■Book 148─Power of Mantra
■Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
■Chapter Four
Having said this, I want to stress that to help save the world, you need to gain the ability, or attainment, for the task. At least I am surrounded with guardian deities, Skanda, dharma protectors, wrathful protectors, Yamantaka, many virtuous gods and heavenly nagas.
When I give an order, they will carry it out. We must have the ability to remove the sufferings of people so that we can lead them through the door of Buddhism. These are realistic issues and if you cannot help solve these matters, people are not going to have faith in you.
What I mean is that many embrace Buddhism because the Dharma answers their wishes.
Take the example of Jiang Wei. He requested a new tooth. If he had no new tooth, he would not listen to you at all. If he had a new tooth, he would embrace Buddhism. That's how things are when you want to lead people to the Buddhist teachings.
Thus:
Few walk the path to the Western Paradise
Just one recitation of Amitabha's name denotes the highest teaching
To lead people to Buddhism, you need spiritual responses
If one receives a response, one is most willing to cultivate
That was why I was so eager to help Jiang Wei, but I realized I was unable to help him; I simply did not know how.
Despite the fact that I know the ways of heaven and earth, I blamed myself for not being able to help him grow a new tooth. There are so many deities and bodhisattvas and yet none of them could help out. How were they supposed to save the world?
Could the Buddhadharma open Jiang Wei's mouth and implant a new tooth into his gums so that it may grow? Or would a buddha simply utter a magic word and out comes a new tooth? If there were no supernatural power, then how would one convince anyone of anything?
I was really depressed. The next time I met with Jiang Wei, I told him, “I doubt you can grow a new tooth.”
“What? But they say you can solve everything!”
“It's just impossible,” I was blushing.
“So much for supernatural power!” He was blaming me.
“Okay!” I said to him, “I'll teach you a mantra. It's a very good mantra. All you need to do is to chant it one hundred thousand times and your wish will be fulfilled. If you chant it three hundred fifty thousand times, you will attain siddhi and leave behind all illnesses and disasters. If you chant more, all demonic hindrances will be eradicated. If you complete chanting it eight million times, you will be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.”
Jiang Wei was moved.
“Okay. I only want my wish fulfilled.”
So I taught him the mantra:
OM GURU LIAN SHENG SIDDHI HUM.
“What kind of mantra is this?”
“It's the Heart Mantra of Padmakumara, also known as the Teeth Growing Mantra,” I said.
“Padmakumara or no Padmakumara, I am not interested. What counts is that I get a new tooth.”
So Jiang Wei began chanting the mantra and he was absolutely devoted. He would bathe and cleanse himself, light incense, sit properly with his palms together, clear his thoughts and visualize a buddha appearing in the sky above him. The buddha would radiate light on Jiang Wei and he would visualize a new tooth growing in his mouth.
He would then chant:
OM GURU LIAN SHENG SIDDHI HUM.
After chanting one hundred thousand times, he dreamed of a bodhisattva descending from heaven. The bodhisattva asked him some interesting questions.
-To Be Continued-
