master for compassionately saving them from suffering so that they may experience bliss and cultivate in the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas or the Land of Ultimate Bliss, or be reborn in the three good paths.
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