A Buddha Does Not Speak Falsely
Book 223 Stories of Supreme Spiritual Responses 《無上殊勝莊嚴的感應》「佛語無虛言」

‧Written by Sheng-yen Lu‧
Translated by Janny Chow
A US Daden Culture Publication

About forty years ago, I read an essay entitled “Troubles Caused by the Northwestern Rain.” The essay details are as follows:
One day, in a small town, there was a sudden shower of northwestern rain. In this town, only the community co-operative bank had an arcade that could provide shelter to pedestrians from the rain. In a very short time, a crowd gathered in the corridor of the arcade and the doorway of the co-op bank.
A villager wearing a bamboo hat on a bicycle passed by the co-op bank, and asked the people curiously, “What are you doing packed in front of the bank door?”
Someone from the crowd said in jest, “The co-op has failed, we are here to withdraw money.”
The man on the bicycle pedaled away, believing what he heard to be true. He notified everyone in his village as well as people in other villages. The rumor spread from one individual to ten, from ten to a hundred, and from a hundred to a thousand. In no time a surging crowd gathered outside the co-op bank.
Thus a bank run started, and in only one afternoon, the co-op bank in the little town collapsed and closed its doors.
The above is the synopsis of the essay “Troubles Caused by the Northwestern Rain.” A shower of the northwestern rain, a joking remark, a man believing this to be true, and subsequent bankruptcy for a bank!
“Rumors” are indeed terrifying!
***
Since the attainment of enlightenment and realization of my Buddha-nature, I have not dared to make casual jokes because my words have often turned into “dharma decrees.”
The Tathagata does not speak falsely.
The Buddha does not speak falsely.
Whenever a True Buddha School Leizang [Thunder Store] Temple is completed, roaring thunderclaps can be heard on the consecration day or the day the horizontal inscribed board of the temple name is raised and installed.
Whenever there is great slandering, within a period of ten days, a great disaster of international magnitude occurs. This has proven to be the case time after time.
After I picked the name “Yijun” for a female student, many similar sounding names with different characters appeared. Even a supermarket adopted such a name.
The worst case was when I started singing the song “Sun and Rain.” All True Buddha School students also started singing “Sun and Rain.”
Scientists reported, “Global warming will get worse.” I declared, “Let there be cold weather!”
Subsequently, places that normally do not snow started experiencing snow. In the United States, Florida is the only state that has not received snow yet. Even Hawaii in the Southern Pacific encountered snowfall. Throughout the world blizzards are repeatedly occurring.
I said, “This baseball player is finished!”
As it turned out, he indeed was almost finished!
I said, “This person will be elected president.”
Indeed, he became president.
In the south, I met with a great entrepreneur who asked me, “What is the future of our family enterprise?”
I replied, “You will hand it over to someone else on a silver platter.”
The result was indeed as I had predicted.
Another great entrepreneur asked me, “What is my future?”
I said, “Your company will fall and you will travel afar.”
Subsequently, his company did fall and he had to flee and reside overseas.
My words have indeed become the “dharma decree!”