Chapter 1 - My First Travel Through The Illusory Realm Of The Great Void

In April, 1975, I published my first spiritual book entitled Experiences in Spiritual Reading. One of the chapters in that book is called "Traveling through the Illusory Realms of the Great Void."

This was my first experience in traveling through the Illusory Realm of the Great Void. I was only twenty five years old, more than ten years ago now. To quote from the text of that experience:

"So much had happened that day that I went to bed thinking about it all. I couldn't fall asleep right away. Suddenly, I smelled the fragrance of sandalwood. I closed my eyes. In a trance, I saw a circle of light as bright as a mirror, surrounded by a shimmering golden aura. At that moment, my body seemed to float in the air and through the circle of light. I could only hear the wind blowing and it began to feel as if I had flown a very long distance. Suddenly I realized I was in a different dimension. Indeed, I had entered a world of a different dimension. Somehow it was clear to me, that this was the Illusory Realm of the Great Void¹, and that I was touring the Illusory Realm under the guidance of a certain force. I met many Bodhisattvas whom I could not recognize. They bowed in salutation. I saw lotus flowers as large as car wheels, in many colors, and on every lotus flower stood a child. Each child held in its hand a lotus of a different color. Ladders, surrounded by gods clad in gold armor, came down from the space above. A beautiful mist floated up from the ground. I saw elaborately carved abodes adorned with gold, silver and crystal-their resplendent lights cascading all over the ground. I saw two pillars that stretched up to the clouds. A voice spoke in my ear saying that one pillar represented K'unlun Mountain and the other represented the Sumeru²."

As I stated previously this is part of the chapter "Traveling through the Illusory Realm of the Great Void," from my book Experiences in Spiritual Reading. It was written more then ten years ago, about an experience that occurred when I was twenty-five years old. At that time, I was a young man. Now, I am middle-aged. The reason I again bring up this occurrence is to offer it as evidence. The following sentences are the account of Padmakumara.

"I saw lotus flowers as large as car wheels, in many colors, and on every lotus flower stood a child. Each child held in its hand a different colored lotus." In that chapter, I have disclosed my previous life. Was traveling through the Illusory Realm of the Great Void real? At the time I told only two people what had happened. They were my parents. I remember my father said, "Born from a lotus, born from a lotus, isn't it the Third Prince Nata?³" My father had read stories about Chinese gods and thought that a child born from a lotus must be the Third Prince Nata.

In the intervening ten years I have changed from a young man to a middle-aged man, and I have cultivated to the stage of the Holy Red Crown Vajra Master, Lian shen the Tantric Practitioner. Still, these events seem as if they just happened yesterday. Some people think that Sheng-yen Lu is someone who only talks about ghosts and deities, thus his words are not true. But I say, "My vow is to liberate sentient beings even if I will be smashed⁴ into pieces! My traveling through the Illusory Realm of the Great Void, my awareness of my previous lives and of the incarnation of Padmakumara (because of his vow) are all true."

If someone were to threaten my life with a gun or a knife, to force me to say that those events are false, I would choose death rather than lie. This is because what I saw was real, clear, vivid and comprehensible. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are my witnesses!

I want to tell the reader that I and my holy title are, indeed, genuine and unique:

The Western Lotus Ponds Assembly⁵, the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds, the Eighteen Maha Padmaku maras, the Holy Revered One Robed in White, the Holy Red Crown Vajra Master, the Secret Ruler of the Realm of Mantra, the Great Enlightened Founder of Ling Shen True Buddha School, the Illustrious Tantrika Sheng-yen Lu.

My Dharma Body (Self Nature Body), permanent and indestructible, is in the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds.My Bliss Body, which has already attained inner Dharma happiness, fills the whole universe and is able to respond to needs.

My Transformation Body is an emanation of Padmakumara who, according to the needs of the sentient beings, appears in the world to liberate all beings.

Why do people still disbelieve? The True Buddha School is such a great Dharma cause, with so many genuine cases of mystical experiences. Why do people still refuse to believe? The Buddha Dharma is boundless and is for helping all humanity, but only belief can lead people to it. Those who take refuge in Holy Red Crown Vajra Master are those who believe in the existence of the Padmakumara. Their Tantric cultivation will not fail and, in having the right belief, they also obtain mystical experiences. The opening of this Dharma gate leads to the unexcelled Truth of the great Buddhist path. Let us all chant together, "Om ah hum, guru bei, ah ho sa sa maha, Lian-shen siddhi hum."

Perhaps some people might wonder which Bodhisattva is Padmakumara. In fact, Padmakumara is a transformation of "the Pure Eye Tathagata." The samadhi of this Buddha is based on the Universal Eye of Great Compassion, observing and responding to all sentient beings, guiding them to become Buddhas themselves. The light of his compassionate eye shines everywhere. Its Tantric title is Buddha Victory Vajra. In Tantric Buddhism, it is "The All Buddha Eye of the Great Vajra that constitutes the Auspicious Mother of all Buddhas," that is, the Venerable Buddha Locana. Her merits are truly great. It is the "Great Diamond of the Auspicious Mother of all Buddhas," which is "Buddhaeye Sage." Her merits, too, are truly great⁶.

The Venerable Buddha Locana is transformed into the Eighteen Padmakumaras, and the transformation bodies of the Eighteen Padmakumaras have appeared in the world to help sentient beings-this is the remarkable Dharma Cause. The great salvation Dharma being proclaimed by Vajra Master Sheng-yen Lu is more than an ordinary act of faith, it requires Guru-devotion, Treasuring the Dharma, and Actual Practice. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a true, universal salvation.

The Universal Eye of Great Compassion is like a great sun radiating light and energy. The great power of Padmakumara is unimaginable, and similar to that of every Bodhisattva. He brings peace and comfort to the bodies and minds of all beings.

In order to assist and prove the existence of Amitabha of the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss, Padmakumara has incarnated in the human realm to spread these teachings. He has all the wisdom of the Tathagata to cleanse negative karmas and end worries. It is a powerful wisdom that will accomplish great things.

Padmakumara holds a preaching mudra in his right hand, which is to teach and save all beings. His left hand holds a lotus mudra which is the attainment of Buddha Locana is Sanskrit for Buddha Eye, and she is an expression of the Great Sun Buddha-Vairocana. It is through the eyes that pure awareness in the heart is expressed and perceived as radiance or streams of light. the fruit of Padmakumara. The great Dharma cause of Padmakumara to save all sentient beings is pouring the great Dharma rain, blowing the great Dharma conch, beating the great Dharma drum, and displaying the great Dharma meanings. Padmakumara is the Lotus Child and also the venerable Buddha Locana, who is also the Worthy of Worship, the Omniscient, the Knowledge-Conduct Perfect, the Well-Gone, the Knower of the Worlds, the Peerless One, the Master of Taming, the Teacher of devas and men, and Buddha.

The Buddha power of Padmakumara fills boundless and immeasurable time and space. Padmakumara has emitted his Light to prompt all beings to take refuge and be saved; therefore, I, Master Sheng-yen Lu, will write spiritual books-one after another.

Here is a verse:

Traveling leisurely through the Great Void,
The Buddha eyes of Padmakumara
See the destiny of this remarkable Dharma cause,
To save heavenly and worldly beings and those
in the Nether worlds.
This is the great salvation of both heaven and earth.

 

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