cont......Buddhism of Wisdom & Faith by Dharma Master Thich Thien Tam

7) To escape suffering, follow the Pureland method

Some Buddhist followers, preferring mysterious and transcendental doctrines, at times misunderstand the Pureland method. Little do they realize that Pureland is the wonderful gateway to the depth of our Buddha Nature, that it is the "guaranteed boat" to escape Birth & Death. Even persons of the highest capacity sometimes do not understand Pureland and therefore, continually tread the path of delusion. On the other hand, there are instances of ordinary people with merely average capacities who, through the Pureland method, have begun to step swiftly towards emancipation. I will cite a few examples her for your consideration.

In T'ang Dynasty China, in a temple called Fragrant Mountain in the district of Loyang, there was a Buddhist monk named Mirror of Emptiness.
He came from a destitute family, and though diligent in his studies, was a mediocre student in his youth. As an adult, he used to compose poems, few of which are quoted or remembered. He would travel throughout Central China seeking support from local leaders, without much result. As soon as he would accumulate some savings he would fall il, exhausting all his funds by the time he recovered.

Once, he traveled to a neighboring district, which at that time was struck by famine. He was thinking of reaching the Great Temple of the Western Pureland to eat and regain strength, but on his way, felt too hungry to go further. He decided to rest by a snow covered spring, reciting verses of self-pity and despondency. Suddenly an Indian monk appeared and sat down beside him. Smiling he asked, " Elder Master, have you already exhausted the sweet dew of distance travel; however my name is ..... and I have never been a high ranking Buddhist Master ." The Indian monk replied , " Have you forgotten the time you were preaching the Lotus Sutra at the Temple of ....?" --
Answer : " For the last fourty-five years, since I was born, I have always been in this vicinity. I have never set foot in the capital and therefore cannot have preached at the temple you mentioned." The Indian monk answered, " Perhaps you are starving and have forgotten all about the past." Thereupon, he took an apple as big as a fist from his bag and gave it to the famished poet, saying, " This apple comes from my country. Those of high capacities who eat it can see the past and the future clearly. Those of limited capacities can also remember events of their past lifetimes."

The poet gratefully accepted the apple, ate it, and proceeded to drink the spring water. Feeling suddenly drowsy, he rested his head on the rocks and began to doze off. In an instant, he awakened and remembered his past life as a high-ranking Buddhist monk preaching the Dharma along with fellow monks, as clearly as though everything had happened the previous day.

He wept and asked, " Where is the Great Abbot Chan these days?" The Indian monk replied , "He did not cultivate deeply enough . He has to be reborn a monk in Western Szechuan." The starving poet asked further, " What has become of the great masters Shen and Wu? " "Master Shen is still alive. Master Wu once joked in front of the rock monument at the Fragrant Hill Mountain Temple, " If I cannot attain Enlightenment in this life, may I be born as a high-ranking official in the next one." As a result , he has now become a top general . Of the five monks who were close in the past, only I have managed to escape Birth & Death. The three others are as described....and you, the fourth and last one, are still plagued by hunger in this place."

The starving poet shed a tear of self-pity and said: " In my previous life, for forty long years I took only one meal a day and wore only one robe, determined to rid myself of all mundane preoccupations. Why is it that I have fallen so low as to go hungry today?

The Indian monk replied: " In the past, when you occupied the Dharma seat, you used to preach many superstitions, causing audience to doubt the Dharma. In addition, you were not entirely faultless in keeping the precepts, resulting in today's retribution."

Having finished , the Indian monk took a mirror from his bowl and, with flawless reflection on both sides, and said " I cannot undo what happened in the past. However, if you wnat to know your future destiny, weather you will be rich or poor, have a long or short life, even the future ups and downs of the Dharma, just have a look in the mirror and all will be clear." The poet took the mirror and gazed into it for a long time. Returning it, he said, " Thanks to your compassionate help, I now know causes ans retribution, honor and disgrace"

The Indian monk put the mirror back in his bowl, took the poet by the hand, and started to walk away. After about ten steps , he disappeared.

That same night, the poet entered the Order at the Temple of the Divine Seal, and was given the Dharma name " Mirror of Emptiness." After receiving the complete precepts of a Bhikshu, he travelled throughout the country practicing the Way, his high conduct and ascetic practices being praised by all.

Later on, Zen Master Mirror of Emptiness once met with a certain layman from the Temple of the Western Land. Telling the latter about his past, he said: " I am now 77 years old, my Dharma age is 32. I have only 9 more years to live. After my death, who knowsif the Dharma will still exist as it is now?" The layman puzzled, tried to enquire further. The Master did not reply. He just requested a pen and began to scribbling some lines on the north wall of the tower which housed the Tripitaka ( Buddhist Canon ).... The words represented the prophecy of Zen Master Mirror of Emptiness, the gist of which is as follows :

The Dharma will experience a decline. There will be ruthless persecution of Buddhism, the period of persecution beginning in the 840's. However the Dharma will survive; the light of the Dharma will not be extinguished.

This prophecy is consonant with the destruction of Buddhism under the Chinese Emperor T'ang Wu Tsung, who ordered the razing of some 47,000 temples and forcibly returned hundreds of thousands of monks and nuns to the laity.