At that time, a 60-year-old initiate-to-be sitting across from the child started to cry also. Everyone was surprised and puzzled by this sudden occurrence and asked him why he was crying so sadly. He answered while still crying, When I saw the child cry, I suddenly saw our previous lives. We were brother practitioners six thousand years ago, studying under Master Kuang-Chen-Tse on Kong-Tong Mountain. The little brother practitioner was very lazy, not very serious in his practice. He often fell asleep during meditation. Therefore, he has come back in this life to continue his spiritual practice. When I saw this, I couldn't help but cry loudly and uncontrollably out of sadness.
This elderly initiate-to-be, Liu, well-known in the world of Chi-kung. He has attained many special abilities, such as healing, exorcism, determining one's fortune, and predicting the future, etc. Even before he was born, a relative proficient in I-Ching had predicted that he would be guided by sages to follow the spiritual path. Brother Liu can not read much at all, but he is able to understand extremely difficult and ancient books like the I-Ching without an instructor. During the past several decades, he has continued to read literature concerning spiritual practice and to look for a worthwhile teacher to learn from.
When Chi-kung became popular in mainland China, practitioner Liu also practiced various types of Chi-kung. Although he has attained many special abilities, he was still not satisfied. One day, his son told him that there was a very peculiar tree growing next to a thousand-year-old grave and many people had gotten wonderful results by practicing there. He immediately went to that place. During his first visit, while he was meditating, a monk in a yellow robe with white light on his head taught him how to practice and opened his third eye for him. Brother Liu was overjoyed, thinking he had found the real teacher. Until one day, while he was practicing under the tree, a Taoist dressed in black came from the southeast direction, riding a beast with a single horn, and yelled out loudly, Why did you teach him Kung-fu? The monk in the yellow robe fled quickly.
Brother Liu realized that he had been cheated once again. This black-robed Taoist riding a one-horned beast was brother Liu's spiritual teacher six thousand years ago, Kuang-Chen-Tse. Since then, he has come from the southeast to teach brother Liu everyday.
One day, brother Liu saw three suns during meditation. Two of them gradually set and eventually disappeared. The remaining one rose from the southeast and got closer and closer. A mirror suddenly appeared in the sun, and a shape of a person gradually appeared within the mirror. As it became clearer, he saw someone dressed like an emperor sitting on a dragon chair. At that time, he didn't know who it was.
On one occasion, brother Liu received Master's sample booklet and video tapes. That night, he dreamed someone put circles of light on his chest. He felt very relaxed and comfortable. His ailing heart problem was completely cured without treatment.
What puzzled brother Liu most was when fellow initiates came to visit him. Brother Liu used to believe that his magic power was very great, and he had the ability to know in advance if someone was coming to visit him. He was very confident that no matter how high-level that visitor might be, he always could know ahead of time of the guest's coming. Except this time, not only could he not predict this event, but our fellow initiate knew that he was desperately searching for an enlightened master.
Coincidentally, one of the pictures on the cover of one of the Supreme Master Ching Hai News magazines, given to him by our fellow initiate, was Master dressed in imperial attire. He immediately recognized that Master was the person who had appeared in the sun.
Since then, he had been filled with dharma joy, anticipating the coming of initiation. He was overjoyed when the fellow initiate informed him that in three days he would be initiated. However, something terrifying happened as soon as the initiate left. His family members saw his face, mouth and eyes all become crooked. The right side of his body became numb and his left side was heavy and sluggish. Somehow, he managed to raise his left hand and point to his meditation room where he kept Master's sample booklet. By then, his family was scared and confused. Fortunately, his wife understood what he wanted and brought Master's sample booklet to him. He was, then, able to recite Supreme Master Ching Hai . As soon as he recited Master's name, his crooked eyes and mouth returned to normal and his paralyzed body became nimble again.
All this was the result of playing with magical powers. Brother Liu once learned some kind of magic and borrowed the astral body of an astral being, which now was trying to obstruct him from practicing the supreme Quan Yin Method to be liberated. If he followed Master's path, then he would never have to be in the cycle of transmigration again. The astral being didn't want him to get initiated. It would not let him go, and tried to bind him.
After brother Liu got initiated, just as he had desired, the astral being still continued to try to obstruct his spiritual practice. It even tried kill him. Fortunately, Master taught us how to protect ourselves. As soon as he recited the Holy Names, the astral being fled, after promising not to bother him again. Without the protection of an enlightened Master, even if one struggled with all one's might, one still could not get rid of the annoyance of astral beings. Brother Liu is very thankful to have the great fortune to follow Master on the spiritual path.
After initiation, once during meditation, brother Liu saw his past relationships with Master. In his numerous transmigrations, three times, Master tried to liberate him, but each time he was in love with magical powers and didn't follow Master's footsteps. If he missed this opportunity again, he would have to wait many millennia. Now, he has gotten tired of the endless transmigrations and has realized that magical powers are not the greatest; they are only illusionary. The Quan Yin Method is the truly supreme, perfect and flawless method.
Another incident also made brother Liu extremely respectful of the inconceivable powers of Master. His wife normally stayed home to do house chores. Her ability to express herself was very limited as most village women. She couldn't recognize the different kinds of food stamps. She couldn't even tell the value on the face of paper money. Naturally, she didn't know how to use it. She didn't speak but a few words in an entire year. Whenever there were visitors, she would hide herself. Brother Liu had thought her level must be very low. Unexpectedly, after initiation, she became more open and her language ability improved greatly.
One day, brother Liu was playing Master's cassette tapes, and at the same time, closed his eyes to get a vision with his wisdom eye. He played each tape only three to four minutes then switched to another tape. However, when he was playing the third tape, his wife rushed in from the next room and said with annoyance, What are you doing? Why do you keep changing tapes?
What happened was that she was meditating in the next room. Each time brother Liu played a tape, she would get a different vision. Sometimes, she saw Master in a very beautiful place surrounded by numerous monks in yellow robes. They were paying full attention to Master's lecture. Another time, she saw beings dressed in white with luminous bodies. They were listening to Master's lectures with great respect. Each time, when she was enjoying the state of being one with heaven, she heard a ka-tsa and the tape was changed and her vision was interrupted. When this happened for the third time, she couldn't stand it anymore, so she came out to scold him.
Brother Liu was shocked when he heard this. His wife just got initiated a few months ago, how could she have abilities similar to his, one who has had so many years of practice. He was overwhelmed. He couldn't but surrender under Master's great powers.
That night, he was taken to an even higher level. He couldn't remember the details, but clearly knew that someone told him, What you can still see is not yet the highest Truth.
Through this experience, brother Liu has realized two things. First, when Master gives a lecture, it's not just for the Earthly people to hear. In the universe, there are different levels of universes and beings listening at the same time. Second, this proves what Master has said, Whatever state you can still see, you are only half-way there. In truly high levels, there are no shapes or forms.
Now, he understands that Master was teaching him not get attached to or long for inner experiences. Otherwise, he would remain in the same level and not be able to progress beyond it; as it becomes an obstacle. He is very grateful to Master for Her timely reminder. He will no longer be attached to experiences in the future.
