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| Song
Ta-Fung |
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| AN EXTRACT FROM THE RECORDS OF CH'AO-YANG DISTRICT | ||||||||||||||||
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| There is no record from which we can trace the native town of Saint Ta-Fung of Sung Dynasty. He first appeared in Ho-Ping Li, West of Min District, part of which was separated by a deep, broad and rapid river. Many travellers had lost their lives when they met with a storm. | ||||||||||||||||
| Saint Ta-Fung vowed that he would have a bridge of granite built for the convenience of the public. Those who heard his pledge laughed at him. He paid no heed to the ridicule but started the fund raising campaign. He also made a survey of the area, sounding of the water, and estimated the number of carpenters and masons to be employed. No one knew what he was trying to do. He soon disappeared. | ||||||||||||||||
| In the year Kuei Bao of the reign of Suan-Ho (1123 AD), Saint Ta-Fung returned all the money to the donors who were much surprised. | ||||||||||||||||
| Five years later, Saint Ta-Fung came by boat. He brought with him this time food, timber, granite, labourers and all that was necessary for the construction of the bridge which was completed exactly in one year's time. The span of the bridge had nineteen arches. There were two other arches - one on each end of the bridge nearest to the two banks of the river were not finished. In the same year, Saint Ta-Fung died and Mr. Tsai Kung-Yuan, a native of the district completed them. | ||||||||||||||||
| It is said that during the construction of the bridge, Saint Ta-Fung sent a memorial to the City God and as a result the tide stopped coming for seven days. It is indeed miraculous. A temple in his honour was set up under the name of "Pao Te" (Repayment of Kindness). | ||||||||||||||||
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| Buddha
Sakyamuni |
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Buddhism is a way of life, a religion, which is
based on the practice of discipline according to the teachings of
the Buddha Siddharta Gautama who is also known as the Buddha Sakyamuni.
The word "Buddha" derives from the root Sanskrit word "Budh"
which means, 'to know'. It is used as a title to denote an "Enlightened
Being" - one who has attained, by his own personal efforts and
merit, the pinnacle of intellect and divine knowledge.Buddhism
is a religion of peace and loving kindness, in the name of which no
blood has ever shed for in its long history, there had never been
any association with killing and destruction in its manner of persuading
people to walk its gentle path. It is a religion of reason and meditation
and its final goal is Deliverance, meaning the Liberation of the Self
from the cycle of birth, old age, disease and death. |
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| WHO IS THE BUDDHA? |
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| Historically, this refers to Siddharta
Gautama who was born in 560 BC to Queen Mahamaya and King Suddhodanna
of the Sakya Kingdom in the vicinity of Nepal. The queen had, prior
to the birth of the child, a dream of a beautiful white elephant
entering her womb through her side. Gautama was born in Lumbini
Park on a full-moon day in the month of Vesakha. A week after his
birth, his mother died and he was brought up by his aunt, Mahaprajapati.
At a name giving ceremony, he was given the name ‘Siddharta’
which means "One Whose Aim Is Accomplished". Ancient Pali
commentaries relate a significant incident which occurred during
the Ploughing Ceremony, when Siddharta Gautama as a young child
and left alone in a tent under a rose-apple tree, his nurses later
found the prince to be seated in a lotus posture and having entered
one-pointedness of mind known as Samadhi. The young prince grew
up in the midst of luxury and splendour and at the age of 16, was
married to his cousin, the beautiful Yasodhara. For almost thirteen
years after his marriage, he led a blissful life unaware of the
ever-changing nature and misfortunes of life outside the palace.
When he was 29 years old, Gautama encountered four significant sights,
which marked the turning point of his life. First, he saw a weak
and frail old man leaning on a staff, next a diseased person, then
a corpse and finally, a shaven-headed hermit in yellow robe moving
around with a peaceful and serene countenance. The first three sights
convincingly showed him the inexorable nature of life, and the universal
ailments of humanity. The fourth showed the means to overcome the
ills of life and to attain calm and peace. Realising the worthlessness
of sensual pleasures and the value of renunciation he decided to
leave home in search of Truth and Eternal Peace. It was after this
decision was made that he heard of the birth of his son, and regarding
the new born child as an impediment rather than a blessing, named
him Rahula meaning "fetter". It was a clear indication
that his heart was already turning away from household life. On
that night, he left his uncongenial palace and traded his princely
robes for the lowly clothings of an ascetic. His search for truth
and peace had begun and it was more from sympathy with the sufferings
of others than from any personal sorrow, which he had no occasion
to experience. His departure from home was not a case of desertion
of his beloved family, but an unprecedented case of historic renunciation.
He left his worldly life not in old age but in the prime of manhood,
not in poverty but in the midst of plenty. Following the path of
extreme asceticism, as was the custom of those days, he was not
able to seek what he sought for until he gave up the practice of
austerity some six years later. |
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| THE GREAT ENLIGHTENMENT |
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| One day, in the forest
at Buddha Gaya, after a last meal of milk rice, Gautama sat down,
crossed-legged, on a grass mat spread under a "Bodhi"
tree, and declared, "If I do not succeed in this way of seeking
the truth by searching within, I will not rise from this place".
His mind soon became tranquil and purified and he then attained
the Samadhi that he had experienced in his youth. During meditative
trances in that night’s three watches he gained the knowledge
of all his past lives, acquired the "super-human divine eye"
by which he envisaged the passing away and rebirth of all living
beings of all times. It was like that of the whole universe appearing
before him as a mirror. He saw that good karma beings about a happy
rebirth and evil karma leads to a miserable next life. Then, at
the third watch (2.00 am - 6.00 am), he reached the highest state
in which the "outflows" of his life, that is his ignorance
and cravings were finally quelled. It was then that he perceived
the Four Noble Truths of the way of Enlightenment, noting "This
is suffering, this is the Cause of Suffering, this is the Cessation
of Suffering, and this is the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering".
Thus ignorance was dispelled and wisdom arose. Being enlightened,
he realised, "Rebirth is ended; fulfilled the Holy Life; done
what was done to be done; there is no more this state again".
Thereafter he was known as Buddha Gautama, one of the long line
of Buddhas that already had appeared in the past and will appear
in the future. Thus at the age of 35, Gautama under the full moon
in the month of Vesakha (April - May), about the year 525 BC at
a place called Buddha Gaya, attained the Supreme Enlightenment and
Buddhism was born to the world. The Buddha then spent seven weeks
contemplating on the Truth that he realised, particularly the more
difficult ones on causal relations or the Truth of Dependent Origination.
Initially the Buddha was hesitant to reach out to teach the Truth
because he felt that the world being caught up in the passion and
darkness of Samsara would find it difficult to accept the truth
of his teachings. However, due to his great compassion and his realisation
that man exists at different levels of spiritual development he
decided to reach out and set in motion, the Wheel of Truth, which
is depicted by the ‘mudra’ or hand-signs of the fingers.
The Buddha spent his remaining forty-five years travelling all over
India, teaching the Dharma and living in the manner of a begging
monk. He formed the first monastic Order in the world which is known
as the Sangha and his most notable disciples included Sariputra,
Mahakasyapa, Mogallana, Subuti and his personal attendant and cousin,
Ananda. His followers were people from all walks of life, which
included kings, princes, ministers, ascetics, brahmins and commoners.
He taught them according to their ability to learn, with parables
and through questions and answers applying all suitable means to
aid them to spiritual growth. He did not demand blind faith, but
adopted the unusual "come and experience for yourself"
attitude which won the hearts of thousands. His was the path of
self-reliance which required unswerving personal effort. The Buddha
also converted his father, his family, and a large number of the
Sakyan people. At the urging of his close disciple Ananda, he formed
the first Order of Nuns and his foster mother, Queen Mahaprajapati,
and a large number of her friends became the first members of the
Order. |
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| THE GREAT DECEASE | ||||||||||||||||
| During the early part of his ministry, the Buddha lived as a travelling mink and did not have any fixed abode. It was towards the last twenty years or so that he chose to reside at Savatthi, in the Jetavana Grove, which was donated to him and his monks by the very rich householder Anathapindika. At the age of 80, he travelled northwards from Rajagriha to Vesali where he became seriously ill. Upon recovering, the Buddha proceeded to a small town called Pava where he stayed in the grove of Cunda, the smith, who upon hearing of his arrival offered him and his followers a meal. This was to be the last meal that he ate for one of the dishes diligently prepared by Cunda and which the Buddha later specifically instructed was for himself to eat only, caused him to suffer sharp dysentery pains. The Buddha later assured Cunda through Ananda that his pains were not any fault of his and that it was a meritorious act to offer the Buddha his last meal. The Buddha bore it calmly and, despite his illness, set forth for Kushinagara where he laid down between two Sala trees with his head pointing to the north. The Buddha was described in the Scriptures to have "laid himself down on his right side, with one leg resting on the other, mindful and self-possessed". The Sala tree then burst into bloom out of season and fragrance filled the air in homage of the Buddha. At this moment his former attendant, the venerable Upavana, came forward to fan the Buddha but was asked to step aside. Ananda then ask the Buddha why he had turned down the monk’s service and the Buddha replied that Devas had assembled in great numbers to see the Tathagata and they were rather displeased that their view was concealed by Upavana. Sakyamuni Buddha then told Ananda that after his death, faithful followers should revere four places, which have been made sacred by his association: | ||||||||||||||||
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The place of his birth (Lumbini) The place where he attained Enlightenment (Buddha Gaya) The place where he preached his first sermon (Sarnath) The place where he attained Parinirvana (Kusinagara) |
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| The Buddha further added that those who should die while making such
a pilgrimage would be reborn in a heavenly state. The dying Buddha
then asked the monks around him three times whether there were any
remaining questions or doubts about his teachings, but all kept silent.
Turning to Ananda he said, "What I have taught and laid down,
Ananda, as Dharma and Vinaya, this will be your Master when I am gone."
Then turning to the assembly of monks he made this final pronouncement:
"…transient are all conditioned things. Try to accomplish
your aim with diligence". Then he entered successive stages of
deeper and deeper meditation from which he passed into parinirvana.
Thus ended the life of Buddha who is known to the world as Sakyamuni
Buddha, the Sage of the Sakya Clan, the Historic Buddha who founded
Buddhism that gave mankind the way to supreme Deliverance. It was
the full-moon day of the month of Vesakha. His body was then cremated
and the relics divided into eight portions and sent to the various
kingdoms where they were enshrined in Stupas. |
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| PRAYERS TO THE BUDDHA SAYAMUNI |
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Daily every Buddhist should pay homage to the Buddha by reciting any of these prayers: which means ‘Hail Our Original Teacher Sakyamuni Buddha.’ or "NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAM - BUDDHASA" which means ‘Homage to the Great Compassionate Completely Enlightened One.’ As the Buddha is endowed with numerous
qualities, various epithets have been bestowed upon Him. He is therefore
also addressed as: |
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Buddhists are also required to Take Refuge in the Three Jewels each day as a commitment to practising the Buddha’s Teaching for the benefit of all sentient beings. The Three Jewels consist of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha and the Buddha’s way of life requires one to live wholesomely by adhering to the Noble Eight-fold Path. Those who do so will successfully avoid these ten non-virtuous actions: The most holy day for all Buddhists is the celebration of VESAK or Buddha Day, which generally falls on the month of May. This is a thrice-blessed day, which celebrates the three major events: the Birth, Enlightenment and the Passing-away of Gautama the Buddha. On this day, Chinese Buddhists make their ways to the temples to pay homage to the Buddha and to reaffirm their faith in the Buddha Dharma. It is truly a religious day and many people will spend it in meditation or prayer-recitation for the well-being of others. Precepts are adhered to very strictly and only vegetarian food will be eaten. On this day too, loving-kindness is practised in various manners as many people will set birds and animals free as a symbolic act of liberation - of giving freedom to those who are in captivity while others choose to give alms to the poor, make donations to temples and institutions or visit the unfortunate ones who are at the Old Folks Homes, Orphanages or similar Centres, bringing with them gifts of any kind. Vesak brings to mind, the Great Compassion of the Buddha which should move us to be more determined to lead noble lives, to develop our minds, to practise loving kindness and compassion so as to bring peace and harmony to all mankind. |
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| Buddha
Maitreya |
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Maitreya,"The Friendly and Benevolent One" or "One
Who Possesses Loving-kindness" is widely adored by the Chinese
Buddhists for his willingness to grant help to those who direct
their minds towards him. He is also known as Ajita, ‘the Unconquered’
and ranks equal with the other great Bodhisattvas such as Avalokitesvara,
Manjusri, Samanthabadra, Mahasthamaprata and Ksitigarbha. As the
next Buddha-to-be he alone enjoys the distinction of being the only
Bodhisattva recognised and popularly accepted by both Mahayanist
and Theravadin countries. Maitreya has taken numerous incarnations
in the various Buddhist countries and China has had quite a fair
share of them. Historically, the most important amongst them, is
said to be that as the son of a King of Varanise in Central Asia.
Record has it that he was born with the full thirty-two marks of
a superior being who subsequently became a disciple of Sakyamuni
Buddha and was one of the main interlocutors in the Mahayana Sutras
where he conversed with some of the great disciples of the Buddha.
Although he is, strictly speaking, still a Bodhisattva of the ninth
stage, the tenth being that of a fully Enlightened Buddha, he is
often worshipped as a Buddha in anticipation of his becoming the
next Blessed One in the future. Both as Bodhisattva and Buddha he
now resides in the Tusita Heaven, the Heavenly Realm of the Devas,
where all the Buddhas-to-be will always reside; pending their appearance
as Buddha on earth to save mankind and thereby traversing the tenth
and final stage or ‘Bhumi’, to attain Supreme Buddhahood
for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings. Being compassionate,
Maitreya always grant help willingly to those who pray to him with
faith and the simple prayer to recite is:
"NAMO MI — LO — FWO" The manner of praying to Maitreya is similar to those of Kuan Shih Yin's and Amitabha Buddha. Firm faith, purity of intention and effort will be the main factors of success of their prayers. Among the many reasons for worshipping Maitreya or Mi-Lo Fwo are these two most outstanding aspects:
Generally the Chinese worship him for wealth and happiness and there are those who even believed strongly that he is able to bequeath them with children as one of his most popular forms is that with five children surrounding him. However the images of him that are found in the temples normally depict a fat genial laughing figure with a mountainous belly, in a sitting posture, and having a large bag beside him. Because of this appearance, many people choose to call him ‘The Laughing Buddha’. Such a depiction by his Chinese devotee is a far cry from what other Buddhists of other lands imagined him to be, but this does not mean that the Chinese do not revere him as much as others do. This portraiture of him came about as a result of one of his memorable emanations in China during the end of the Tang period and the beginning of the Wu-Tai Dynasty (907 — 1060). There was a learned monk whom everyone addressed as Pu Tai, meaning ‘Cloth Bag’, as he was always seen carrying a large hemp bag wherever he went. He was a native of the Che-Kiang Province who went about propagating the Buddha-dharma. No one really knew his true name although he had called himself ‘Chi Tze’, and because of his bag, the people preferred to refer to him as ‘the monk with the sack’. Here he appeared as one who is extremely kind, jovial and helpful and although he had no home or temple, which he could call his own, he is always in a cheerful mood. He wandered about here and there to beg for food, giving advice and teaching to those who care to hear him, or he could be seen collecting all kinds of things which he would put into his bag. To the worldly ones this act may be reckoned as an act of greed but it really meant that he was ever seeking to help deliver beings into his Pure Land. As the people got to know him better, they soon discovered that he was also extremely good at reading their fortune and predicting the weather. Even by his daily actions they were able to guess the outcome of the weather conditions for whenever he was seen hurrying around in wet sandals, rain was sure to follow, and whenever he was seen wearing shoes and relaxing here and there, bright and sunny days would prevail. He also had many other peculiarities, some of which bore similarities with those of another famous monk CHI KUNG of the Sung Dynasty. Pu Tai was often seen to be sleeping very comfortably on the snow during the cold winters and at the same time resisted taking a bath during the hot summers. He died in a sitting posture at the corridor of a temple and left behind a verse which said: "Maitreya is a real Maitreya, who manifests uncountable transformed bodies. Constantly he manifests before living beings who are not able to recognise them." Through this verse, people later began to accept him as an incarnation of the Maitreya Buddha, which also explains the accepted appearance of the current day’s depiction of him. In his many other recorded incarnations in China, he frequently appeared as great and learned persons whose lives have been recorded in many books. The followers of the Tien Tao Movement, an energetic religious Order which embraces all the three great Chinese religions of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, claimed that Maitreya made his appearance in China as their great teacher at the beginning of this century. However all these are but the minor transformed bodies of the Great Being whose real essence is now residing in the Temple of the Palace of the Seven Jewels of the Tusita Heaven. Buddhists are more concerned with his final incarnation when he ascends to the state of a Fully Enlightened Buddha to save countless beings from the world. In the meantime one should direct his energy to develop a strong affinity with Maitreya Buddha by reciting his name daily and living in a virtuous manner. Maitreya Buddha’s birthday is celebrated on the 1st day of the 1st moon of the Lunar calendar which coincides with the Chinese New Year Day, a day of joy in which all families traditionally keep pure and holy by avoiding the eating of any meat |
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| Kuan
Yin P’usa |
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| "Namo Ta-Chi-Ta-Pei
Kuan Shih Yin P’usa" This is the prayer which is recited
by all Kuan Yin devotees daily to pay homage and to appeal to the
Great Lord, AVALOKITESVARA Bodhisattva, who is the compassionate aspect
of all the Buddhas of the three times. Literally translated it means
"Namo To The Greatly Compassionate Kuan Shih Yin Bodhisattvsa".
To recite this prayer is to seek the blessings of Kuan Yin and at
the same time to develop one’s own compassionate nature. Those
who recite the great prayer with a sincere heart will surely find
it quite easy to practise great kindness and great sympathy towards
others, for Kuan Yin’s compassion will then flow through them
and cause them to walk the Path of Mercy. It is also the Path towards
Buddhahood for the merit and virtue of reciting the name of the great
P’usa is immeasurable. This great Compassionate Lord is known
by various other names such as: "The Bodhisattva Regarder of the Sound of the World" "The Lord of Compassionate Glances" "The Lord Who Sees the World with Pity" "The Lord of What is seen, of the Visible World" There are a host of other names too. He is indeed the Lord who regards with compassion, all beings suffering from the evils of existence within the Six Realms. KUAN SHIH YIN is the direct translation of the Sanskrit name of Avalokitesvara, which has the same meaning:
Kuan Shih Yin is therefore the Bodhisattva
of great compassion, mercy and love who has won the hearts of countless
people. By virtue of his infinite power, he is capable of regarding
the cries of the people whether these represent either desire or
suffering, delivering them through the wisdom of skilful means,
and appearing in the form suitable to those to be saved. This noble
Lord is thus the ‘saviour’ who may assume the form of
a Buddha, Bodhisattva, god or any other forms, either male or female,
in other to fulfill his task of mercy. In most of the Buddhist lands,
the male form is predominant but in China, Kuan Shih Yin manifests
in various female forms such as: "White-robed Kuan Yin" It should also be mentioned that even before Buddhism was introduced into China, the woman folks there were already worshipping several female Taoist Deities, in the forms of ‘Niang-Niang’ seeking their blessings for safety, happiness, children, mercy, compassion and salvation. Thus when Kuan Shih Yin responded to the urgent and distressful calls of the Chinese people in the female forms, they were also given the ‘Niang-Niang’ titles so that Kuan Shih Yin P’usa which is the proper Buddhist term, became known as Kuan Yin Niang Niang or The Goddess of Mercy. In this way, Avalokitesvara became the most popular deity in all of China, worshipped by the Buddhists and the Taoists as well as those who are without a proper faith but needed a compassionate deity to turn to. Kuan Yin’s manifestations or transformation bodies can be said to be numberless and the most widely worshipped form today is that of the White-robe Kuan Yin. For this reason, most of the Kuan Yin images that are seen in temples and at home altars are related to this form. Since this is the most beloved of all the forms, one should take a closer look at it to discover its endearing features which have captured the hearts of countless millions. Kuan Yin images are either in a seated or standing posture each having its significant meanings. Most people tend to prefer the seated form as it gives both a serene and dignified feeling, the very picture of enlightenment. The standing figure represents compassion in action that indicates Kuan Yin’s compassion and saving power are available to anyone who seeks them, and that Kuan Yin is ever ready to reach and help all beings by offering them assistance, love and protection. This posture also symbolises the eternal activity of bringing enlightenment to all who wish it. Kuan Yin is also depicted as holding a vase, which contains ‘Amrita’, the dew of compassion, which can purify the defilements of our body, speech and mind, as well as having all kinds of curative power. The face of Kuan Yin images is always gentle, calm and enduringly sweet, an expression which reflects infinite wisdom, serenity, love and compassion. It has the peculiar quality of calming those who are angry or are in despair, comforting those who are sorrowful, and bringing forth feelings of love, devotion and contentment to her faithfuls. Through the practice of virtues such as kindliness, gentleness, love, mercy, compassion, charity, morality, patience, perseverance, contemplation or acts that will bring benefits to others, one becomes a true disciple of Kuan Shih Yin. Another feature that should be noted is the eyes which are always depicted as ‘half-opened’ and ‘half-closed’ which indicates a perfect harmony of outer and inner life as half of the vision is concerning the outer world, while the other half is directed internally for proper self-reflection. Thus it can be said that Kuan Yin is ever mindful of the external world and all our internal thoughts and inclinations. As mentioned earlier, Kuan Yin forms are many, in fact they are said to be countless, and each of these forms has its own significant and symbolic meaning. One of Kuan Yin’s most famous and compassionate forms is that of the ‘thousand-arm-thousand-eyes’ which is known in Chinese as ‘Chien-shou-chien-yen Kuan Shih Yin P’usa. In this form, Kuan Yin has eleven heads and a thousand hands, with extra eyes on the palm of each hand. Legend has it that he was contemplating the task of working for the safety and happiness of all sentient beings when his head split into thousand pieces upon realising the enormity of such an undertaking. Amitabha, the Buddha of Limitless Light, his Spiritual Father, quickly came to the rescue and restored Kuan Yin to life and also gave him this form. The thousand eyes symbolise the all-seeing nature of Kuan Yin’s compassion while the thousand arms represent the ever-present and all-compassing nature of his help. All Kuan Yin images, male or female, with one or multiple heads, two or multiple arms, gentle or fierce facial expressions, have their own symbolic and religious meanings and therefore should not be looked upon as peculiar and uninviting. However, all Kuan Yin images always feature a loving, kind and compassionate expression and even a statue with eleven heads and a thousand arms does not lose the harmony of the whole body but radiates peace. In the Lotus Sutra, an entire chapter is devoted to Kuan Yin in which the Buddha describes the Bodhissattva as one who has her face turned in every direction in order to see all things and to save all beings and that there is no form or shape that Kuan Yin will not assume to preach the Dharma to sentient beings: "In some worlds… the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara preaches the law to creatures in the shape of a Buddha; in others she does so in the shape of a Bodhisattva. To some beings, she shows the law in the shape of a Pratyekabuddha; to others she does so in the shape of a disciple… to those who are to be converted by assuming Brahman, she preaches in the shape of a Brahman; to those who are to be converted by Vajrapani, she preaches in the shape of Vajrapani." Many other Kuan Yin transformations are described fully in the various Mahayana Sutras and the underlying concept for all are basically the same - an expression of the limitless compassion of this great Bodhisattva. One of the most important forms which all Kuan Yin devotees should recognise and revere is that of the Four-arm Avalokitesvara, worshipped by all Tibetans as CHENRIZIG, the Holder of the White Lotus. It is in the male form, which has two hands in the praying-gesture known as the ‘namaskara-mudra’ while the other two hands hold his symbols, the Crystal Rosary and the Lotus Flower. He is the emanation and therefore the spiritual son of Amitabha Buddha, who blessed him and whereupon the Bodhisattva brought forth the famous prayer, known as the Mani Mantra: "OM MANI PADME HUM" This Mantra of Universal Protection is recited ceaselessly by millions of Kuan Yin adherents in countries where Mahayana Buddhism is practised. It is a very powerful mantra whose efficacy has helped countless number of people in every way. Another great compassionate form is that of the ‘All-sided One’, the Eleven-faced Kuan Yin. This is an esoteric form, which is widely popular in Tibet and its neighbouring countries where Vajrayana, the third vehicle of Buddhism, is practised. Several famous temples in Japan have this image but it is a rarity in Chinese temples. Here is the legend: "Avalokitesvara, the All-Pitying One descended into hell, converted the wicked and liberated them to Sukhavati, the Western Paradise of his spiritual father, Amitabha. No sooner had he emptied the hell of its inhabitants, within the next instant other beings were reborn there to fill up their places. Out of despair and grief in discovering the extent of wickedness in the world and the utter helplessness of saving all mankind, the Bodhisattva’s head split into ten pieces. Amitabha Buddha quickly came to the rescue of his beloved disciple and caused each of the pieces to become a head, placed them in three tiers of three, with the tenth head on top and his own image above them all." Thus the Great Compassionate One was endowed with twenty-two eyes instead of two, to see all suffering, and eleven brains instead of one, to concentrate on the best means of saving mankind. As mentioned earlier, Kuan Yin is always accepted by the average Chinese to be a female Bodhisattva due to her various manifestations and legend in China. This great Bodhisattva whose sphere of influence is much greater than the Buddha for she has more temples built in her name than all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Buddhist Pantheon. Her merit is incalculable, like drops of rain falling continuously for a year. She is called the Greatly Compassionate One because of her vow of ‘saving all living beings and therefore committing herself to being the last person in the universe to attain Buddhahood!’ In the Lotus Sutra the Buddha said
that anyone who calls upon Kuan Yin would be delivered instantly
from all his sufferings. By virtue of her supernatural power, she
is able to save all living beings from all kinds of danger, give
them what they want, and preach the Dharma freely by appearing in
whatever form that suits the nature of the faithful. To call for
Kuan Yin’s help, one needs only to humbly recite her name continuously
with The power of the function of reciting any of the above prayers is inconceivable. If someone has grave problems or even demonic obstructions and recites Kuan Yin P’usa’s name or the Mani Mantra, the problems will disappear or the demon will run away. There are many people who are suffering from having a lot of desires which are their causes of unhappiness, desires such as greed for wealth, social status, fame, sex, food and other mundane things, these people should try to recite constantly the name of Kuan Yin and their useless desires will melt away. Desire arises out of thoughts. Many people are not aware of their thoughts even though they are very harmful to them and to others. Their minds are not really clear so that even thoughts of greed, anger, lust, and ignorance are left unchecked and in time evil deeds will be committed. Those who with to rid their mind of greed and desire should constantly recite, "Namo Ta-Pei Kuan Shih Yin P’usa", with the deepest respect and all their attention focused on it. In time the efficacy of this recitation will be felt and all kinds of defiled thoughts will soon disappear. To fully understand what is meant by this description of the power of holding Kuan Yin’s name, one should give it a try - ‘experience is always the best teacher’. Kuan Yin’s response can be instant or slightly delayed, it all depends on one’s karmic influence at that moment of prayer and the intensity of faith in the calling. Miracles of Kuan Yin answering the fervent prayers of those who called upon her name are countless. The Miao Shan Legend The legend of Kuan Yin’s emanation as Princess Miao Shan has caught the hearts of all the Chinese people. To them, it is common knowledge that Kuan Yin is the enlightened form of their beloved princess and therefore Kuan Yin, their Goddess of Mercy, cannot be a male God or Deity. This, in fact, is the fixed view of some people. Who can really blame them for holding such a view when the episode of such a sweet princess turning into a Goddess happened only slightly more than two thousand years ago in a country whose history is well remembered right down to five thousand years? Towards the end of the Chou Dynasty (around 3rd BC), in the kingdom of Hsing Lin, there lived a king called Miao Chung. He had three daughters and they were Miao Ching, Miao Yin, Miao Shan. Before the birth of the third girl, Queen Po Ta had a strange dream, in which she saw a heavenly pearl transforming into a fiery sun, which then tumbled down and settled at her feet. When told of it, the king, in his wisdom, considered the seeing of such a celestial sign to be an excellent omen and he looked forward to having a male heir to his throne. However, to his great disappointment, a girl was born to him. This was on the 19th day of the 2nd moon and she was Miao Shan. Miao Shan grew up to be a religious and virtuous girl unaffected by the attraction of worldly matters. What she yearned for was to have a quiet retreat in the mountains where she could practise the perfection of her virtues. She longed to be able to bring relief to all the miserable beings on earth. When his daughters were of marriageable age, the king found suitable husbands for them. While her sisters accepted their marriages, Miao Shan steadfastly refused to marry and infuriated the father by choosing to retire to a nunnery called the White Sparrow. The father made several attempts to make temple-life unbearable to his fragile daughter so as to persuade her to return to her palace. However, all his attempts failed for a little suffering was not going to deter one whose mind was set on cultivating the Buddha’s path. In his anger, the king ordered that the nunnery be set on fire for such an unfilial daughter deserved to be put to death. However, the fire was instantly put out by an inundating shower, which saved the lives of the princess and the few hundred nuns. The enraged king then decreed that Miao Shan be executed but the executioner’s sword, upon contacting the princess’s neck, broke into smithereens! This so angered the king that he next ordered that his unfilial daughter be strangled to death with a silken cord. As she was being strangled, the tutelery god appeared in the form of a great tiger, dispersed the crowd, and carried the body into the forest. Miao Shan’s spirit descended into hell, but her sweetness and the purity of her prayers soon converted it from a place of great suffering to a paradise. This alarmed the Registrar of the Living and the Dead who then hastily petitioned Yen Lo, the King of the Underworld, to order her removal declaring that 'Since it has been decreed that, in justice, there must be a heaven and a hell, if Princess Miao Shan’s soul is not sent back to the upper world, there will be no hell left, but only a heaven.' Her soul was then quickly transported back to her body, which was lying under a pine tree. Upon returning to life, Buddha Amitabha appeared, and directed the princess to continue her practice of the perfectionism in a cave called Hsuan Ai, in the island of Pu-to. For nine years, she devoted herself to performing acts of merits and meditational practices and attained Buddhahood. It was in Pu-to Island that she acquired her two acolytes Hoan Shen-tsai and Lung-nu, better known to all as Golden Youth and Jade Maiden. In the meantime, King Miao Chung, who has displeasured the Jade Emperor, Supreme Ruler of Heaven, by his heinous crimes of burning a nunnery, which nearly caused the loss of so many lives and the killing of so virtuous a maiden as Miao Shan, that he received the punishment of an incurable disease. The only cure being an ointment made from the hands and eyes of a ‘Pu T’ien Jen’, or ‘One Who Is Never Angry’. Aware of her father’s plight due to her acquired spiritual powers and out of compassion, Miao Shan freely despatched the healing parts of her body, which effected the recovery. In gratitude, the king then sent a delegation with his minister to thank the kind donor only to find, to his great shock, that those precious gifts came from none other than the daughter that he had killed. He was so overcome with remorse that he renounced his throne and accepted the Buddhist faith. Thus ended the legend of the ‘unfilial’ daughter who became the saviour to her father, and to all mankind. Miao Shan Kuan Yin Forms Miao Shan Kuan Yin is often represented as seated, her hands in the gesture of meditation, holding a flaming pearl, or with the hands in the praying gesture. Many famous painting depict her as seated on a rock near running water, or on an island in the sea. Other pictures present her having a scroll of prayers which represents the Heart Sutra or a willow sprig with which to sprinkle divine nectar (Amritha) which has the quality of removing suffering, cleansing evil karma and lengthening life. Other pictures also show her carrying a rosary of pearls in her hand or it may be held in the beak of a heavenly bird. She is generally dressed in a white robe and is represented, standing upon a cloud, a lotus flower, or even lotus petal on a sea. Another popular picture shows her with her acolytes, Shen-tsai with the praying gesture and Lung-nu holding the flaming pearl. Due to the legend of Miao Shan, Pu’to
island has become the most sacred place of pilgrimage for Kuan Yin
devotees. From it we are also able to learn of how the other two
great Bodhisattvas Wen-shu and Pu-Hsien, came to be flanking Kuan
Yin as depicted in the Pantheon of Deities. Wen-shu P’usa,
better known to other Buddhists as Manjusri Bodhisattva, 'the Rider
of the Green Lion, the Completely Beautiful, the Very Virtuous P’usa,
is none other than Miao Ching while Pu’ Hsien, the Rider of
the White Elephant, the Very Virtuous and Completely Resplendent
P’usa, is the other sister Miao Yin’. Three days a year, devout Kuan Yin devotees celebrate the three festivals which are attributed to the life of Princess Miao Shan, the Chinese emanation of Kuan Yin. This legend of the sweet and virtuous Miao Shan has so captivated the hearts of the Chinese people that she outshines all other deities in the land, be they of Buddhist, Taoist or any other origins. She is adored as the Goddess of Mercy and in all the other female Kuan Yin manifestations as described earlier. The three auspicious days are:
On these day, devotees and those who
have received favours from Kuan Yin flock to the various temples
to make offerings, set birds and animals free, observe a full day
vegetarian diet, perform all kinds of charitable acts, visit old
folks homes or orphanages bearing gifts and good wishes, and observe
the Five, Eight or Ten Precepts very seriously. Generally, the Five
Precepts are observed and they consist of: Not killing or harming
living beings The entire day is spent in quietude, contemplating on the Great Vows of Kuan Yin to save all sentient beings and to forsake the bliss of Nirvana, or on the great virtuous qualities of this great Mother of Mercy such as loving-kindness, compassion and wisdom. The more energetic ones may indulge in a full day’s practice of prayer-recitation, Sutra-reading followed by meditation on the happiness of others and then transfer all merits accumulated to all sentient beings. This does not mean that Kuan Yin followers practise virtuous deeds on these and other festive days only. To those who are well on the Kuan Yin Path, practice is a moment-to-moment affair from the day that they have accepted Kuan Yin into their hearts till the day enlightenment is won. However, beginners of the path are advised to practise as best as they can, aiming for gradual progress and refraining from over-commitment to spiritual development unless they have experienced teachers to guide them. Devotion and faith in Kuan Yin cannot be acquired hurriedly but can be won over a period of time. The legend of Kuan Shih Yin P'usa can hardly be completed without mentioning the Heart Sutra (The Prajna Paramita Hridaya Sutra) and the Dharani of Great Compassion (Ta Pei Jou), both of which are daily recited by those who are committed to the Kuan Yin Path of Great Wisdom and Compassion. The Dharani Of Great Compassion - Ta Pei Jou It is stated in the Dharani Sutra
that "Those who recite and hold the Spiritual Mantra of Great
Compassion will not suffer any kind of bad death and will obtain
good rebirth." The efficacy of this Great Compassionate Mantra
has been proven countless times. Ask anyone who has practised this
mantra and they will have lots to tell you about the wonders of
this prayer. With some effort anyone can recite it for the sake
of benefitting others. Here is a prayer, which many Kuan Yin devotees will appreciate. It should be read paragraph by paragraph mentally and then contemplated upon: "NAMO TA-PEI KUAN SHIH YIN P’USA" Out of the great compassion of the Buddha Amitabha, from his pure Dharma Body, you appear in a faultless and crystal pure body of white light. Due to this glorious birth, the world of beings benefitted. With compassionate eyes you look on all sentient beings, to render them help, give them hope and save them from damnation. You gave to the world the Great Path of Compassion, which is, in actuality, the Path to Liberation. Since then, countless great ones who pursued this wonderful Path have been saved from the rounds of birth and rebirth. This great Path is before me right now and I am indeed the fortunate one. I wish to show my gratitude and pray that I too may successfully tread your Path so as to illuminate my mind of delusion. To you, Kuan Shih Yin, Great Bodhisattva, I prostrate. I shall always hold dear your name and recite your great mantra of salvation: ‘OM MANI PADME HUM’. I pray that there will be peace and harmony in my country and in the world. I pray that evil may be overcome by good, for the happiness of those who are in every state of suffering, and for the ending of all disaster in the world. Please accept my offerings of incense,
flowers, fruits, prayers and the merits of the recitations of the
Great Compassionate Dharani (Ta Pei Jou) and the Heart Sutra as
a mark of my love and gratitude for your Great Compassion for having
shown me the way:
May all sentient beings be blessed by your saving powers and be happy for all eternity. Kindly help their seed of Enlightenment to bud and blossom so that its beauty may fill the universe. I prostrate to you, Kuan Shih Yin P’usa. |
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| Ti Tsang P’usa is an extremely popular Bodhisattva among the Chinese and Japanese Buddhists. ‘Ti Tsang’, meaning ‘Earth-Store’ is a direct translation of the Bodhisattva’s name KSITIGARBHA in Sanskrit. Among the countless Bodhisattvas in the universe, he and three others have firmly captured the hearts of the Mahayanists. These four main P’usa are depicted in the Chinese Buddhist Pantheon and they represent four basic great qualities | ||||||||||||||||
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His greatest compassionate Vow being: "If I do not go to the hell to help the suffering souls there, who else will go? …if the hells are not empty I will not become a Buddha. Only when all living beings have been saved, will I attain to Bodhi." The Sutra of the PAST VOWS OF THE EARTH STORE BODHISATTVA, one of the most popular Chinese Buddhist Sutras, tells of the great filial piety, which the Bodhisattva practised that led to his illimitable vows to save all living beings. This Sutra was spoken by the Buddha towards the end of his life to the beings of the Trayastrimsa Heaven as a mark of gratitude and remembrance for his beloved mother. In this Sutra the Buddha revealed that in the distant past aeons, Ti Tsang P’usa, then a Brahman maiden by the name of ‘Sacred Girl’, was deeply troubled when her mother died as she had often been slanderous towards the Three Jewels - the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. To save her from the great tortures of hell, the young girl sold whatever she had and used the money to buy offerings which she offered daily to the Buddha of her time, known as The Buddha of Flower of Meditation and Enlightenment. She made fervent prayers that her mother be spared of the pains of hell and requested the Buddha for help. One day at the temple, while she was thus pleading for help, she heard the voice of the Buddha advising her to go home immediately and there to sit down and practise meditation on His name if she wanted to know where the spirit of her mother was. She did as she was told and while doing so, her soul was transported to the Hell Realm where she met a hell-guardian, who informed her that through her fervent prayers and pious offerings, her mother had accumulated much merits and therefore her soul had already been released from hell and ascended to heaven. She was greatly relieved and should have been extremely happy, but the sights of the great sufferings in Hell that she had witnessed so touched her tender heart that she made an immediate vow: "I shall exercise my very best to relieve beings of their sufferings forever in my future lives of kalpas to come." The young maiden has since then became an accomplished Bodhisattva through her great acts of merits and is now known as Ti Tsang P’usa. Ti Tsang P’usa has often been mistaken to be Mogallana who was a disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha, because he too had a similar experience of descending to the Hell Realm to seek and save his mother. The stories may sound similar but they happened at different times and adopted quite different methods to save their mothers. Many others also tend to relate Ti Tsang as Hsuan Tsang, the famous Tripitaka master of the Tang Dynasty who made the hazardous journey to the West to seek the Buddhist scriptures. This is mainly due to the Sangha robe and the five-leave crown which both are seen to wear. As the "Regent of Hell" Ti Tsang P’usa is again taken by many to be "Yen-Lo-Wang" or Yama, the "Over-Lord of Hell." It must be mentioned that Ti Tsang is a Bodhisattva and not a mere King of the Fifth Hell. He does not judge the souls of the dead but seeks to save them from the punishment inflicted on them by the Kings of Hell.
Ti Tsang may be represented sitting or standing. He always has a kind and benevolent look and carrying either, or both, his symbols of the Cintamani or "Wish-fulfilling Jewel" and the "Ringed-Staff", which is also called the Khakkhara. Buddhist monks in their travels often carry this ringed staff so that the sounds caused by the jingling rings can warn small animals and insects of their approach lest they be trod upon and killed. It is also sometimes called the alarm-staff. Found in many Buddhist homes and temples, Ti Tsang P’usa is seen seated upon a lotus throne. His hand holds the precious flaming pearl, which has vast magical powers beyond description. He wears the robe of a Northern Buddhist monk and on his head is the "five-leave crown, where the representation of a Dhyani-Buddha can be seen on each of the leaves." Whenever you have the urge to pray to this Bodhisattva for any help, look at a picture of Ti Tsang P'usa intently for a few seconds as you silently recite, "NAMO TI TSANG WANG P’USA, NAMO TI TSANG WANG P’USA…," before closing your eyes to visualise him. Ti Tsang P’usa is very responsive to sincere prayers of faith and he may yet grant you your wish, if it is not too unselfish or unreasonable. All may pray to him with this simple invocation and, who knows, your past karmic links with him may yet make you into another ardent Ti Tsang devotee again in this lifetime. The standing posture of Ti Tsang is particularly popular in Japan where he is known as Jizo Bosatsu. It represents the readiness of Jizo to respond immediately to the calls of help made by those who have faith in his saving powers. Standing upon a lotus, he holds his precious flaming jewel with his left hand while the ringed staff is held with his right, ever ready to force open the gates of Hell with the staff and to dispel the darkness of the infernal realm with his luminous gem. Ti Tsang is at times depicted accompanied by a dog, which also has a significant meaning. On the death of his mother, the Bodhisattva, not as "Sacred Girl", hastened into the underworld with the view of comforting her and to seek for favourable treatment. However he could not find her whereabouts but later discovered that she had already taken rebirth as a female dog. Upon his return to earth, Ti Tsang soon traced and adopted the animal, which henceforth became his close companion on his pilgrimages. Another popular depiction of him is in this standing or ‘activity-form’ which has his left hand holding an alms bowl against his navel, while his right hand forms the mudra (hand-sign) of "giving consolation and peace to all livings beings." Ti Tsang P’usa has many emanations and he has manifested in countless forms to save beings at different times and places. In the Chinese Buddhist Pantheon his is the only figure in the form of a monk. This is to indicate that Mahayana Buddhism is suitable for both the monks and the laity. Ti Tsang’s compassion is not practised exclusively for the benefit of the beings of the Hell Realm, he also gives blessings to those of the world who seek his help and he is a comforter of the poor, oppressed, sick, hungry, and those who are troubled by spirits and nightmares. Those who have firm faith in him can easily receive his protection. With faith one need to recite any of these simple prayers:
"Listen to me carefully and I shall tell you in detail. If virtuous ones of the future see the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s image, hear the Ksitigarbha Sutra, chant this Sutra, make offerings to Ksitigrabha, pay homage to him, they will receive these benefits:
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| Yun-Jie Bodhisativa | ||||||||||||||||
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Yun Jie Bodhisattva's birth name was Teo Siu Ngor and was born in the year 1881 during the Qing Dynasty to a wealthy trading family in Tua Goh village, Pu Ning County, Teochew district of Guangdong province in China. Reverend Teo was a vegetarian from young and at the age of twenty, he embraced Buddhism with visionary zeal, building a benevolent temple "Gak See Sean Tong" in the year 1914, setting up a dispensary for herbal medications, helping the needy and distressed, burying unclaimed corpses, and teaching the values of caring, sharing, humility and compassion. Following that year in 1922, Reverend Teo with his bare hands built his another flagship benevolent temple "Gak Zheng Sean Tong" to expand his charity vision. |
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| In 1907, Reverend Teo re-built the temple Seu Teck Sean Tong Yiang Sin Sia in Tua Goh-Hong Zhi village, Teo Ann County, Teochew, to honour the Reverend Song Ta-Fung. Reverend Teo revitalised the organisation and led its devotees in doing charity and social work in order to alleviate the poverty and suffering of the villagers and others in need. Enduring humiliation and with a benevolent disposition, Reverend Teo provided free Chinese pharmaceuticals, free medical treatment, helped in education including the preservation of precious documents, and performed free burial services for the poor. Reverend Teo's good deeds were extended without reservation to not only the villagers but also all those he came across in his pilgrimage. | ||||||||||||||||
| Reverend Teo passed into parinirvana in the year 1926 at the age of 45 and his relics were enshrined in Gak See Sean Tong. Because of selfless devotion, compassion and acts of mercy, Reverend Teo attained enlightenment and the Holy Status of Yun-Jie Bodhisattva, and continued to be a source of inspiration to a widening circle of followers in the teachings and practices of Buddhism. | ||||||||||||||||
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