Chapter 15 - A Visit To Mr. Li Ping Nan

Within the Buddhist circle, Mr. Li Ping Nan's reputation is no less than the equal of an eminent Buddhist monk. Every Wednesday at the Mercy Light Library, Mr. Li gives talks on the Buddhist sutras, and every Thursday at the Bodhi Hospital, he expounds on the Amitabha Sutra. He also teaches at colleges. Many college Buddhist societies in central Taiwan, and many young Buddhists as well, have a high esteem for Mr. Li. He is so well known that every Buddhist practitioner in Taiwan has heard of his name. However, Mr. Li was getting on in years. It was a summer evening when I visited him. I arrived at No. 9, Cheng Ch'i Street in Taichung and rang the bell. Mr. Li came to open the door. I joined my palms in respect and chanted a Buddha epithat as greeting. Mr. Li returned my greeting with a Buddha epithet. After sitting down in the living room, I told him the purpose of my visit, which was to seek some guidance. I also related my spiritual experiences from the beginning to end. I asked him what did he think of it all?

"Did all that you told me really happen?" Mr. Li asked doubtfully. "It is all absolutely true," I answered resolutely.

"I don't think those spirits were gods, but demons. Almost all of the gods you mentioned are gods of religions other than Buddhism. Only the Buddha is the Ultimate, and there lies the difference between Buddhas and gods. You talked about earth gods and town gods. It is not that I don't believe in their existence; however, I just worship the Buddhas and, therefore, do not pay any attention to the other gods. All of the gods in religions other than Buddhism are only beings enjoying their rewards in heaven. They can hardly save themselves, so how can they help men to reach liberation? You must be cautious. Although demons also have great magic powers, the evil can not win over the righteous. Only by abiding in right thoughts can one enter into right awareness and the right Dharma."

"If Mr. Three-Peaks-Nine-States is a demon, why does he teach me to recite the Buddhist sutras and mantras and practice Buddhism? Wouldn't Buddhist practice be detrimental to a demon's cause?" Since I had personally encountered those wonderful spiritual realms, I of course did not believe Mr. Li's words at all.

"Don't you know that even chanting the Buddha's name can bring demons into your path?"

"What? If one can come into contact with demons by chanting the Buddha's name, then should one chant or not? What is happening?" I was puzzled.

"Well, for the time being, it will be hard for you to understand this. Anyway, the best thing for you to do is to stay away from their interference. You should just study the sutras and live a normal life. Having a lost person as a guide for someone who is lost himself won't lead one out of the maze. Ignore him, or it will suck away the essence in your body, your health will deteriorate, and you will die. Don't blame me for not warning you."

"Wait a minute, Mr. Li. Mr. Three-Peaks-Nine-States has never shown any malice towards me. All of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas I have encountered are kind and compassionate, without any sign of malevolence. They taught me to take refuge in the Buddhas, Dharma, and Spiritual Community, and have shown me how to turn to the Buddhas, Dharma, and Compassion. Can all of these teachings be wrong? Besides, my health has never been better. I don't find anything wrong physically or mentally with me!" I retorted.

"Well, in that case, I don't think I understand it."

Mr. Li pulled out a copy of An Introduction to Buddhism from the shelf and handed it to me.
"Next time the Buddhist Lotus Society here gives an initiation ceremony, you should go and take refuge! What kinds of books do you normally read?"

"I admire works by Chao Chou, Yun Men, and Yung Mind, and I like to read books like Transmission of the Lamp, Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, the various Ch'an classics, and all kinds of Buddhist sutras." It is true that I love to read the Buddhist sutras and have a great collection of them at home.

"Although this book, An Introduction to Buddhism, is quite basic, it might be worthwhile to read it."

Mr. Li was quite taken aback when he heard that I had read so many sutras. Obviously, this book, An Introduction to Buddhism, was too superficial.

That night, after returning home from the visit to Mr. Li, the Spirit Master came. He asked me, "What do you think of the words of Mr. Li?"

"Master, you know about it?"

"How can I not know? I was right beside you during your visit to him. I could see Mr. Li, but Mr. Li's wisdom eyes could not see my Dharma Body from the Formless Realm," Mr. Three-Peaks-Nine-States answered.

"Then what does the master think of Mr. Li's words?" "Buddhism is without any vehicles while Taoism is without any polarities. Just like the red flowers, green leaves, and white roots of the lotus, they are one and the same. How pitiful Men do not recognize their previous karmas and consider them to be creations of the five aggregates as well as works of demons and heretics. When they get away from demons and heretics, they then become trapped in Buddhism. To immerse in Buddhism is to be trapped by Buddhism. When one's knowledge is limited, one does not realize that it is the blind leading the blind-one even expounds earthshaking doctrines. How sad! After experiencing all kinds of hardship and suffering, one still, at the end, grasps onto Buddhism while forgetting that one is the Buddha oneself!"

After saying this, the Spirit Master became completely silent. Later, I visited many eminent Buddhist monks, including Master Sheng Yin, Ch'an Yun, Tao An, Cheng Kuang, and Nan T'ing. Among them, only Master Cheng Kuang believed me somewhat; all the other Buddhist masters commented that my experiences could not be true.

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