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Chapter 10 - The Smile Of Goddess Ma Tsu
As a surveyor, I traveled to all kinds of places. One unforgettable experience I had was the smile of the Goddess Ma-tsu in Liu-chia in Southern Taiwan. There is a famous dam there called Coral Lake Dam. My co-workers, Mr. Chang and Mr. Huang, and I were assigned to survey there. While I was there my Spirit Master, San-shan-chiu-hou, was with me. He taught me every night. I remember it was winter and the weaker was freezing. I'd be awakened at midnight by my Spirit Master to get up and go out. The teachings he had for me were to be learned in the cemetary. I remember those cold winter nights. The sky was often clear with brightly shining stars. I remember the white tombstones lined in rows. My Spirit Master taught me a method for calling on and commanding the spirits by using the mudras and chanting. It was part of my training to learn black magic so that I would have a complete education. It was not intended that I would ever use this knowledge, but knowing about it was necessary. He said, "This technique is not usually taught by traditional schools. However, in the future you are going to teach the dharma and so it is good to know the techniques of all schools. Great Wisdom encompasses all the dharma in the universe. The heart of Great Wisdom shines everywhere and is beyond imagination. The unrighteous methods cannot affect you and in the future you will also learn Buddha's dharma. Then you will encompass all three religions: Christianity, Taoism and Buddhism." One evening Mr. Huang and I wandered downtown. Mr. Huang got a haircut and then we stopped by a small temple near a market. The sign on the temple read: Liu-chua Buddhist Chanting Group." We entered. In a room to the left people were chanting. I closed my palms and bowed to the Bodhisattva statue in the center room. As I raised my head I saw a colourful cloud in the sky. A goddess with a smiling face descended from it, standing on a pair of beautiful lotus flowers. She wore wonderful, colorful robes and a hat with a nine-dragon design. With a gentle smile she said, "Lian Shen, how have you been?" "Bodhisattva, do you know me?" "Yes, I have visited the Yu-Huang Temple in Tai-Chung and I have visited your altar. Don't you remember?" As a matter of fact, I didn't remember. There are so many deities in the universe. Each deity has his or her own responsibility. I have met many of them, but I really had forgotten that this Goddess, Ma-tsu, had visited me. I replied, "Honorable Bodhisattva, please forgive me, I really don't remember. " "It's all right that you don't remember. I have a request to make." "Please instruct me." She continued, "The resident priest of this temple has been sick. I'd like to ask you to write a Fu (paper charm) to cure him. After you have written it, give it to the people of the temple and come back tomorrow. You will be surprised at the results." She disappeared. I walked straight to the altar, drew the Fu and energized it. I gave it to the people who were chanting, explaining to an old man what had happened. He didn't say anything, but some of the women there were curious. "Are you a medium?" one of them asked. "I come from Tai-Chung. I am not a medium. The goddess I saw told me to come back tomorrow," I answered. "Fine. Leave the Fu here. Come tomorrow," the old man muttered. Mr Huang and I left the temple. "They don't believe you," he said. "Why bother with it?" "Can't blame them. If I hadn't met the blue-dressed lady, if I hadn't learned all these things from my Spirit Master, I'd never believe any ofthis either!" Huang and I returned to the temple the next evening. As we stepped in, the resident priest and a group of women came forward to greet us. "Your Fu was very effective! I've been ill for over two months and now I'm up and out of bed," the priest said. "This is a wonderful recovery. The burden is lifted. Thanks to Bodhisattva and thanks to you too. " Relieved, I bowed to the Bodhisattva and turned to leave. "Sir," said one woman standing nearby, "can you help me with a Fu for my young son? He has been ill for a long time. He has been taking medicine which has helped, but the illness comes back again and again. Also, my mother has been coughing for a long time. Can you help?" "I ask you sir, please give me a Fu also," said another woman. The women had drawn close around me now, each asking for help. I knelt in front of the figure of Ma-tsu. She appeared before me, though not as clearly as before. "Lian Shen, now it's time for you to get busy. Go ahead. I will help you," she said. I began to write the Fus for each one. Later, I learned that the Fus were very effective. I was at the temple for a third evening and many more people were there. The word had spread that a young man with divine power had arrived. The whole town had heard that the Fu could cure everything. I continued to write them for people and until midnight, every night I did divine readings to answer questions for people. They offered money to me and taxi rides, but I refused. This was the work of God and not my work. "Sir, if you don't accept my money, you do not honour me," one lady said. I'm sorry. I really do this for the Goddess Ma-tsu. It is to her credit, not mine. That is why I cannot accept your offer." While I was there, I got to know the two entities who guard Ma-tsu, Thousand Mile Eye and Thousand Mile Ear. The names were conferred upon them because of their divine abilities to see and to hear. I had seen dozens and dozens of people during those days in Liu-chia. When it was time for me to leave, hundreds of people were at the train station to see me off. The most wonderful experience I had, however, was the unforgettable smile of the goddess, Ma-tsu.
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