Master's Wonders



Master Manifests
to Greet a Prodigal Son


By a fellow-initiate from Mainland China (Originally in Chinese)

 

Before following Master in spiritual practice, I was a vicious criminal wanted by the police in three Chinese provinces. Then in 1989, I had a son, and one month after his birth my conscience told me that I had committed too many evil deeds. So I switched to a strict vegetarian diet, but continued committing crimes. "Look at you! You haven’t been doing any fewer bad deeds,” my gangster colleagues told me. “Why bother to be so pretentious as to observe a vegetarian diet? You might as well drop it!" But my response was always the same: "When I reach thirty, I won't hang around with you guys anymore. I’ll look for a master and a place to practice spiritually." In the years that followed, many members of my gang fled the country, died or were sent to jail, and the rest of them continued to commit bad acts. Then one day in December 1995 I was arrested when I returned home, but thanks to God's grace I was released on bail after a few days in detention.

Then one day, I went to get a haircut, and the barber told me that she was reading a book, The Key of Immediate Enlightenment Volume Three, a compilation of lectures by a Master in Formosa. When I learned it was a book that guides us to enlightenment and to finding our original nature, I wanted very much to borrow it. After I pleaded with her repeatedly, the barber relented and lent me the book for the night, but said I had to return it the following day. When I got home and opened the volume, I was immediately mesmerized by Master's logical yet easily understood ideas, did not even touch my dinner, and just concentrated on reading the book throughout the night. I was certain that this was the Master I had been seeking, and believed I would follow Her in spiritual cultivation for the rest of my life. Next I immediately wrote to the headquarters in Formosa, inquiring about how I could receive initiation by Master.

Later, I borrowed some of Master's publications from another sister-initiate. During that period, I was a thirsty, hungry soul craving for Master’s spiritual nourishment. As time passed, more than ten people from my area began to await initiation, and due to an apparent shortage of Master's publications I volunteered to travel beyond the area to bring back Her books and magazines.

On April 28, 1996, I received a reply from the headquarters in Hsihu telling me to pray in silence and wait with peace of mind; a Quan Yin messenger would come to me. So I immediately rushed to the home of the sister from whom I had obtained Master’s books to express my joy. She was very happy for me, and shared with me the precious blessed gifts of popped rice and crystal sugar that she had received at the time of her initiation, giving me special instructions to take only one piece of rice and one piece of sugar at a time. I immediately ate one piece of the sugar and one piece of rice and then went home, looking at my watch habitually as I traveled. The time was 5:50 PM. On the way, I could not resist the temptation of eating the rest of the blessed gifts, and voraciously poured all the crystal sugar and popped rice into my mouth. Then something incredible happened! I felt as light as feather and free from the pull of gravity as I looked up at the sky and saw the enchanting, beautiful red sun setting in the west. Next all the noise of the outside world suddenly vanished and the only sound I could hear was a loud "Om." I seemed to have entered a void dimension and become completely unaware of my surroundings. Later, I regained awareness, and thought that only a fraction of a second had passed. But when I looked at my watch it was almost 7:00 PM. I had walked for more than an hour and still not reached home, which was only about 500 meters from my initiate friend’s house. Through this fantastic experience I truly felt the incredible power of the blessed food.

 

Beholding Master’s manifestation form

Two months later, two sisters came to my house to interview would-be initiates to determine whether we met the requirements for initiation. I then went out to buy some vegetables and fruit for my guests, and to notify two local would-be initiates who did not have a phone, one of whom was the barber who had loaned me Master’s book. It was raining but the weather remained hot. I took a taxi to the barbershop and the driver drove very slowly because of the rain. As we were crossing a small bridge, I saw a lady standing near it wearing a light-blue velvet pants suit that looked like an ancient costume. She was also wearing a small hat of the same color and fabric inlaid with a silver gemstone. The way she was dressed was peculiar considering the weather. Even stranger was the fact that she was holding an umbrella with a gold handle, and the cloth was dotted with white orchid patterns. Moreover, it was raining but she kept the umbrella rolled up and simply used it as a walking stick.

Both the taxi driver and I were extremely curious about the lady, but gave her no more thought as we moved on. Since I was in a hurry, I told the driver to wait for me while I ran in to inform the barber and the other would-be initiate about the meeting with the initiate sisters. I also went to buy some fruit and vegetables. It took me about half an hour to accomplish these tasks and it was still raining. On the way home, we again crossed the bridge and saw the lady standing there, holding the umbrella in her right hand, but she was dry despite the rain. "Why doesn't she open her umbrella?" the driver asked. Just as he said this, the taxi moved to a spot where I was face to face with her. Then suddenly an idea flashed across my mind: "Oh! Isn't She Master?" But as soon as the thought occurred, Master's manifestation form disappeared! There was clear visibility for 500 meters, yet in an instant Master's manifestation body had vanished without a trace! No ordinary human could possibly have done that! At that moment, I began to cry and thought, “Master, if in this lifetime You can stand in the rain waiting for such a long time just to bring Your slow-witted child Home quickly, then how much more love and patience You must have given to Your lost children in so many lifetimes in the past!

Two months later, on August 22, 1996 when I was 30, my wish was fulfilled and I was initiated. There is no way I can repay Master for Her divine love. I can only spend this last lifetime closely following my most beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai.