Tragedy At Lan Kwai Fong / Wine And Supper
■Book 111 - Roving Over The World
■Written by GrandMaster Sheng-yen Lu
This was how a tragedy happened at Lan Kwai Fong:
It was on a day when many people assembled at Lan Kwai Fong. After a commotion, the crowd pushing one another, as a result there was a stampede and many people died for no reason.
When the tragedy striked, I was in Malaysia. I visited the tragic site when I was Hong Kong.
I will not be emotionally moved no matter how great the tragedy was. Giving me list of victims, many compassionate disciples of mine requested me to conduct a Bardo deliverance ritual for the victims.
Many hotels line the commercial area of Lan Kwai Fong. It is a place where nightbirds like to hang around and enjoy their activities in the small squarish rooms.
Lan Kwai Fong is not a disgusting place. Hong Kong is noted for its population explosion. There are people everywhere, and a crowd can be formed easily, and develop into a commotion. Human beings is the main cause of the tragedy at Lan Kwai Fong. As there were too many people, nobody really knew what happened . When something happened, a wave of people fell down, before they can be on their feet, another wave of people fell on top of them. A lot of people died without knowing what happened.
Those who pushed others do not know why they pushed.
Those who stepped on others do not know why.
Those who were watching do not know what happened.
When the news were announced, nobody knows why such a thing can happen.
In short, many people died in the incident.
This tragedy reminds us :
\`The flow of human life is faster than the water flowing downstream. We are here today, and yet nobody can assure us that we will be around tomorrow.\`
\`Once the sun is set, a day passed by. Like a fish living in a drying place, how can we be happy ?\`
I remember half the verse uttered by the past Buddhas:
\`Everything in life is impermanent. It is temporary and can easily decay. We have to undergo transmigration after transmigration. Unless and until, there is no life and death, we can never enjoy eternal bliss.\`
When asked: \`What happened at Lan Kwai Fong?\`, my answer is \`Impermanance\`.
\`Happily the victims went out to enjoy and they never returned home, is this not impermanance?\`
\`Indeed it is!\`
\`How come?\`
\`The crowd is not discerning!\`
\`The world may be splendid, the life colourful, and the people rich and elegant. As a cultivator, we must always remember death is just like a huge animal hovering in the dark. It may strike and eat us up any moment!\`
\`What can we do?\`
\`We must prepare for the sudden arrival of death.\`
My disciple did not seem to comprehend what I just mentioned.
I reiterated: \`To an accomplished cultivator, there is no difference between life and death. You may understand me if you take sometime to think it over.\`
