Every piece of Master's Celestial Jewelry is designed as a symbol of the many landmarks on the way to heaven. Of all these symbols, brother Chen liked the lightning most. He savored the exquisite nature of the celestial designs after several months of spiritual retreat and believes only through diligent meditation will we better appreciate the efforts and thoughts devoted to, as well as the subtle implications of, Master's Celestial Jewelry.

What follows is brother Chen's understanding of Master's "Future Buddha" design after his retreat. Master uses the symbol of lightning in Her design called "Future Buddha". As a physical phenomenon lightening is created by the collision of positive and negative electrical charges. In terms of spiritual practice, Buddhahood is attained through the balance of Yin and Yang forces. If we look upon everything through enlightened eyes, we can transform negative qualities into positive power. This is what Master means when She says, "Greed, anger and infatuation are Bodhi." Master selected gold and sapphires to create "Future Buddha". Gold stands for perfect spiritual vibrations, while sapphires represent assiduous spiritual practice that can turn flaws into perfection, negative qualities into positive power and ultimately into Truth, virtue and beauty.

Why did Master name this piece of jewelry, "Future Buddha"? Well the Surangama Sutra reads, "Tathagata (a Buddha) travels downward against the stream. Bodhisattvas follow the stream upward and when they meet the Buddha on the rim of complete enlightenment, they are called equivalent-enlightenment Buddhas." In the Amitabha Sutra, it is stated, "Sariputra, those who are re-born in the Western Paradise are all avinivartaniya (never-returners). Many of them will become Buddhas in their present lifetime. They are innumerable in number..." This "one-lifetime Buddhahood" is very similar to what is meant by "equivalent-enlightenment Buddhas," which means that it takes them just one lifetime to attain Buddhahood. They are what we refer to as "Future Buddhas".

For example, Maitreya Bodhisattva became a candidate for Buddhahood after Shakyamuni Buddha. Also, in the Western Paradise, those who have achieved the level of triple non-regression will be put on the "waiting list" for Buddhahood. Therefore, everyone who practices the Quan Yin Method sincerely and diligently is already a future Buddha.

The hollow part in the center of this celestial piece of jewelry is symbolic of the wisdom eye. Some day, when our wisdom eyes open and see the inner Light radiating in all directions like the lightning in the design, we will become a "future Buddha".

A Buddha is complete, well-rounded and unhampered. But because it is a "future Buddha" that Master has in mind, She adopts the shape of a polygon to represent the six imperfections (five senses and the mind), which are yet to be refined through spiritual practice.

Master's "Future Buddha" not only points to one-life liberation by practicing the Quan Yin Method, but it also means one-life attainment of Buddhahood through this method. We can be very confident of this as long as we follow Her teachings and live up to the six perfect virtues.

In the scripture "On Detachment from Outer Appearance" by Bodhidharma, it is stated, "The Buddha conveys His teachings with infinite convenience and signifies the intangible through the tangible, as sentient beings, dull in aptitude, might not understand the inner significance of the teachings. If they do not pursue spiritual practice but instead turn outward for blessed rewards, nowhere can they possibly get what they are after."

Master's Celestial Jewelry may seem like mere gracious ornaments to the mundane eyes, but they actually hint at secret signs of the heavenly abode, with which Master reveals the "intangible through the tangible". For this reason, be sure to seek first the inner Kingdom of God, then when you observe the Celestial Jewelry you will surely feel Master's infinite grand love within yourself.