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Chapter 16 - Deliverance
One evening, in July of 1972, I was sleeping. I awakened, hearing a noise near the corner of my ceiling. It sounded like a bug. I listened more carefully and heard some voices; some conversation. One said, "Whew, why don't we just stay here? Tomorrow we will have a big meal." Another said, "I wonder which master is in charge of the deliverance ceremony tomorrow at the Fa Hung Temple? If he is good he can get these handcuffs off me and free me from this bondage." I heard chains clanking and hitting against each other. "Hey," said another voice, "be quiet. Don't wake any people up!" The next morning I telephoned Fa Hung Temple. "Is there a deliverance ceremony today?" "Oh, yes, Do you want to register your ancestors' names? Hurry then because we need to write down the names for the ceremony." (A deliverance ceremony is to help the deceased enter into heaven.) That evening I went to the Temple. I saw the master sitting in the center, wearing the Five Buddha Crown. Beside him were nuns holding the ritual ceremonial implements. The chanting was loud. The master's fingers formed the deliverance mudra. My spirit master had shown me that mudra. I opened my psychic eye and became aware of spirit entities there. It was very crowded. Two ghosts had a big bamboo pole between them carrying away a heavy bag of rice. The scene was interesting because the actual rice bag remained where a worshipped had placed it, while the entities carried away the Ch'i (energy) of the rice. I realized then that when the entities talk of eating a big meal it is not the actual food that they eat, but rather the Ch'i (or energy) of the duck, pork, fish or beef. This was proof to me that what we eat as food is actually Ch'i. As I watched, a big black shadow came upon me and said, "Virtuous man, I beg you to open my handcuffs!" "Why don't you ask the master there? Why do you ask me?" "The master has already chanted the mantra. The work has been done. My handcuffs are still on! I asked the ghost king and he pointed to you as my helper." "Well then let me try." After the experiences I'd had, talking with this ghost was not surprising. Ghosts don't bother people much unless there's a reason. I silently chanted the Reborn to the Pure Land Chant three times. The handcuffs stayed on the ghost. He shook his head in anguish. I said silently in my heart, "Devotee and disciple Lian Shen, following the natural methods, commands the dieties . . ." My palms were closed. Suddenly my palms moved by themselves into a chopping stroke, a mudra. I heard a clanking sound. The handcuffs fell off! The ghost bowed to me several times then ran to the altar. Many ghosts with handcuffs followed him back to me. I continued to chant and to form the Madras. One by one the ghosts received blessings. They happily bowed to me and then left. As I continued, a crowd of people gathered to watch me, wandering what was going on. In the deliverance ceremony there are some masters who know what they are doing, but there are also many who just go through the ceremony. They cannot see the ghosts at all. They have no idea whether or not they are of help. I've seen a lot of ghosts. People ask what the ghosts look like. Like human beings, all ghosts are different. Some are friendly, some are fierce. When humans draw pictures of ghosts, they show blue faces, long teeth, long tongues, wild hair. In truth, ghosts are not much different than humans in form. They aren't really scary at all. It's easy to make friends with them. On my own altar I had at that lime about 20 forms of dieties. Once, while I was burning incense and worshiping at my altar, I saw a lotus flower descending from heaven. On it sat a Bodhisattva wearing the Five Buddha Golden Crown. His face was like the full moon loving and compassionate. His left hand held a stick. "Lian Shen," he said, "I am the god from hell. Why is it that since you have an altar, you don't hold a deliverance ceremony?" "How can I? People would laugh at me. That kind of ceremony is for monks to perform. I am just an initiate; a devotee. Perhaps I could invite a well-known master and I could assist." "Lian Shen, where do you think the Ten Dharma Realm is? Ten Dharma Realm is actually no Dharma Realm! All is empty and void. Therefore, how can you think that someone besides you should be in charge?" "But it is illegal to hold a deliverance ceremony in a private home! I'd have to register! " "Well, then do it." "Should I join the Buddhist's association or the Taoist's association?" "Is there any difference? Think about it and decide." The Bodhisattva smiled and disappeared. I joined the Chinese Taoist Association and the Chinese Buddhist Association.
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