Inspiration From Cundi（1）
■Book 111 - Roving Over The World
■Written by GrandMaster Sheng-yen Lu
The Kuan Yin Temple in Singapore is always packed with people, regardless of whether it is day or night. As many believers come here to pray, sometimes they can`t find a place to do your prayer. They burn joss-sticks and incense. Flowers and fruits are placed on the altar tables, amid the sounds made by fortune-telling sticks.
You can shop for everything you need at the bazaar outside the temple where children are chasing one another. The stalls there sell flowers, fruits, books, souvenirs. There are quite a number of fortune-telling stalls. Groups of Chinese, Malay and Indian throng the place. You may see Thedavada monk sitting solemnly solving people`s problem. He simply ignores the passing crowd.
It is very strange that a small Indian temple is erected next to the Kuan Yin temple. There is a world of difference between the two temples. As very few people patronize the Indian temple, I went in to take a look.
As most Indian temples are rich in nice carvings and enshrine many gods, I saw the images of Goddess Kali, Elephant God holding a naked girl, and the three major gods in Hinduism, namely the God of Wind, Water and Fire. I also saw Shiva and Isvara.
Hinduism idolizes natural phenomena and enshrine them as gods. Indian temples always reflect the mind of nature which is full of changing moods. Hinduism is colorful, mysterious and natural. To the Hindu, the distance between human beings and gods is very close.
Although Buddhism is different from Hinduism, some of the doctrines are the same. For instance, the doctrine of impermanence. It is clearly pointed out that life is impermanent, a surface phenomena. All Indians understand this and accept it as a fact.
The difference lies in Hinduism idolizing nature and believing in fatalism; whereas Buddhism advocates a perfect enlightenment. To the Buddhists, Isvara God still has many human traits.
The many strange images in the Indian temple really amazed me, my eyes were unable to absorb them in.
The main image enshrined in the Kuan Yin temple is Cundi, one of the eight root-deities of True Buddha School. Cundi means purification. The Bodhisattva is also known as Cundi the mother of all Buddhas, as she is the mother of all the Buddhas residing in the Lotus Division in the Mandala. She is also known as \`Mother of 70 billion Buddhas\`, \`Kuan Yin of Human, heaven and zealous disciples\`. Praying to Cundi is very effective, as she always comes to the Samsara world and eradicating the unwholesome karma of sentient beings. She is known to be capable of:
1. Prolonging human lives.
2. Eradicating misfortune.
3. Giving children to childless parents.
4. Improving loving kindness.
Cundi has two sacred titles i.e. Purified Vajra and the Most-Magnificent-Vajra.
When I bowed to Cundi the mother of all Buddhas in the temple, yellow white lights were radiated from my forehead, and eighteen Lotus Youths (Padmakumara) sat in a golden vessel ascending to the sky slowly.
I saw Cundi radiating lights and appear in the form of a being with three eyes and eighteen arms, sitting on a red lotus seat. The two dragon kings, NanTuo and Pa Nan Tuo were in attendance.
Cundi exclaimed : \`Padmakumara, you are born with good Buddha frame.\`
The two dragon kings presented two pearls to me. They said, \`You can use these pearls to command wind and rain. When these pearls radiate lights, all water gods will obey you. You will not be harmed by water nor suffer from any water-related diseases. I bowed and thanked all of them.
I asked a question, \`What is an unrelented mind ?\` She answered, \` Self-induced determination and unshakable beliefs.\`
\`Of these four capacities, namely Sheng Yan Liang (Holy words capacity), Shi Zhun Liang (Historical records capacity), Shi Jue Liang (Oral Tradition capacity), and Jue Shou Liang (enlightenment capacity), which is the most important?\`
\`The oral traditions taught by the root-guru is known as \`Shi Jue Liang\`, all other Liangs stemmed from this, so it is the most magnificent among the four.
\`From self comes all human beings, the three realms of existence. Self is omnipresent, without self there is no sentient beings. What is this \`self?\`
\`Buddha!\`
\`What are the benefits of cultivating Cundi, the Mother of all Buddhas as the root deity?\`
\`You will have the following benefits:
1. able to be stay in a unattached mind.
2. able to reach all stages of tranquillity.
3. able to accumulate merit.
4. able to eradicate the mistakes made.\`
\`How to see Cundi in person ?\`
\`You may see Cundi in Magnificent theory, Correct environment, the Other Shore (nirvana) and the Sea of Maha Brightness.\`
By means of spiritual communication, I was able to have a question and answer session with Cundi. The contents of our conversation is cryptic and educational. Please don`t doubt about the authenticity, just brood over her answers.
The radiation of lights and the pleasant conversation is just one of the episodes in my visit to temples and prostration to Buddhas.
\`Follow me, you will not go astray.\`
\`I am able to guide you to enlightenment!\`
\`If we have karmic relation, you will follow me, otherwise, you will leave me. It is the course of nature, so we should not blame each other.\`
How do you feel about my conversation with Cundi? Are you satisfied now?
