By Fellow Initiate Tsai, Taichung, Formosa
Under Master's wise and meticulous instructions, the warm, home-like Hsihu Center completed several beautiful renovation projects, including the zig-zag bridge, before the Moon Festival 3-day Retreat. Now, Hsihu Center is even more attractive.
My wish of having a walk on the zig-zag bridge finally came true. On group meditation day, life-guards were needed on the bridge for the children's safety. So I volunteered with longing because I was a certified life-guard.
Many lovely children excitedly admired the beautiful scenes from the zig-zag bridge. On the lake, the spray from several water fountains was spread all over with blasts of cool wind. Enjoying the sprays of the cool water, the children played happily. One child said that the water from one of the fountains sprang up and down like a jumping rope. But I felt that the ripples formed on the lake sometimes looked like Master's painting "Stone Cave" and sometimes looked like the piece of celestial jewelry designed by Master entitled "Tao". This might be because I liked Master's paintings and jewelry designs so much; but they did look very much alike.
Water from other fountains not only cooled the surroundings but also presented a perfectly brilliant afternoon scene. Even from the pavilion on the zig-zag bridge, we could see rainbow colors in the sparking lake water. Visitors exclaimed: "Now it is so lovely! Coming here is much more worthwhile than visiting some other landmarks!" Indeed, our Hsihu Center is becoming more and more beautiful!
When I wanted to have a look at the zig-zag bridge and take a walk on it, Master made my wish come true and let me be a bridge guard so that I could really enjoy it. Master not only took good care of Her beloved disciples, just like She took care of me, but also the guests brought by the disciples, so that our guests could take home with them refreshed souls as well as renewed spirits.
By Fellow Initiate Sheila, Vancouver, Canada (Originally In English)
My job is teaching English as a second language. Every month the students of my school assess the teachers, as to whether they think that the teacher is doing a good job or not. My ratings were so-so, and I endeavored to improve them.
One month I got very good ratings from almost all my students. The next month my ratings fell to poor from almost all my students. I was shocked and then puzzled as to what had happened.
Suddenly, I remembered Master telling us how dangerous it is for Her to praise any of us, that our performance immediately changes from good to bad after Her praise. Then I understood what had happened, so shallow was my ego, that this little bit of praise had knocked me off centre, had "gone to my head". I became overconfident and arrogant thinking that I could do no wrong. My students quickly corrected me and told me just how wrong I could be!
I find that Master's teachings are invaluable in helping me to understand my very wrong habitual thought patterns in many life situations. Now I feel that Master has given me The Illuminated Guideline and it is up to my own intelligence to learn about my shortcomings from every life situation.
Thank You Master!
Homesick
By Fellow Initiate Kuo, Taipei, Formosa
Once I bought a reproduction of one of Master's paintings. It was a painting of a basket with an unknown fruit, entitled "Homesick". At that time I could not understand why it was named so. Not long after, a co-worker treated me to a fruit that I had never seen or tasted before. Its pulp was light grey in color and had some black spots in it. It looked familiar. The co-worker told me that it was called "dragon fruit". Suddenly, I realized, "Oh! This fruit comes from Master's homeland!"
Instantly, I understood - the longing from infancy to old age, life after life, in my soul and dreams is a taste of being "Homesick". I smiled with understanding.
Lovely Master, You silently gave me this heart-warming gift. I hung it on the wall opposite my bed so that it would remind me of You whenever I open or close my eyes - comfort my lonely soul. Far from heaven in a strange world, I, a drifter, walked into my dreams with "Homesickness" and a smile.