Chapter 28 - The Channelling Of Psychic Energy Through Fu's [Paper Charms] And Incantations

My second encounter with the blue-robed lady, who had played a pivotal role in my spiritual initiation, also took place at the Jade Emperor Temple. She normally worked out of town, channelling for people who wanted to make inquiries into the world of spirits.

It was one evening in the autumn of 1971 when, after putting on a jacket, I hurried over to the Jade Emperor Temple. Inside, the temple was filled with spiraling incense smoke and crowds of people. As soon as she saw me, she grasped my hands tightly and inquired,

"How have you been? Have you been doing fine?"

All I could say at that moment was that I was fine. It was hard to explain in a few words the experiences I had so far encountered.

Since the crowded temple was an unsuitable place for us to engage in any long conversation, the blue-robed lady asked me to have a seat and then went on to help other people. I decided to sit on the side and watch her work. She was giving such accurate answers to the questions posed to her that many people were openly exclaiming their heartfelt admiration. Just then, in the middle of her psychic counseling, the blue-robed lady suddenly let out a loud shriek and stood up from the kneeling mat. Extending an arm into the air, she clutched with her hand a few times, as if to grab something in the air. Then she opened her hand and cried out loudly,

"Who out there is so audacious as to try to hurt me with a burning Fu? I am helping people everywhere by the order of the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, and no Fu is going to hurt me!" Then she looked down at her hand and said, "This man is tall. stout. and wears a scarf around his neck. Does any one recognize such a monk?"

Several people around her rushed over to see if there was any Fu in her hand. However they were very disappointed because her hand was empty. Someone said,

"There is nothing there!"

To which the blue-robed lady replied,

"What do you mean by nothing? There is plainly a piece of Fu on my hand. Sheng-yen, you come over and see if there is anything on my hand."

I stood up, and people made way for me to come through. I tuned into my psychic vision and took a look. Indeed on the hand of the blue-robed lady was a paper charm made out of two pieces of paper pasted together, one white and one black. The energy beam of the paper charm was still struggling and flickering. I described what I saw, "It is a talisman made out of black and white paper stuck together. This looks somewhat like a black magic Fu."

The blue-robed lady was exulted, "Sheng-yen, you are really quite good; you can see it."

Cupping her other hand over the paper charm, she turned her head to the east to take in one breath and called out,

"Melt away!"

When she opened her hand again, the paper charm was gone. At this time there was embarrassment written all over the face of Rev. Shih Hui Ling, the abbot of the Jade Emperor Temple. He gave us the following explanation.

A month ago, a tall and stout monk by the name of Chang had arrived at the temple. Claiming that he was skillful in the art of divination, he offered to provide services for reading hexagrams and physiognomy, channelling and inspecting feng shui. Thus he took lodging at the back of the temple and read fortunes for the devotees during his spare time.

He kept sixty percent of the money, and the rest went to the temple. Both parties were happy with this arrangement. Then came the blue-robed lady who was able to see into the nether world and ask guidance from higher beings. Her talents had attracted throngs of devotees to her. Seeing all these, Rev. Chang became jealous. Jealousy gave rise to hatred, and he decided to play the trick of the paper charm on her.

The blue-robed lady explained, "The kind of Fu that he had written tonight would have done great harm to another person. Fortunately, it was for me. Someone like that, who harbors such evil intentions, really should not learn the art of Fu. I will not let him go if he does it again. Sheng-yen, come again tomorrow evening. If he makes trouble again, we will deal with him." Then she turned to Rev. Shih Hui Ling, "Does he wear a white scarf?"

"He often wears a white scarf," Rev. Shih Hui Ling confirmed. "Then that is he. It must be this Rev. Chang's trick."

The following day, I went over to the Jade Emperor Temple.

Indeed, the monk struck out again since he had failed in his first attempt. Only this time he used an incantation instead of a Fu. The incantation he used was an extremely venomous one that could drive a person to fear and madness. Using paper cuttings of men and snakes and incantations, he was ready to frighten the woman into illness. The blue-robed lady saw the runners he had sent, and I also saw them. I asked her to let me take care of it. From his runners, I knew he was using the Five Palaces Ghost Driving Method and chanted this incantation,

"Demons and goblins of mountains, waters, and ancient temples, spirits of trees, flowers, snakes, insects, and foxes, all members of form-shifting demons who ensnare, attack, or harm, come to receive my token of authority."

Therefore, I calmly recalled the Mystical Maiden Mantra taught to me by Mr. Three-Peaks-Nine-States which was especially effective against evil and impure incantations. Stepping the Ting Pa stance, I chanted,

"With circumspection I invoke the Erh Yi True Warrior God who has his feet on the Heaven Gate Turtle Spirit. Loosening his hair, he is in command of the army of gods. Crowned by the multitudinous stars of the seven constellations, he guards over the northern sky as their lord, and rules over all heavenly soldiers. Flanked by the Black Dragon to the left, the White Tiger to the right, the Rosefinch to the front, and the Kou Ch'en to the rear, and with a garrison state stretching across thousands of miles of space, he appears miraculously at the top of the clouds and amid the worlds in the ten directions. There is now a black banner ahead shielding the sun and moon. Please send forth thunderbolts to crush the hundreds of daggers to let light through. With an iron pillar in mouth held by wolverine teeth, slaughter the evil spirits around. First bring down gales to blow at the wicked ghosts, then strike with thunders rumbling from heavens. Demons and goblins of mountains and seas will disperse in fear and confusion. Lian Shen hereby invokes the Warrior God by decree of the Jade Emperor and chants this mantra of purity and tranquility."

When I finished chanting, I formed a Thunder Mudra with my hand and pointed it ahead of me. Suddenly there was a loud thunderclap, and all the paper figures of men and snakes vanished. After a while, we saw a man dodging swiftly from the backyard of the Jade Emperor Temple. It was Rev. Chang, who had his hands on his head and was crying out in pain. A few days later, he packed up all his belongings and left the Jade Emperor Temple. Both the blue-robed lady and I shook our heads and sighed. It was not we who had evicted him. He had instigated the whole incident and had himself to blame for being no match for our skill.

This true story shows that Fu's and incantations can be used to manifest psychic or spiritual energy. It is the intent behind the Fu's that determines whether it is white or black magic. For example, Fu's can be used to invoke gods, protect a household, exorcise demons, etc..It has been said that magic charms are the expression of psychic power in a totally focused mind, and I concur. In writing Fu's, the most important key is to have mental concentration. Thus the scribed Fu becomes an extension of the mental aspect of the scribe, and this is why it can be efficacious. This is especially true in Fu's written by someone whose soul is "alive." Because of the instilling of psychic energy into the scribing process, such Fu's are especially effective.

There are many different kinds of incantations in existence.

In the Tantric sect and in other sects in Buddhism, there is also the practice of the art of incantations or mantras, such as the chanting of the Ten Minor Mantras, the Great Compassion Dharani, the Rebirth Mantra, the Surangama-mantra, etc..

In Taoism, there are mantras such as the Incense Mantra, Heart Mantra, Pure Heaven Earth Magic Mantra, Golden Light Mantra, Invoking the Nine Immortals Mantra, Pure Water Mantra,

Fu Scribing Mantra, Constellation Mantra, etc.. These mantras are said to have originated from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who, due to their compassion for the sentient beings, have coded their spiritual power into the short form of mantras. Through the practice of mantra chanting, a disciple can obtain great merits and arrive sooner at the Pure Lands of the Buddhas. Therefore the meanings of mantras are not explained.

While some of the Taoist mantras are also very difficult to understand, they are easier to chant when compared to the Buddhist mantras based on Sanskrit words. Since the chanting of mantras is also a means of expressing the spiritual energy, one often combines mantra chanting with the writing of magic charms.

There are many different kinds of Fu's. The most orthodox way is to draw the symbol for Heaven, Earth, and Man at the top of the Fu paper, then the name of the deity who is the source of spiritual authority for the decree, followed by the purpose of the Fu, and the final seal. The affixing of the final seal is similar to the affixing of a stamp at the end of a document to make it legitimate. At the time of Fu writing, one holds one's breath and chants a mantra silently until the final step, when one affixes the seal and lets out a breath and sound to signify the formation of a powerful energy. Some Fu's are very unorthodox and do not follow any rules, as they are sometimes completely intuited. Also, Fu's do not necessarily have to be written on paper. A person with strong spiritual power can even write a Fu in air that will generate the same efficacy as one that is written on paper. A Fu is also an invitation sent out to the world of spirits. After a paper charm is incinerated, it can travel invisibly throughout the ten Dharma realms, from heavens to nether worlds, and all spirits will know of its purpose. Although the art of Fu's and incantations appears to be unfathomable and mysterious, it is entirely a means of channelling psychic or spiritual energy.

Some people specialize in the writing of Bone Dissolving Fu's. When a fish bone gets caught in the throat, one can ingest such a Fu and the fish bone will indeed dissolve away. This is a trivial way of using Fu's. In the world, there are many kinds of occult practices that utilize psychic energy. Mantras and Fu's are just two of these many ways. In fact, spiritual energy pervades the Universe, and there is nothing that cannot be used for its expression. From Mr. Three-Peaks-Nine-States and Taoist Master Ch'ing Chen, I have learned of the existence of many kinds of Fu's and mantras.

Most people who use Fu's and mantras are honest and decent. I deeply detest, however, those wicked people who use Fu's and incantations to cause a temporary loss of senses in others so they can rob them of their purses and gold necklaces. Fu's and incantations were originated out of good intentions. The sages and high beings who engineered the creation of Fu's and incantations might deeply regret that they have been used as tools to defraud and loot.

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