Chapter 11 - The Light Mantra

I went to visit a small lake situated at a very remote site. There I came across a centralized location among the trees which offered a spacious view of the place, yet blocking me from the scotching sunlight. I set my eyes upon the glittering lake and felt very much at ease.

I closed my eyes and meditated in silence. Suddenly, I heard someone whispering, "This guy is illuminating light!"

"The light is strong!"

"Will he ruin what we do here?"

"It's hard to say!"

"Let's report to Dodo!"....

I opened my eyes and caught a glimpse of several kids hopping and talking under a fir tree before they disappeared in a split moment. These kids were not human beings apparently. They were little ghosts.

I stood up quietly and walked along the narrow path along the lakeside towards a nearby shop. I then asked the shop owner, "People often swim here?"

"Yes."

"Have any accidents happened here before?"

The shop owner did not try to avoid the subject and instead replied, "There are a few cases every year. School children love to play with water and disregard any danger. Accidents are bound to happen. The water in this lake is rather strange, and there are a few areas that are quite deep actually."

"Any warning notice?"

"There is." The shop owner said, "But to most school kids, it makes no difference whether there is a warning sign or not. They still swim there!"

At the lakeside, I saw several school students removing their shirts and ready to enter the water. During summer, no one could resist a dip in such fine lake.

I said nothing. After changing into my swimming trunk, I followed suit and entered the water after them.

The kids were splashing water towards one other, playing and pushing in their own game. Some even swam towards the deeper end of the lake. I noticed the lake appeared tranquil, but hidden turbulence of water current flowed beneath the water surface. The sand bed of the lake was very soft, sinking ever deeper. Water weeds growing in the lake could entangle the swimmer's leg. The water nearer the shore was warmer than the water further away.

When the students were not looking, I formed a mudra with my right hand and wrote the Sanskrit syllable 'Ah' in the air and stamped it in the direction of the students. I opened my spiritual eye.

Besides the four students swimming in the lake, I saw four other little ghosts riding the wave towards the kids. But at a certain point, they were stopped by an invisible energy shield and could proceed no further. The shield sheltered the four students, and despite many attempts, the ghosts could get no closer to the students as they had desired. At last, the four little ghosts were exhausted and left unwillingly.

The four little ghosts darted an angry stare at me before they vanished. I returned with a smirk.

The four students had fun for a longer while before they emerged from the water. I asked, "Was it good fun?"

"We had great fun. We'll come back next time!"

I said, "Swimming is prohibited here. It's dangerous. The police has erected a warning notice!"

They rebutted, "Didn't you just swim in the lake yourself?"

"I...." I chuckled and could say nothing.

That night in my dream, a water ghost approached and transformed himself into a huge water snake. It was swimming zigzag around my bed, yet it could not come near. The water ghost resumed his original form and shook his head, and out from his mouth he threw up a long strain of water weed. This water weed moved forward to strangle my throat and tried to suffocate me to death. But the water weed stopped upon reaching my face.

The water ghost threw up gushes of water and flooded my room, attempting to drown me. Again, water filled the place round me, but not one drop of it could sip through and reach me. The water ghost vomited stinking and smelly mud and yet it affected me not.

The water ghost realized an invisible energy field was covering the four corners of the bed, shielding me like a net of light. The bed itself was transformed into a lotus flower. I was transformed into a Vajra. A net of light encircled me. He water ghost knew he had met his match and knelt down with his palms closed. I asked, "Are you Dodo?"

"Yes."

"You have harmed and taken many lives?"

"Regretfully so!"

"Why did you do it?"

Dodo replied, "Reincarnation."

I asked, "How did you die?"

"I committed suicide."

"Why didn't you take up cultivation?"

"I have no teacher to teach me. If I can follow you, I would achieve something." Dodo was curious and asked, "How come there is a glow around you and that you're surrounded by a net of light?"

I answered him, "This radiance and net of light is a result of my cultivation of the Light Mantra. If you promise not to harm anymore lives, I shall impart this Light Mantra to you and you shall be liberated together with your other little ghostly friends. The sutra states that if any sentient being should commit the ten evil ways, the five deadly sins and upon his death degrades to the lower realm, recite this mantra 108 times and the decease shall ascend to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss. It also states that if any sentient being should listen to this mantra for two, three or seven times, all his karmic hindrances shall be eradicated."

The water ghost Dodo was thrilled to hear this and immediately took refuge and requested the transmission of this mantra.

I recited:

"Om Amogha Vairocana Mahamudra Mani Padma Jvala Pravartaya Hum."

I said, "This Light Mantra is the Light Mantra of the Great Initiation of the Vairocana Buddha. When you recite this mantra, visualize an imprint of a golden Sanskrit seed syllable 'Ah' imprinted on the Moon Disc in your heart. This syllable 'Ah' radiates light and illuminates all sentient beings. Anyone in contact with this light shall be liberated from suffering and receive joy. This mantra is the very Illuminated Vairocana Seal with which one may take refuge with Tathagata Vairocana. It is as good as receiving a jewel, a lotus, a rebirth and illumination, where liberation is instantaneous and all vows fulfilled."

I told Dodo, "Tomorrow past noon, I shall script this Light Mantra and cast it into the lake. I hope all of you shall recite it diligently and be liberated."

The water ghost Dodo bowed and left.

Past noon the following day, I wrote the Light mantra onto a piece of yellow paper and cast it into the lake. I chanted sincerely, "As the Light Mantra enters this lake, the lake shall become pure water. If commanded to wash one's feet, this water shall perform this task. If commanded to wash one's knee, this water shall do so. If commanded to wash one's waist, this water shall carry out the work. If commanded to wash one's neck, this water shall accomplish so. If commanded to wash the internal organs, the internal organs shall be purified. If commanded to clean the dirt off one's heart, the heart shall become clear. If commanded to initiate, one receives the Light Initiation."

I recited, "As the Light Mantra enters this lake, uncountable treasures lie within. The net of light spread across the sky and all kinds of Dharma Sound shall be heard, propagating the words of Buddha. Surrounding the lake one shall find illumination of glowing light dazzling in spectacular beauty. A wind of a meritorious nature blows naturally over the lake, creating ripples, offering a tenderness and warmth to the water. An intricate mix of soft gentle fragrance also permeates the area. It is simply unbelievable."

I saw Dodo transformed into a huge water snake, and all the little ghosts transformed into many smaller snakes. They came to the lakeside to receive the Light Mantra Initiation. Upon the completion of the initiation, a wind blew across the jewel trees creating musical Buddha Sound. All the water snakes received bliss and joy. The lake with its soft countenance released an all pervading fragrance. The snakes were transformed into dragons in an instant, breaking the water surface and riding on.

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