Narrated By Fellow Initiate Hu Nantou, Formosa
Recorded By Resident Disciples, Hsihu Center, Formosa
The Taoist, Hu was born into an extraordinary family. His father and grandfather were both famous Taoists in their area. They were experts in topography, and in drawing mystic symbols and reciting mantras in order to dispel demons. Hu was given the Taoist training by his father since he was very young and his heavenly eye was opened at that time, thus enabling him to see the invisible worlds and communicate with the invisible beings.
The Taoist, Hu spent all of his energy and money in search of true masters. After he went through more than twenty teachers, he concluded that only three of them had truly attained the Tao and possessed real powers. One of them was Formosa's most distinguished Taoist, Patriarch Peizhong Liu of the Kunlun Sect. Another one was the highly respected old Buddhist monk Guang Ching. (During his samadhi in meditation, Hu had a vision of this old monk Guang Ching emanating about six inches of strong and bright golden light. He knew that only extraordinary persons who had truly attained the Tao could emanate this light.) The third one was the Supreme Master Ching Hai.
In 1940, when Patriarch Peizhung Liu of the Kunlun Sect came to Formosa from Mainland China, Hu was among the first group of several dozen disciples. He was only nineteen years old then. Master Liu was an expert in astrology, topography, martial arts, Taoist sorcery, medicine and a special method of foretelling. He was very compassionate and helped all people both noble and lowly; he also trained his disciples very strictly.
The Taoist Hu followed and studied with Master Liu for about a year. One night when they were together, as they usually were, a disciple presented a letter of inquiry to the master. Master Liu then instructed all of the disciples present, which was then about 90 people, to meditate and try to perceive what was written in the letter. Out of all the disciples present, only the Taoist Hu had the answer to the contents of the letter. After hearing his answer, master Liu told him coldly, "Go back and pack your bags! No need for you to come here as of tomorrow." He was shocked and asked, "Master, what have I done wrong? Why did you ask me not to come here anymore?" Master Liu replied, "I want to send you out to set up a new temple and save sentient beings. You shall stay there and practice diligently. Later, you'll understand."
At that time, the Kunlun Sect sent out very few disciples to set up new temples; their rules were very strict. Number one, no offerings of any type may be accepted during the first three years. Number two, all traveling expenses must be paid out of one's own pocket. Number three, one was not to accept meals that were offered, thus bothering others; so one should eat before going out to do any work for people. Number four, never find excuses to refuse to help others. Number five, after three full years, one may accept offerings, but never bargain about the price of the work to be done; just accept whatever is given, and even help those who are poor. Therefore, when master Liu was alive, he was highly respected and had increasing numbers of disciples.
After master Liu passed away, Taoist Hu stayed in the mountains. He practiced and served the public, while still travelling extensively in search of enlightened masters. He had visited over twenty teachers, and each time he returned disappointed. Finally, he decided not to waste any more money and energy searching. He retreated into the mountains for fifteen years and cared nothing for the worldly matters.
One afternoon fifteen years later, while Hu was meditating in his temple facing east, he suddenly saw a sun appear in the east. "How strange," he thought, "the sun should be in the west at this hour. Why is there other sun in the east?" Even more astoundingly, myriad rays of brilliant light emanated out of this large sun, and from each ray of light, there appeared a Buddha (a fully enlightened being). The appearance of the Buddhas in the center of the sun kept changing and transforming into other Buddhas. He had been a Taoist all his life and had never worshipped any Buddha. Therefore, he did not know the names of any of the Buddhas he saw.
He kept watching the transforming Buddhas in the center of the sun, and then two words appeared - "Ching Hai". He was very confused, because he had never heard a Buddha called "Ching Hai", but still, he was ecstatic, "a living Buddha was born," he thought, "and had come to Formosa to save the sentient beings!" The sun continued to emanate brilliant golden light, and the images of the Buddhas in the center continued to change. Finally, an image of the Supreme Master Ching Hai sitting appeared. Before he had ever met Master physically, he had already seen Her clearly in meditation.
He then prayed sincerely to Master to let him know where She had come from, vowing to save sentient beings, and which Buddha She was. Master granted him the answer and he believes that She is truly the reincarnation of an ancient Buddha, the "Mother of all Buddhas" who has existed since the beginning of Creation. Then the manifestation body of Master told him, "I shall come to see you in three days." He was very puzzled, since he was always in retreat in the mountains and seldom ventured into the outside world. He could not imagine how this Master who had never seen him before, would be able to find him. Besides that, She said She would even come to see him! Since his inner experience was so vivid and clear, he had no reason not to believe it.
After he came out of samadhi, he wondered where is this living Buddha named Ching Hai? Suddenly, he had an inspiration. He remembered an old lady from the small village in the mountain. She often visited the temples all over Formosa. If he went to ask this lady, perhaps she would know of such a person. So he went to the small village and came across the old lady there. He stopped her and asked, "Since you often visit the temples, have you ever heard of someone named 'Ching Hai'?" The old lady was startled and asked, "Why do you ask about this person?" Taoist Hu then told her about his vision in detail. The old lady finally said, the 'Supreme Master Ching Hai is my Master, and I am going to Taipei tomorrow to see Her."
"You don't have to go so far to see your Master," Hu told her, "She is coming to see me in three days. I'm not joking!" The old lady replied in disbelief, "That is impossible! My Master never goes to the home of a lay person." But since he was so sure, the old lady decided that it wouldn't hurt to wait for three days.
As it turned out, on the third day, Master and a few disciples came to the village in an old pick up truck to visit the old lady. (In the early days before Master became famous, She had only a handful of disciples, and this old lady was the first disciple from the village in that mountain.) The old lady was totally surprised and so overjoyed at the sight of Master. She immediately told Her about the Taoist Hu and took Her to his temple. As Master arrived at the temple, the Taoist Hu welcomed Her by beating the big drum and ringing the big temple bell as the highest respect to the last Master in his life - the Supreme Master Ching Hai, a true ancient Buddha who has come to this world to save sentient beings. He then established a strong affinity with Master, and many remarkable supernatural events occurred between them.
The Taoist Hu recalled when he was nineteen years old, master Peizhong Liu once told the disciples present, about ten or twenty people, "About forty years later, an extraordinary lady from abroad will come to Formosa to save sentient beings. You may follow Her and be Her disciples if you have affinity with Her." Then he recited a poem revealing this truth, "The lotus grows out of the water. Its blossom fills the world. Its radiance showers upon all realms. Passing by one's front door everyday, yet no one recognizes the true Being, the true God."
Now as he looks back, Hu realizes that in Formosa, Master Ching Hai is the only extraordinary lady from abroad, there isn't anyone else. When Master started to spread the Truth, She travelled all over Formosa, including all regions in the east, west, south and north; She went into the mountains, and to the seashores, and through the streets, large and small. Yet at that time, most people did not acknowledge Her teachings. Doesn't this reflect the passage in the poem, "Passing by one's front door everyday, yet no one recognizes the true Being, the true God?"
It has been over forty years since master Liu recited this revealing poem. The prophecy was foretold about one or two years after Master's birth. Many of those who had heard the revelation in this poem have already passed away. At the time when Hu was sent out to set up a temple in the mountain to practice, master Liu told him, "Later, you'll understand." Now he has finally understood! After more than forty years of sincere practice, God has finally rewarded him by sending him a real, "Super Super Enlightened Master"!
--To be continued in next issue--