Stories of Supreme Spiritual Responses: “Here Came the Great Flood”
(Master Lu’s Book 223 Stories of Supreme Spiritual Responses 《無上殊勝莊嚴的感應》 「大洪水來了」)
Written by Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Janny Chow
A US Daden Culture Publication
One year, a certain country was having an extreme drought. Water levels in all reservoirs dropped to their lowest points. Small boats that used to float on picturesque lakes sat at the bottom of dried, mud-cracked lakes. The water shortage was so severe that a nationwide water ration was put in place.
The drinking water in restaurants was restricted. Citizens com- plained of the hardship and suffering.
“Rivers have dried up!”
“Lakes are bottom up!”
The water supply at local wells also dried up. And the condition was so severe that the government began using fire trucks to deliver drinking water to residents.
A group of True Buddha School students living in that country wrote a letter of help to me. Their wish was as follows:
A typhoon was approaching, and they wished that the typhoon would hit their country, and bring rain water to relieve the nationwide drought and resolve their suffering.
***
Thus, in Seattle, WA in the United States, I set up a shrine in my backyard and installed plaques for each of the eight great dragon kings:
Dragon King Nanda, Dragon King Upananda, Dragon King Sagara, Dragon King Vasuki, Dragon King Taksaka, Dragon King Anavatapta, Dragon King Manasvin, and Dragon King Utpalaka.
I also installed a plaque for the Wind Deva ( ), a banner for “sweet dharma rain,” and a nectar vase.
During the practice:
I held the “Pointing Out Mudra” to guide the Wind Deva to that country.
I then sprinkled drops of nectar on that country and chanted a Tantrayana mantra:
“Om, wa-ri-la, er-la, so-ha.” (for the Wind Deva)
I chanted another Tantrayana mantra:
“Na-mo, sam-man-do, bo-toh-nam, mi-jia, she-ning-yu, so-ha.”(for the Dragons)
I formed the Eight Great Dragons Mudra. Thumbs crossed each other while the remaining four fingers of each hand extended like spreading wings, with the palms facing outward.
However, for some unknown reason, the nectar vase tipped over and water poured out, soaking through a certain part of that country on my map.
I was shocked.
How tragic! It was this country’s fate that they would have a great disaster coming. An ominous feeling passed through me.
My intent was to provide relief to the drought. Instead, during the intervention process, the nectar vase overturned signifying to me that a natural disaster was going to occur. Was this great catastrophe un- avoidable?
***
That year, a typhoon indeed entered that country. According to the meteorological report, there was so much rain in the torrential downpours that the rainfall in one day and night equaled that in a typical year.
Heavens!
The great flood has come!
Major landslides occurred!
Sections of mountains and hills broke off and slid away!
A large river changed its course!
A major bridge collapsed!
This great flood was similar to the “Flooding of the Jinshan Temple” [in the Chinese legend of White Snake]. The disastrous drought was replaced by a calamitous flood.
I was speechless. Heavens, what could I do?
Sometimes, when I choose not to do anything, I cannot bear the pangs of compassion. How can I not act with bodhicitta? Yet other times, when I choose to take action, to alleviate calamities and bring happiness and well-being to the world, events turn out quite the opposite. With the elimination of one disaster, another disaster came in its place!
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