Chapter 23 - The Initiation Of A Student Of Master Kung

I have a student whose refuge name is Lian-ch'ien. He is an old Tantric practitioner. At the time of this writing, he was preaching in Southeast Asia. Lian-ch'ien is a student of the Kagyupas and Nyingmapas lineage. In 1947, he took refuge in Tulku Kung-ke (1893-1957) at the Nora Pagoda Temple at Lake Hsuan Wu in Nanking.

Tulku Kung-ke, when he was alive, had been honored with the title "The Guidance Counselor, the Broad Enlightenment Zen Master." He passed away on January 29th, 1957. Before 1949 the Chinese Government honored Master Kung with the following designation:

Tulku Kungke , a constant exponent of Buddhist teachings, who perpetuates the Sect's practices, and transcribes and propagates Buddhist literature that attract multitudes of believers. In 1937, when the Sino-Japanese War began, Tulku Kung-ke traveled to Kiangsi and Szuchuan Provine to organize group practices to pray sincerely for the peace of the country. This is worthy of praise. Thus the honor of the title "The Guidance Counselor, the Broad Enlightenment Zen Master" for his distinguished excellence.

Lian-ch'ien studied with Master Kung for five years concentrating on the practice of the Blackrobe Vajra Yoga, the Paramasukha-Chakrasamvara Yoga, the Amitabha Yoga, as well as the Great Fire Offering Lian ch'ien also took refuge in Master Hua-tzang for a period of time. Around 1961, after the empowerment of master Hua-tzang, Lian-ch'ien became an acharya. Since then, he has been preaching everywhere. According to my knowledge, Lian-ch'ien first took refuge in Master Kung of the Kagyu lineage, then Master Hua-tzang of the Nyingma lineage and, finally, he took refuge in the True Buddha School, thus obtaining the True Buddha lineage.

Already being an acharya under Master Hua-tzang,he will naturally be, in the future, an acharya of the True Buddha School.

Here is how Lian-ch'ien came to take refuge in me:

While he was in Southeast Asia preaching the Dharma, he heard of Master Sheng-yen Lu. When he saw the Dharma picture of Master Lu wearing the Five Buddha crown, he said, "That's really sickening." When he gave teachings, he would cross his legs and close his eyes and say, "Anyone here who is a student of the so called True Buddha School or the so called Master Sheng-yen Lu, please get out of here. I don't teach the Evil and the unorthodox."

He asked one of the students, "What kind of lineage is Sheng-yen Lu? How dare he make himself the founder a sect? When I learned Tantra, he was still a baby! There are so many great sages around, yet no one would dare presume to create a sect. He is just too arrogant and wild."

One time, Lian-ch'ien accepted a student who could be said to have an impeccable moral character, as well as a high level of scholastic achievement in both worldly and Buddhist knowledge. This student told the old practitioner how he had become a Buddhist and also demonstrated to him his Tantric practices. The old man was greatly astonished.

He asked, "Whom did you take refuge in? From whom did you learn this?"

"Master Sheng-yen Lu. I learned from him."

The old man did not make a sound; he was completely silent. Finally, he said, "This is simply incredible.Why did you take refuge in Sheng-yen Lu?" "Because I think his school emphasizes the actual practice of Tantra. The students commit themselves totally to actual practice. Many people have achievements because Master Lu is patient in his teachings. The way I see it, this school is going to continue to flourish in the future. The supernatural power displayed by the Master is an effective way to get the public to learn the teachings. Right from the beginning, when he was learning the Tantra, Master Lu had been considerably slandered by many and had suffered much hardship and affliction. But, the Master has remained unruffled. When I first practice the Guru Yoga, I immediately received responses. Many people know that Master can subjugate evils, has the divine power to cure illnesses and is efficacious in his divinations. The mystical experiences are just too many to enumerate."

"Is everything that he wrote true?" asked Lian ch'ien. "Among my friends, some have actually been cured, or rescued. This is true. Word spread from one to thousands, so the number of initiated became many. A friend of mine went into a coma for many days, because of bleeding in his brain. The doctors had given up on hiim. His family begged Master Lu. My friend actually woke up and began getting better and better each day. It was indeed miraculous."

"Could that be a coincidence?"

"No, it was not a coincidence because it was not the only incident. Mr. Ch'in-ching Lin who had remained in a psychiatric hospital for five years got well three days after he had taken three charms empowered by the Master."

"Are the contents of Sheng-yen Lu's books true accounts?"

"Would a swindler work so hard, writing fifty seven books, to cheat people? Someone said, even if he were a swindler, his spirit and hard work in writing and studying the Buddha Dharma command our respect. It's still worthwhile to take refuge in him. We would have no regrets -even if he were a swindler."

"Oh, well... well...," Lian-chi'ien continued.

"Could he be then the demon in disguise?"

"Demon? Demons are destructive. Are there demons who specialize in helping people? If he is a demon who delivers people, then he is equal to a Buddha who is compassionate to mankind."

On the night of March with, 1984, Lian-ch'ien, the old master, was in Thailand. He had a car accident on the road to Pattaya. The other car involved in the head-on collision was a U.S. military truck, driven by a sergeant who had a bar girl with him. The elderly master whose head crashed into the windshield, lapsed into unconsciousness. He was taken to the Universal Compassion Hospital.

He could not move at all. While he was unconscious, he saw a Light by the head of his bed and in the center of the Light was someone who looked kind and magnificent.

It was Master Sheng-yen Lu. " Master , is there hope?" Lian-ch'ien asked.

"Don't worry, you'll be saved," the Master said, smiling . Master Lu pressed both his hands on Lian-ch'ien's head and blessed him.

At that moment Lian-ch'ien asked, "I used to condemn you, Master,don't you mind?"

Master smiled and said, "Because you have condemned me, I have come to save you."

"I vow to the Master, if I recover I will become a student of the True Buddha School. I'll not change my mind. I beg Master to empower me."

The third morning, which was the morning of March 20th, Lian-ch'ien woke up. He found he could get up and walk with ease. He remembered very clearly that it was Master Sheng-yen Lu who had saved him. He felt calm, knowing that it was impossible to express in words his admiration for Master Lu, who deserved worship and praise.

Many other Dharma teachers did not understand why this old master had come to take refuge in the True Buddha School. But Lian-ch'ien said, "This is karma. I have condemned the Master, now I take refuge in him. This is quite unusual but it is true. It has turned me around; it is incredible."

Because of his taking refuge in the True Buddha School, Lian-ch'ien has been condemned by many of his Buddhist fellows, but he feels calm and at ease with himself.

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