Guru's Talk

(Translated by True Buddha News)

Recently, in my samadhi, I heard the sound of heavenly music. The sound went out across the sky, lotuses showered down like rain, and a huge divine carriage flew down from above. The carriage was exquisitely adorned, grand and elegant, and there were long rows of ceremonial flags and banners lined up one after another, held by heavenly fairy maidens and celestial children, all the way from heaven above right down to the human world, marching in this astonishing pageant, in this welcoming parade.

I thought this was very strange. It seemed that it was coming for me. The divine carriage was emitting a vibrant golden light and was covered with splendid parasols.

“Are you coming for me?”

“Yes!”

“Which heavenly realm are you coming from?”

“The Divine Heavenly River Realm.”

When I heard this, I was speechless and could not respond. In the very beginning, before I came down to the human world from the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds, I first went to the Divine Heavenly River Realm, and from there I was born into the human world. When I return, I will also go back to the Divine Heavenly River Realm first.

I was thinking: age sixty, should I really enter “perfect rest” (parinirvana)? Personally, I had not thought about having a long life, and it would be alright however long or short it might be. Just go with the wind!

But then again, when I thought back to all the holy disciples in the world, to all the temples and chapters, they were all praying for me to “stay in this world, and not enter nirvana.” The holy disciples were begging with such sincere yearning, and then my heart was in a dilemma. I suppose I could live a few years longer—that would be okay; if not, that would be okay, too.

In recent years, my diet has been very simple. Not only do I keep a low profile—my life is simple, no extravagances, no fanfare—in fact, it is almost down to nothing. “Fortune, extravagance, fame, eating, and sleeping”— the five desires are empty. And what I have left are just cultivation and writing, every day, every moment praying for blessings and conducting bardos to help all the disciples. There is nothing more, and nothing more to pray for. My son, my daughter, my grandchildren—I never think about them or miss them.

My only thought is “my holy disciples!”

Should I go back? To the Divine Heavenly River Realm.

Or, perhaps I should stay in the human world, toughing it out for a few more years?

Ha! Ha! Ha!

While I was thinking all this, I was chanting “Amitabha Buddha” and the “High King Sutra,” even as the divine carriage was coming closer. But I remained sitting still in my meditation posture, without moving. I did not want to return just yet. I would like to write a few more books! If I go back now, would it not be a bit too soon?

Just at that moment, as the divine carriage came closer, it became hazy and faint. Then the troops of fairy maidens and celestial children disappeared, just like wisps of smoke, and the heavenly music was also gone.

I was still here!

(The end)

(選錄自蓮生活佛文集第173文集「一夢一世界」書中文章「天界飛轎子」）

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