The Holy Realization of the Holiest Tathagata – Buddha Agreed That I Stay

Buddha Agreed That I Stay

This is where Dharma Teacher Liao Hui Shih sat after she finished sculpting her work of art. There on that bench, she passed away in a state of liberation. This photograph is a re-creation of her sitting on the bench.

          I have followed H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata for almost six years. For the past two years, the Buddha Master transmitted to me the Green Tara Dharma and the Pure Land Dharma Method. This Pure Land Dharma Method whereby Amitabha Buddha’s name is continually recited includes a secret mudra (symbolic hand gesture).

          Mentioning this secret mudra reminded me of layman Yu-Shan Hou. I attended the ceremony during which he passed on to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss. That he passed on to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss was a sure thing. He most certainly would pass on to that paradise! That is because the dharma that he learned is the true great dharma relating to reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name taught by my Buddha Master. There is a special mudra connected with that dharma. I say that he most certainly would pass on to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss because I myself personally experienced such a thing.

          During these years of following the Buddha Master, I and other Sisters have been at the Buddha Master’s side when His Holiness created works of art. One day the Buddha Master encouraged us to sculpt and create works of art. I had some understanding of what this would entail, having been at the side of the Buddha Master during his creation of art. Through constant observation, the Buddha Master’s creative ways, such as sculpting, digging, and applying color, had an imperceptible influence on me. Although I did not have the slightest painting or sculpting foundation, the Buddha Master’s encouragement gave me great empowerment. As soon as I had any spare time, I worked on my artwork with much zeal and happiness.

          After I finished the sculpture “Hard Boulder Emanates Splendor,” I sat down and silently appreciated it. I was both happy and satisfied. In an instant, my mind became tranquil. I wanted to enter a state of great concentration. Unexpectedly, I entered perfect stillness of the mind(nirvana). I had not realized that becoming accomplished spiritually is so closely connected with everyday life.

          At that time, the sky was green and red light. I was immersed in the light. I thought, “Yes! Perfection! This is perfection! Recite Amitabha Buddha’s name!” I put my hands in that mudra and chanted Namo (Homage to) Amitabha Buddha, beseeching Amitabha Buddha to come and escort me away.

          After some time, Amitabha Buddha truly arrived. Ah! He came. He truly came. I cannot describe how dignified He looked. I extended my arm in order to grab the hand of Amitabha Buddha, and one of my feet was about to step onto His lotus flower pedestal. Right at this time, the Buddha Master rushed over. I heard the Buddha Master say to Amitabha Buddha, “Buddha! Do not hurry to escort her away. Do not hurry to escort her away. Allow her to stay. She still has many things to do!”

          At this time, Amitabha Buddha withdrew His lotus flower pedestal. He smiled and put me back onto my original place. This is how it came to be that I stayed. However, my body was totally immobile because I had died. Still, I could hear the sound of the Buddha Master reciting mantras. The Sisters said that at that time my entire body was rigid, cold, and heavy that is, I was dead.

          The Buddha Master bestowed upon me great empowerment. His Holiness obtained the consent of Amitabha Buddha. At that time, there were two cylindrical white lights whose light surrounded and enveloped me. My spirit then returned to my dead body, and my body temperature become warmer.

          We used to ordinarily address H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as the Buddha Master. However, the Buddha Master did not like it when we addressed His Holiness as Buddha Master. His Holiness has repeatedly admonished us not to address His Holiness as the Buddha Master. His Holiness very humbly stated that His Holiness is very ordinary and that His Holiness is a practitioner with a heart of humility. But in our hearts and minds, His Holiness indeed is a Buddha. If His Holiness is not a Buddha, why is it that each person to whom His Holiness transmits dharma becomes accomplished in the dharma? If His Holiness is not a Buddha, why is it that many highly virtuous Bodhisattvas in the world are his disciples? There are so many examples of people whom His Holiness enabled to become accomplished in the dharma. Recent examples include laypeople Yu-Shan Hou, Hui-Hsiu Lin Liu, and Tsai-Chun Yu Lin. Examples from earlier time periods are too numerous to mention. There are disciples of the Buddha Master who have passed away in the meditation posture having attained liberation from the cycle of birth and death. There are disciples whose passing was accompanied by the appearance of various auspicious phenomena. There are disciples who transformed into rainbow light when passing away. There are disciples who left behind sariras (holy relics) or seed syllables after cremation, and so on.

          If the Buddha Master is not a Buddha, how is it that I stayed on earth even though Amitabha Buddha wanted to escort me away to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss? I, an incompetent person, suddenly attained skills relating to the craftsmanship vidya, thereby creating the sculpture mentioned earlier. No wonder the Buddha Master inscribed on that sculpture, “Hard Boulder Emanates Splendor.”

          My Buddha Master is not only my Buddha Master, but His Holiness is truly the highest ancient Buddha in the dharma realm. His Holiness is the ultimate one that holy and ordinary beings can depend on.

          Buddhist disciple,

          Liao Hui Shih

Article Link: https://buddhismheart.org/en/2021/06/10/the-holy-realization-of-the-holiest-tathagata—buddha-agreed-that-i-stay