Lingmei's Visit to the Earth Store Bodhisattva

“It thus comes and thus goes, thus goes and thus comes. It comes and goes freely. Everything can thus come.”
It is both real and yet illusory. I was sitting in meditation and, as if in a dream and with a flash of light, I thought of paying a visit to Earth Store Bodhisattva.
In less than a second after I gave to the thought, I felt I already had arrived at the world of lapis lazuli. Immediately I asked Original Master Earth Store Bodhisattva for bestowal of power. I was thinking, “Master, please allow me to take a good look!” As it turned out, it was crystal everywhere. While it seems to be transparent, it is not. It was of such a blue color that word fails to describe how beautiful it is. I felt refreshed all over once I saw the light.
At that time, I saw our Original Master Earth Store Bodhisattva. Ridding on the Earth Hearer, He emitted all kinds of lights. I felt Original Master Earth Store Bodhisattva so familiar, as if I had known him since numerous lives past. I observed Him carefully, and came up with a phrase that best describes him: 32 marks and 80 minor characteristics.
I felt like a naughty child and said, “Master, may I take a look at how you look when your crown is off?”
Master smiled to me. In the twinkling of the eye, the light illumined heaven and earth. In the light there appeared uncountable Transformation Buddhas. I was filled with joy seeing it, but I also felt myself growing smaller. Immediately, I collected my thoughts, and asked Master for bestowal of Power. Master spoke to me, “ Take a look around.”
I bid Original Master Earth Store Bodhisattva, and went along. I felt the ground was transparent, too. I seemed to be walking in the air. I looked into the distance and saw no end. All the palaces were translucent like a crystal. By then, I arrived at a lune-shaped pond. The water surface was so calm that it looked like a mirror. By instinct, I wanted to take a bath in it. After I did so, I felt myself lighter. I heard someone speaking to me by then, “ It is the Half-moon Spring. You could have your body and bone transformed washing in it.”
My interest grew intense. I continued to walk ahead. Suddenly, I saw many people. Well, I should call them Great Bodhisattvas. Their body was kind of transparent. They said to me, “You should listen to the Dharma talks first since you are here.”

I replied, “I don’t quite understand it with my level of comprehension.”
Then I heard Earth Store Bodhisattva speaking to me, “You can recite the mantra.”
Once I gave rise to the thought, I was reciting it. Having recited a few lines, I found myself sitting on the lotus like the Great Bodhisattvas. We were listening to Earth Store Bodhisattva expounding the Dharma. I thought to myself, “Master sent me here to get the true sutras.” Therefore, I said to Original Master Earth Store Bodhisattva, “If it can benefit the public, please help me remember it all!” I listened as Earth Store Bodhisattva talked on the Shurangama Sutra and the Lotus Sutra.
“Spreading the Wonderful Dharma is not easy. It is a meritorious work that will benefit thousands of generations. People in the secular world have little blessings and their mind remains filthy. You shall leave behind a body of gold as the manifestation. You have now listened to Earth Store Master’s instructions, and you will attain the Way in the present life and that is irreversible. Whether it is real or illusory, you should always reflect within. The ten directions are not of the ten directions. Take your body as other’s body. No self, without a self. No Buddha, without a Buddha.”
I could hear him clearly, but did not quite understand it. I then asked Original Master Earth Store Bodhisattva whether he had more instructions to us. He replied,
“All the living beings in the Dharma Realm of the ten directions have great affinity with me. I appear before you from time to time in different transformations. You should seize the opportunity before you and get connected to me. When your life is over, you shall leave a dream-like legacy.”
I was just intrigued by the verse. As I wanted to take a look at the treasures of Earth Store Bodisattva, I again asked Master for a bestowal of power in my mind. In less a second, I saw a bead, which seemed to be transparent and white in color, and was emitting fine lights. I was told it was “wish-granting bead” I also saw something with a lotus-shaped dais with myriad transformations up on it. I asked what it was and was told that it was “Heaven and Earth Bowl”.
I was not satisfied having seen them. I said I would like to take a look at the mirror. I had thought it was like the mirror we use everyday, but it turned out to be just different. The mirror, no matter seen from what angle, was lune-shaped, transparent, but kind of like a crystal. I stood before it and wanted to see my true-self, but could see nothing. I again asked Master for bestowal of power, but only heard Original Master Earth Store Bodhisattva speaking to me, “The condition is not ripe. Work to cultivate concentration.”
“May I look around inside the mirror?” I asked. I found myself already inside it as I was asking. I felt it was but endless and boundless in all directions. “Why is there no end? Where is the end?” I was out of the mirror before I knew it.
“How come the mirror is so big?” I asked.
“It is Hiding-life Mirror. The marks of all beings are contained in it.”
I was reluctant to leave by then, and wanted to take a further look, as I felt my mission was not fulfilled yet.
“Master, do you have any more instructions for us?” I asked.
“Exhort people to cultivate virtues. Deflate self-importance.” Earth Store Bodhisattva answered. “You may go back now!”
In an instant, I was back.
Everything that had happened remained real as if right before my eyes after I returned. I immediately worked to collect my thoughts, and noted down what I had seen and heard. As my skill was too weak, I could not quite understand it, nor could I tell which was true and which was illusory. Having noted it down I asked master, “Is it a dream?”
Then I heard a voice speaking to my ears, “It is both real and illusory, like a poem.”
I thought to myself, While some people could roam around from heaven to earth and the realms in the ten directions, they could not overcome the obstacle in my mind. I seemed to gradually understand it, though. The Dharma realms in the ten directions are right in our mind!

I would like to share with my family all that I have seen during my trip. Hopefully, it can serve as a mirror and illumines all you, and help you attain the Way!

Amitabha-Buddha!