Excerpt from His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-yen Lu’s 173rd book, “One Dream, One World.”
Provisional translation by Jaye Tan, proofread and edited by Charlotte Frejya-Richwoods
Note that as the story shows, True Buddha School and His Holiness Living Buddha Lian Sheng always advocate that students see their doctor as well as follow a healthy lifestyle. Use spiritual practices to complement that but not as a replacement.
One devoted disciple found great joy in reciting “The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra,” especially cherishing a phrase from the master: “This sutra, renowned since the Tang Dynasty, is profoundly efficacious. One is liberated from the suffering of birth and death, and freed from all the many kinds of suffering, by upholding a thousand times, all serious sins will be eliminated. “
In earlier years, while in Taiwan’s Taichung at the “Jade Emperor Temple,” I acquired a copy. Not only did I recite it myself, but I also encouraged others to do so and advocated for the printing of more copies. To this day, I continue to recite it. I have personally witnessed the majestic and extraordinary golden body of “High King Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva,” marvelling at its grandeur.
To be honest, I am sixty years old, and I still recite it without interruption!
One of my disciples was burdened with some negative karma, specifically a “karmic disease,” manifested as gallstones, which were confirmed through medical examination.
Common medical advice suggested surgery to remove the gallstones, a common procedure for such cases. However, he was apprehensive about surgery, even though the condition caused him intermittent pain, instilling fear.
In a dream, the disciple saw the master (Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Grandmaster Lu Sheng-yen) who advised him, “As a practitioner of esoteric Buddhism, familiar with visualization techniques, why not recite ‘The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra‘ once? Envision a black stone flying out from the gallbladder. By doing so, you may avoid surgery.”
The disciple, elated by the dream, was skeptical about the “flying stone” method. Removing gallstones without surgery is considered challenging, and surgical intervention is often the only known solution.
Despite his doubts, the disciple, reluctant to undergo surgery, decided to give it a try. After reciting “The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra” once, he visualized the black stone flying out from the gallbladder.
Strangely enough, on a particular day, he realized that the mild pain in the gallbladder area had completely disappeared. In other words, the pain was no more. He felt the anguish had vanished entirely.
Upon visiting a major hospital for a check-up, the report revealed no gallstones inside the gallbladder, a stark contrast to previous examinations. Where there were clear signs of gallstones before, now not a single stone was present – mysterious indeed!
What was initially slated for surgery became unnecessary.
This disciple, who regularly recited “The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra,” received the protection of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. I timely appeared in his dream, conveying the “flying stone” method. It is a testament to his own good fortune, not a manifestation of my own power!