The Taoist's shabby and modest Min Hu Temple was built on Wu Sheh Mountain in Taichung, a place of green mountains and clear waters. In front of the Taoist Temple, there was a lake named Min Hu. Many mysterious events happened there when the Taoist was living on the mountain....
Several decades ago, Wu Sheh was still a remote and restricted mountain area. Before receiving initiation, the Taoist as well as the other villagers, used to catch fish in the lake to sustain their livelihood. One evening he was catching fish as usual. The local police came to fine them. The Taoist warned the policeman, "Don't come down here! This surrounding area is very dangerous. The water ghost often appears and harms people."
How could the policeman believe his words? He retorted, "Do you think that I can be as easily fooled as a child? Unless I see it with my own eyes, I'd never believe it even if I were killed." The Taoist told him, "I am not fooling you! If you don't believe me, I will catch a water ghost for you to see tomorrow evening." The two of them confirmed the appointment.
They came to the lake the next evening as appointed. The Taoist had prepared a fish net. Rowing the boat slowly and chanting his mantra, he cast a 'net of the eight diagrams'. (This is a special Taoist symbol.) After a short while, he really caught a 'water ghost'. He told the policeman, "You must not harm it!" He then slowly brought it ashore. The policeman was bewildered by the sight! He used to think that a 'water ghost' was some sort of invisible ghost. However, this 'water ghost' appearing before him looked exactly like a human being, only shorter in physique, about one to two feet tall. Its eyes were red, and blinked continuously. It kept uttering a "Gee" sound, and the whole body was covered with short hair.
The Taoist said to it, "Don't live in here anymore because you will frighten people. Besides, it's dangerous for you as you may be caught by a fish net again. So, you had better go to another place faraway!" He then put it back to the lake, and continued to catch fish. The Taoist had particularly good luck that night. He went home with a big catch. The 'water ghost' helped him by chasing the fish into his net.
The Taoist always caught plenty of fish, thus providing him with a good income. So, fishing was his second profession.
However, one afternoon when he was resting at home, the Manjusri Bodhisattva suddenly appeared and told him, "The time has come for you to stop fishing." The Taoist was earning a handsome income of one to two thousand N.T. dollars each day through fishing, and of course he was unwilling to give it up. He replied, "I am not doing anything bad by fishing. Why ask me to stop fishing?" The Manjusri Bodhisattva said, "Your time has come. You must not fish anymore. If you ignore my advice and carry on fishing, you will become blind. You may decide on either giving up fishing or becoming a blind man." The Taoist said, "It is impossible! My eyes are in perfect condition. How can I become blind?" Because he would not listen, the Manjusri Bodhisattva disappeared. Subsequently, the next day, out of his alertness, he saw an unidentified black force suddenly rush towards his eyes. He had no time to avoid it. His eyes pained a lot as if someone had put sand in them, and they were flooding with tears.
The next day, he told his wife, "My eyes will be gone soon. I almost can't see anything." He also told her of the encounter he had with the Manjusri Bodhisattva the day before. His wife quickly took him to see the ophthalmologist, but the two ophthalmologists both concluded that his eyes were normal, and could detect nothing wrong. The Taoist then realized that this was an invisible karmic illness. When he returned home, he prayed to the deities worshipped in the Taoist Temple: "Please restore the vision to my eyes. I will consider giving up fishing."
The next evening, the Manjusri Bodhisattva appeared again and said, "I am the Manjusri Bodhisattva. I have an affinity with you as Master and disciple. From now on, you must stop fishing. This incurs killing karma. Use the skills that you have learned in your life to help the world and people." The Taoist said, "I am earning one to two thousand N.T. dollars each day by fishing. How do I sustain my livelihood after giving up fishing?" The Manjusri Bodhisattva said, "Don't worry, you will earn your living naturally!" (At that time, the Taoist seldom charged people who came asking for help at his Taoist Temple. Observing people's difficulties, he would even voluntarily give them money.)
The Taoist then promised the Manjusri Bodhisattva that he would give up fishing. He also begged for his eyesight to be restored so that he could take care of his fishing boat and nets. The Manjusri Bodhisattva then thrust a golden pill into his mouth, and told him to swallow it and then go to sleep and rest. When he woke up the next day, his eyes had really recovered to normal. Delightedly, the Taoist went to the lake and towed the fishing boat and all the fishing equipment ashore. He then burnt them and hence concluded his fishing career. The Taoist recalled: "There is no enjoyment in using the money earned by killing!" He said this because almost all the money he earned by fishing was spent taking care of his ill wife when she was hospitalized, rather than being used to sustain his livelihood. His livelihood was actually supported by selling dried day lilies and bamboo shoots. The Taoist said that the consequences will not be good from using the money earned by killing. Fortunately, the Manjusri Bodhisattva manifested to rescue him, otherwise God only knows how much more karma he would have accrued!
One day shortly after he was initiated, he was away from the mountain handling some matters with his wife. On the way home, they passed a temple. He saw many people carrying some books and putting them outside that temple. Curious, he told the driver to stop. He got out to ask if the books were so-called 'free holy scriptures', that he could bring back home to read. Getting closer, he found that the books were Master's sample booklets!
The Taoist sensed something wrong. Why are the books being piled on the ground so casually? He asked the people moving the books, "Where did you get these books? Why are you putting them here?" The person answered, "These books were distributed by the disciples of the Supreme Master Ching Hai. We collected the books after they were distributed to keep the people from reading them. We are going to burn them." Hearing this, the Taoist was extremely furious and said to the man, "These are my Master's books. Why do you want to burn them? I won't let you burn my Master's books." He then summoned his wife and the driver, preparing to load the books into the car and bring them home.
Suddenly, a young person jumped out and yelled loudly at the Taoist, "What are you doing here?" The Taoist most anxious to protect the dharma, could not suppress his temper. He snapped back, "What are you howling at? These are my Master's books. What right have you got to burn them?" The young man said, "Your Master is the devil." Hearing this comment, the Taoist started quarreling with him. He said, "My Master teaches people to keep the five precepts and meditate each day to purify our acts, speech and thoughts. She has never taught people to do anything evil. In transmitting the method, She has never accepted any red envelope (fee for the service). Also, She never criticizes anyone. How can She be the devil? It is the devil's behavior to act like you, randomly burning other's books and criticizing people. What kind of master teaches you to do this? The master teaching this type of disciple is indeed the devil!" Finishing his words, he began loading the books into the car. The young man was furious and was about to assault the Taoist. Fortunately, he was stopped by the many people nearby . However, he still continued to scold in very rude language. The Taoist pointed at him and said, "If you have the guts then ask your master to come. If you become too unbearable, I will inscribe a charm and burn it at the 'Bai Sheng Gong' (a temple for worshipping wandering souls, ghosts.). It would take only three days to kill your master. For you, one day would be enough!" Hearing his words, the young man was even more enraged. A local elderly person who was standing nearby approached him and said, "Young man, don't ignore his warning. This man is the abbot of the Min Hu Temple. He speaks the truth. He really has the power. Don't provoke him any more, just let him take the books away." Heeding the old man's advice, the young person yielded like a deflated ball, and dared not speak any more. So, the Taoist and his wife took the several thousand sample books back to his temple. Gradually, they distributed them to people with affinity, introducing Master's teachings of the Truth to them.
With deep emotion, the Taoist said, "Actually, those people were jealous of Master. Watching Master becoming famous, Her disciples increasing more and more in number, they defamed Master everywhere. Spiritual practitioners should tolerate and live with each other in peace. The more they practice, they should be more open-minded and magnanimous. Just because they were not practicing the correct method, and lacked the teaching of a good enlightened Master, they became religion extremists who could not tolerate the existence of others. However, real gold is not afraid of being tempered by fire. If Master is not an enlightened Master, a real ancient Buddha, who comes to deliver sentient beings, how could a female, having no relatives or friends in Formosa, without any financial support, stand fast against the numerous defamations and attacks, and become even stronger with each setback? Master is not only famous in Formosa. Her reputation is widely spread throughout the world. If Her disciples did not receive real benefits and spiritual experiences from the method She teaches, they would have all been frightened off by the defamation long ago. How could they still support and believe in Master so much?"