Dharma Teaching by Grand Master Sheng-yen Lu April 10, 1993, in Los Angeles
This Purification Ceremony has been collectively organized by the masters and practi- tioners of Rey Tseng Buddhist Association, and the Miu Yin Tang and Ming Chi Tang chap- ters. I hereby supplicate that the Light of Buddha prevail everywhere. May all endeavors be successful and may all enjoy good health. May all businesses prosper and may all attain perfection in their cultivation.
Business and Dharma
The purpose of my visit to Los Angeles this time is to transmit the secret of the Tantric practice of the Wealth Deity, as well as to give to the audience the empowerment of the Wealth Deities of the Five Directions Practice. Before I arrived, I learned that Los Angeles has many Buddhist activities. Many Dharma ceremonies, many lectures on expounding the Buddhist sutras, and a big ceremony of the Three Stages Precept Ordination, are being held in Los An- geles. Also, there are many masters who are giving a series of Dharma teachings. Today, seeing such a large audience, I do feel deeply grateful. [audience laughter, applause] Today's attendance is not bad. Why is that? While the number of True Buddha School students is booming in local chapters around the world, the chapters in Los Angeles are drooping. [au- dience laughter] For that reason, I certainly had to visit you. Los Angeles is supposed to be a mountain city, right? Isn't there a mountain somewhere around Los Angeles? Such a won- derful mountain city; such a wonderful geo- graphic environment; such a wonderful har- mony among the people! This is undoubtedly a great place for our True Buddha School and the True Buddha Tantric Dharma to flourish and thrive. Let's talk about Dharma later; business should be brought up first. [audience laugh- ter] These days, even monks have a hard time managing the business of a temple. In America and Canada, most people's living environment is not very satisfactory, so they gradually be- come less generous. [audience laughter] Due to a lack of sufficient donations, the temples in America and Canada are very likely to encoun- ter financial crises and collapse, as when the stock market crashes. Either situation-the stock market collapsing or a temple dissolving -would be very dangerous. Therefore, I have been thinking of chang- ing my Dharma title. Forget about the title "Living Buddha Lien-sheng." That title doesn't attract many people. How about Supreme Master of the Eastern Sea? [audience laugh- ter] If anyone asks where I come from, I should say that I am from Mount Rainier, which is a majestic, snowy mountain in Seattle. If any- one asks what kind of Dharma I transmit, I
will reply that I specialize in guiding students on the pathway to the Wealth Deities! By the way, if there are wooden boards, the next time we do the ceremonial entrance, please arrange that each master is seated on a wooden board and is carried into the hall! If this flamboyancy still cannot attract a larger audience and lead to better business, then I give up. I will quit! [audience laughter] If I quit teaching, I will sell the Rey Tseng Tem- ple. [audience laughter] Then I will not teach any Wealth Deities Practices. I am just joking, though, don't pay any attention. Dharma is Dharma; business is business. They don't in- terfere with each other. However, business still relates to Dharma and, in the same sense, Dharma relates to business, because they both mention "money." You don't believe it? The Kuan-yin Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra that you just recited mentions money. Did you not come across this sentence, "Aksayamati [Inexhaustible Mind Bodhisattva] again ad- dressed the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, saying 'Out of pity for us, accept this necklace! ' " Do you know how much the necklace was worth? "It costs hundreds and thousands of ounces of gold." My goodness! I really appreciated that when I read the sentence! If I had been present then, I would have convinced Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva to divide it into three shares. One would have been offered to Shakyamuni Bud- dha, another to Prabhutaratna Buddha, and the last share would go to me. [audience laughter, applause] Too bad, I missed my chance! If I had been there, I would have asked for my share from Shakyamuni Buddha. It was worth hundreds and thousands of ounces of gold! That is a lot! We could build not just one but several Hsi Lai Temples with that much money. Today, the reason that I am transmitting the practice of the Wealth Deities is to cheer up the students in Los Angeles. Don't look so down all the time. [audience laughter] What is wrong? All other chapters around the world are booming-only L.A. is
not. To be honest with you, I was even very worried while I was still in Seattle. What, if on the day of the ceremony, there was only one row of Masters on the stage looking out at only one row of students in the audience? If the propagation of the Dharma in L.A. continues to progress the way it is now, perhaps in the future only Lotus Hui Wen will be sitting there, in the center of all the seats, with abso- lutely no one around him! I considered bring- ing some money for my four-day stay in L.A.- just in case that I had to pay for my dinner. [audience laughter] Just kidding!
Offer As You Please
Most temples request a fixed donation for services. We are quite different. Our Rey Tseng Temple is very special-all offerings in exchange for services are voluntary. No mat- ter whether it be for taking refuge, registering for any ceremony, setting name plaques up for one's ancestors, or asking for any other serv- ices, one can pay whatever amount one likes. [audience applause] The new regulation at Rey Tseng Temple provides for free dinners before the group cultivation on Saturdays, and one still need not feel it is necessary to make a do- nation. [audience applause] Another difference with Rey Tseng Temple is that all the fees for the Repentance Ceremony are voluntary, and this includes the Water Repentance, Emperor Liang Repentance, Great Compassion Repent- ance and the Medicine Buddha Repentance. Even when we are requested to go to a par- ticular place to perform a chanting service, the fee is still voluntary. We are not running the temple as a busi- ness, so the fee is voluntary. However, some others do know how to run a temple as a busi- ness and are quite successful at it! [audience laughter] But, cheer up, today you all will learn the secret of the Jambhala Practice. If one un- derstands the secret of the practice, one will become rich. Even if one does not ask for money, it will be sent to one's door anyway. Even though, for me, everything is voluntary, if someone gives me a present, I will take it. And surely, later, I will happily accept the of- fering for the empowerment. [audience laugh- ter and applause] Recently the Zhen Gui chapter in Holland, requested that its four story building be trans- ferred to my name, becoming part of my as- sets. I was also offered the whole building be- longing to the Lian Yuen Chapter in Malaysia. They asked me to go there to sign the con- tract. If I signed it, the whole chapter and build- ing would become my personal property. Ah! I tell you all, I am not that stupid! [audience laughter] I am not going to accept these gifts. Why? Why not take such real estate gifts of great value, ones which are approximately ten times larger than the Rey Tseng Temple in Los Angeles? Why don't I accept them? Because I don't want to pay for the rent! They want me to pay for the rent! How many days in my whole life can I live in Holland's Zhen Gui Chapter, or in Malaysia's Lian Yuen Chapter? I will probably never use it! You don't think that I am that stupid, do you? [audience laugh- ter] If you want to use it, you'd better pay the rent yourself. Don't try to trap me! These days students are getting smarter, and I am getting more stupid. (laughter) It is hard to be a Grand Master these day. It's better to be smart. If I accepted every gift offered to me, I would be in trouble.
The Lineage of Tantra
I have been a student of Tantrayana, and now it is time for me to proclaim my four ma- jor lineages. First, my lineage in Nyingmapa is from Monk Liu Ming. Second, my lineage in Kagyu is from the Sixteenth Karmapa. Third, my lineage in Gelugpa is from Guru Tubten Taerchi. Fourth, my lineage in Sakyapa is from Skaya Cheng-kung. During my stay in Hong Kong, I visited my Master in Gelugpa. He said, "Surely, you received the Gelugpa lineage from me!. Why do the rumors say that the Grand Master does not have lineage from the Gelugpa and Tantrayana? What is going on? Guru Tubten Taerchi is still alive! How did people make up such a lie?" He bestowed upon me a sacred emblem- a Dharma Wheel made of diamonds, which is very expensive. My Master told me, "This diamond-made sacred emblem will prove your lineage from me. It is the one and only one on the face ofthe earth." I (Grand Master) didn't bring it with me this time because it is too heavy to carry around. [audi- ence applause] If there is a chance another time, I will show it to you. The sacred emblem really is made with diamonds. As soon as this beautiful Dharma Wheel came into sight, I asked my Master, "Are the diamonds genuine or fake? Is it made in America or Russia?"(audience laughter) My Master replied, "Everything I use is genuine, including the diamonds. This Dharma Wheel is made of diamonds and is the only one in this world; it proves the receipt of authentic line- age from me!" In the future, I will elaborate on my sacred emblems from the four Tantric sects in order to fortify students' faith, to re- assure you all about my authentic lineage in- heritance. I do have true lineage; I am not a charlatan who is out to cheat people.
How to Make Offerings
When we practice Buddhism, we have to learn to render offerings to the Buddhas. Of- ferings are included in our Four Preliminary Practices. As far as offerings are concerned, if the offering is presented to the Buddhas, one should offer whatever one likes oneself That would be the most appropriate choice. Some may ask, "What if the offering is cheap?" It is all right! As long as one likes the offering one- self, then the Buddhas will take their pleasure from the pleasure that sprouts in one's own heart. Buddhas don't have any particular likes or dislikes. |
| The Practice of the Five Jambhalas and The Practice of the Wealth Deities of the Five Directions
Translated by Alice Yang and Darrell McLaughlin from a Dharma Teaching by Grand Master Sheng-yen Lu April 10, 1993, in Los Angeles
Last night when I was giving a teaching at Rey Tseng Buddhist Association, I also mentioned that Buddhas, since they abide in the Ultimate Realization, don't have any particular likes or dislikes. So, one may offer whatever one likes to Buddhas. However, re- garding Devas, one should pay attention to the appropriateness of the offerings. Devas still possess personalities. They have not reached the level of equanimity, and so still have likes and dislikes. Since Devas have their preferences, only the proper offering will please them. One should avoid upsetting Devas by presenting offerings they don't like. Remember to bring appropriate offerings when you visit Devas. You all know what I like, right? You may offer me what I like. If your offering is what I don't like, I may not even bother to pay attention to you. [laughing] In Southeast Asia, there are people who keep the spirits of dead children to perform black magic. Have you heard about this? What do they offer to these child spirits? The child spirits like candies, cookies, and toys, such as bright marbles, poker cards, rubber bands and such things as they used to play with as kids. They enjoy these kinds of offerings quite a bit. It is not necessary to buy them electric toys! These children are dead many generations, so they like traditional toys. The spirits of chil- dren who died more recently are not used for black magic; only those from many generations ago are suitable. So, the child spirits who are used for black magic still like toys such as rub- ber bands, poker cards, bright marbles, etc.. Such offerings please them a great deal.
Wealth Deity Practice
Why are there Wealth Deity Practices in Tantra? By taking advantage of people's es- sential desires, Tantra provides the most expe- dient pathway to entice people to step through its door. The knowledge of Buddhism is very profound; most people are not capable of un- derstanding it when they first encounter it. When, however, like in today's talk, the subject is on how to make money, a crowd of people fills every seat. Before I came down here on this trip, some people called me in Seattle and asked, "Grand Master, you have lectured many times on Worldly Dharma, would you please trans- mit Other-Worldly Dharma instead? Why do you continue talking about the Wealth Deity practice?" Don't you realize that if the topic for today was Other-Worldly Dharma, there might only have been two people in the audi- ence? Who would these two people have been? "One person is dead, and the other has not been born yet!" [This is a very famous Chinese say- ing from Chinese Puppet Show, underlying meaning is that "there are no such people".] [laughter] In that case, to whom would I trans- mit the Other-Worldly Dharma? Therefore, I shall stick with the Wealth Deity Practice. See -everyone is really exhilarated and anxious to listen to today's teaching. There are five major Wealth Dieties[Jambhalas] in Tantra, who are different from the Wealth Deities of the Five Directions, that will also be transmit- ted today. When a Tibetan Tulku makes an appearance, people rush to see him. It seems that empowerments such as Yamantaka, Hevajura, and Guhyasamaja are rarely given, due to the complexity of the practice. However, people like Wealth Deities so, when a Tulku makes an appearance, it is very likely that he will transmit the Wealth Deity Practice, as it is the most popular Tantric practice. Why are there only five major Wealth Deities? One might say that the family of a Wealth Deity consists of a Son, Father, Mother, Grandmother, and Grandfather. So, it is totally five. Actually, they have different titles. The five most important Jambhalas [Tantric Wealth Deities] are the White Jambhala, Red Jambhala, Yellow Jambhala, Black Jambhala, and the Wealth Deva King. If, however, one intends to practice their yoga, one must know the secrets in order to obtain responses. Otherwise, no matter how hard one practices, one's efforts will be to no avail. I will give an example of my own, not one from my students. I used to live in an ille- gally constructed house. The best image to describe the condition of my house is that if it was pouring outside the house, it would be sprinkling inside the house. [laughing] My liv- ing room had multiple functions: kitchen, bath- room, living room, and bedroom. If I was tak- ing a shower, a sign would be posted on the door "in shower." [laughing] Those were my living conditions at that time. Now my living conditions have changed, and this is due to the blessings and responses from practicing the Jambhala Practice. Keep in mind: continuously practicing Jambhala Yoga will eventually en- able one to become a Deity (who can give out great blessing to others). What Jambhala Yoga have I practiced? I have practiced the White Jambhala Yoga. What is the secret of practicing the White Jambhala Yoga? I will reveal part of the secret today. If one desires to penetrate the entire depth of the secret, then one has to make a personal effort to beseech. But today I will clearly explain the Practice of the Wealth Deities of the Five Directions, and I will re- veal one of the many secrets to each of the Jambhala Yogas.
The Secret of the White Jambhala Yoga
The White Jambhala likes to take a shower, so the best offering for him is bathing water. What is bathing water? One may put some soap or soap powder into water to make bathing water. After the practice, one may dip one's fingers into the bathing water, sprinkle the water into the air, and visualize the water transforming into one hundred dollar bills, each with the picture of a white-haired old man on it. Don't visualize these as one dollar bills! That would take too long and not be very efficient at all. One may then sprinkle the bathing water to the east, west, north and south, as if it were raining. When the money is falling, one may wish to be crushed by the mountain of money. [audience laughter] If one can be buried under such a mountain-like pile of money, it guaran- tees that one will be very rich. The secret of the White Jambhala is the bathing water. Since he is white in color, he likes to take baths to become whiter and whiter. As one sprinkles the bathing water, one is pray- ing that money will be falling from the air, sur- rounding one. As one sits there sprinkling the bathing water, one will eventually feel as if one is sitting in a well that is made of hundred dol- lar bills. One becomes "a frog in a well"- this is not too bad. I often visualize that the money will start to pile up as high as the houses, extending un- til the pile falls down and crushes me. [audi- ence laughter] It is not bad to be buried under a pile of money. Anyway, the secret of the White Jambhala practice is the bathing water.
The Secret of the Red Jambhala Practice
What about the Red Jambhala Practice? The Red Jambhala has vowed that if a Tantra practitioner uses the vajra scepter to touch his crown, he cannot keep from sneezing. When he sneezes, the treasure will fall from his nos- trils. That is the secret to it! Don't underesti- mate this secret; that could be worth thousands or millions of dollars. When one visualizes, one should emphasize the visualization of the trunk so that the nostrils extend out as far as possi- ble. It is best if his trunk can go all the way to the bank. [audience laughter]. As the trunk ex- tends, the nostrils will enlarge and a vajra hook will come out to grab all the cash in the bank and bring it back to the practitioner. When one uses the vajra scepter to touch the crown of the Red Jambhala, he will remember his vow immediately spilling out the treasure to the practitioner. Can you visualize that? It is very easy. [audience laughter] Simply extend the trunk east to Seattle,(no, Seattle is located to the north; shift to the north then). [audience laughter] If the trunk extends to the east, it will reach New York, to the west will be mainland China, to the south will be Central or South America. The trunk can extend according to your imagination. The vajra hook inside the trunk can hook back whatever one desires. It is the secret of the Red Jambhala. I was kidding at the beginning of my Dharma teaching, but the teaching now is real. One should take notes. If later one forgets and calls back to ask for more details, then one has to make an offering. [audience laughter]
The Secret of the Yellow Jambhala Practice
The Yellow Jambhala is one of our Eight Personal Deities, also called Vaisravana. The secret of the Yellow Jambhala Practice relates to the swollen big toe on his right foot. If one calls upon the Five Dhyana Buddhas, they will empower the Yellow Jambhala and alleviate the pain of his swollen toe. Once he is not suffer- ing, he will not hold his mongoose so tightly. Then, the mongoose will open his mouth and spill out some treasure. Remember to visual- ize clearly, with great concentration. One stu- dent wrote to me, saying that every time he visualized the mongoose opening his mouth, rocks would fall out immediately! How can you be so silly! Can you not visualize rocks as dia- monds? But, the student just could not visual- ize diamonds. When he tried to visualize diamonds, rocks would show up right away. I then suggested that he open a construction company, dealing with rock and sand. If he engaged in any career related to rock or sand, the company should be successful. I replied to his letter and said that, since rocks which the mongoose spilled out could be utilized as bricks, or as the foundation of houses and other construction, he should choose a career which involves rock and sand. One may visualize whatever one desires spilling out from the mongoose's mouth. The importance lies in the empowerment from the Five Dhyana Buddhas: Om Hum Jam Sa Ah- the five syllable mantra. While receiving the empowerment from the Five Dhyana Buddhas, the pain in his swollen big right toe will be al- leviated. This is the secret to it.
The Secret of the Black Jambhala Practice
The Black Jambhala's face is black and his heart is also black. Since his heart is black, he often has chest pains. When one visualizes, one should visualize that the heart of the Black Jambhala cools down and its color transforms to a soothing green. At that moncent, Black Jambhala will bestow money upon you. This is the secret of the Black Jambhala Practice.
The Secret of the Wealth Deva King Practice
Besides the four Jambhala Practices, the Wealth Deva King is also enshrined by many people. The Wealth Deva King holds a Dharma Banner. There is a secret in his practice. When one calls upon the Wealth Deva King, one should, in advance, make a small Dharma Crown of jewelry for him. Each time the prac- titioner does the Wealth Deva King Practice, he can let the Wealth Deva King wear the jewel crown. After practice, one should take the crown away and keep it for the next practice. Why is that? If the Wealth Deva King becomes too used to wearing the fancy jeweled crown, he will not grant your wishes. In other words, if one asks the Wealth Deva King for some- thing once, then one should let the Wealth Deva King wear the crown once; if one asks him for something twice, then one should let him wear the crown twice. If one lets the Wealth Deva King wear the jeweled crown all the time, he will think, "This is mine now, so I don't have to grant your wish." When the Wealth Deva King gets to wear the crown, he will be happy and will grant your wish. Afterward, when one takes the crown away from hirn, he will miss the crown and will be unhappy until he has another chance to wear it again. |
