Master Zhenlin’s Commentary on Lingmei’s Trip to the Heaven of Light Sound

Master Zhenlin’s Commentary on Lingmei’s Trip to the Heaven of Light Sound

Text:
Time flies by, invoking constant changes in Heavens and Earth. It looks like a myth as I contemplate the flowers in meditation. One day, my soul travelled to the Heaven of Light Sound as I was sitting in meditation. It seemed like a dream and yet in truth it was not. “How come there was nobody around?” I was thinking to myself when I remembered what Master had spoken to me, “The living beings there are formless and unmarked. You may ask them to appear to you.” Soon, I was able to see numerous beings. I said, “The Great Brahman King, please!” The Brahman King showed up, in all awesome might, soon after I had requested it. With great respect, he said to me, “May the Master give us the teachings!” I replied, “At the behest of Master, I have come to lecture the Sutra of Longevity here. Could you please summon all the heavenly beings of the Heavens of Brahman here?” The Brahman King then conjured up something helical in shape, held it in his hand, and puffed a breath in it. In no time numerous beings showed up.
Commentary:
A genuine cultivator of the Buddha Dharma is respected by not only human beings but also heavenly beings, though he may look no different from ordinary people. Actually he looks very ordinary and in perfect harmony with the living beings around. He also bows to Buddha Statues, but when he does so, his true-self is not in the bowing position. You will see why if your Dharma eyes are open. No heavenly beings, immortals, spirits, or humans can afford to receive his bowing. His human manifestation is to be seen by people. When such a genuine cultivator visits the heavens, he is very much esteemed and respected.
Lingmei looked no different from ordinary people, but even the Brahman King addressed her as master. Lingmei, too, replied him in a majestic and awe-inspiring manner that she was there to lecture the Sutra of Longevity and asked the Brahman King to summon all the heavenly beings there. See, isn’t that mighty? The Brahman King, upon hearing she say that, conjured up something helical in shape and puffed breath in it. Immediately he got all the heavenly beings dwelling in the Heavens of Brahman to the Heaven of Light Sound.
Text:
I requested a bestowal of power from Master so that I could see clearly just how many beings there were. I found out that the heavenly beings were of several levels. At the highest level, while it looked nobody was there, I could feel there were numerous beings. At the middle-level, it was a vast expanse of whiteness, cloudy and foggy, and still incalculable. The low level was further divided into sub-levels, where the beings were of form and mark, though not clearly visible.
Commentary:
Lingmei did not know how many of them there were. One cannot tell it unless his or her dharma eyes or heaven eyes are open. Lingmei was certainly smart. She thought of asking Master for a bestowal of power, which enabled her to see them clearly.
She felt there were numerous beings around, and yet they were not clearly visible. Yes, indeed, it is true that heavenly beings are of different levels, and that was exactly how they stood to listen when a sutra lecture was being held. Lingmei looked up, and saw them. She looked down, and still saw them. They were all over around. After all, it was the empty space and therefore there could perch everywhere.
How come they are of different levels? The highest on in the Heavens of Brahman is not the Heaven of Light Sound, but the Ultimate Form Heaven. It was very close to the Heaven of Neither Thought Nor Non-Thought where the heavenly beings hardly had any form. Lingmei took notice of it, too.
She described it well as “At the highest level, while it looked nobody was there, I could feel there were numerous beings.” They do exist though without a physical shape.
“At the middle-level, it was a vast expanse of whiteness, cloudy and foggy, and still incalculable.” Heavenly beings at the middle level are shadow-like that they seem not there while in truth they were.
“The low level was further divided into several sub-levels. Some of them looked like five-year-olds, others eight-year-olds, but no older than 12-year-olds.” See, the heavenly beings at the low level are of form and shape. Lingmei could see them, and they were yet again further divided into sub-levels, except not clearly visible. It was not clearly visible, because Lingmei was not advanced enough in her spiritual penetrations. It would have been very clear to all had her heavenly eyes or dharma eyes been open. She could even tell exactly how many of them there were.
Text:
At that time, a group of heavenly beings, about ten-year-old, and with their hair worn in a single upward braid, came to bow to me joyfully. They thanked me for ferrying them over to enjoy the heavenly bliss. I was confused for a while, but soon realized they were those whom I had met when I visited the Hell. I rescued them from the torture by reciting the Sutra of Longevity for them so that they got reborn in the heaven. I soon was reminded of why I was there at the Heaven of Light Sound. I found myself sitting on a lotus which was shining with light. I had grown much larger in size. Many Dharma-protecting Vajras were standing by me.

Commentary:
She then saw some people, around ten-year-old, and with their hair braided upward, bow to her, and thanked her for ferrying them over so that they got reborn in the heaven where they enjoyed heavenly bliss.
She had yet to realize why. “I was confused for a while.” She was confused, and soon realized why. Well, Lingmei had a trip to the hell sometime before where she ferried the people over. I had told Lingmei before she visited the hell that she should recite the Sutra of Longevity for the beings there, and those who heard it would be reborn in the Brahman Heaven. This is also why I arranged the trip for Lingmei to visit the Brahman Heaven.
I have said many times at the lectures on the Sutra of Longevity that we could recite it to ferry over those dead. He who listens to as little as half a verse shall immediately be reborn in the Brahman Heaven. Well, that did happen when Lingmei visited the hell. While Lingmei could not recognize them, they remember her well. Lingmei’s look remained unchanged, while theirs had. They bowed to her respectfully.
That reminded Lingmei of why she visited the Heaven of Light Sound. She was there to lecture the Sutra of Longevity. With that thought in mind, a lotus flower dais appeared and she found herself sitting on a lotus which was shining. The heavenly lotuses do radiate light. The beauty of the light is beyond words.
The lotus looks different from what we usually see here on earth. Things like peacock feathers are placed around the dais. Anyway, it is beyond description. It is just beautiful.
“I had grown much larger in size.” She did not know why. It was so because by lecturing the Sutra, she became a Bodhisattva, and certainly was large in size. A great Bodhisattva, radiating rays of golden lights! For sure, many Dharma-protecting Vajras would show up around her. See, when in the Heaven of Brahman, Dharma-protecting Vajras appeared.
Why is Buddhist scripture so powerful? It is because every copy of it is followed and protected by Dharma-protecting Vajras. They manifest once a sutra lecture is being held. They are invisible to ordinary people, though.
Text:
I then started the lecture and recited, “From innumerable long kalpas until now, I always proclaim for you all this Sutra and the Dharma to protect the body, in order to help all the sinful living beings to eradicate their offences after listening to the Sutra of Longevity, even if they can only listen to as little as half a verse. How much more the effect would be as I am now again proclaiming it to you!”
The Sutra of Longevity can be understood by all beings with their original consciousness. The heavenly beings were quick to understand it. Many of them got enlightened immediately as they listened to the lines of the text.
Commentary:
The Sutra of Longevity can be understood by all beings with their original consciousness. I stressed to you often this point when I was lecturing it. I did so to draw your attention to it. This is just how superb and wonderful the Sutra is. No other sutras are endowed with such power. Only the Dharani Sutra of the Buddha on Longevity, the Extinction of Offences and the Protection of Young Children has such magical power. It can be understood by all beings: humans, animals, immortals, spirits, heavenly beings, etc.
The heavenly beings, once enlightened after listening to the Sutra, shall disappear immediately and gain release from the Three Realms. They soon are in the state of the Arhat or Pacceka Buddha. They are no longer subject to the cycle of birth and death. This is just how meritorious it is to lecture a sutra upon in the heavens! Shakyamuni Buddha has entered Nirvana, by which he hides himself away from being seen by us. Something more significant shall occur.
Lingmei did not go into details as she wrote it. After all, some of them were heavenly secrets and she was not supposed to reveal it.
Text:
I went on to explain to them that the Sutra of Longevity, wherever it is, is such a treasure and that for we human beings it grants our wishes in every aspect. While the heavenly beings are free from the desires that we humans have, they shall be able to increase heavenly lifespan, and gain release from the Three Realms, by upholding the Sutra.
By then, the air was filled with all kinds of treasures that fell lightly upon me like heavenly rain. I transferred them all to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Master. Some of them even made offerings to me with their palaces. Again, I transferred them to Master. Music was then being played. It was inexpressibly beautiful. I transferred the heavenly sound to Master, too. After that, I found myself changed to be a ray of light, like the heavenly beings, without any shape or mark.
Commentary:
The heavenly beings, too, have a finite lifespan like we humans. They are subject to rebirth in the six destinies when their life comes to an end, unless they gain release from the Three Realms before that.
Heavenly beings love to listen to the Buddha Dharma. They make the best offerings to it. Anyway, they possess lots of treasures. See, they made good offerings to Lingmei when she was lecturing the Sutra of Longevity for them. Some offered with their heavenly clothes, others treasures, so much so that, as Lingmei wrote, “The air was filled with treasures, and fell slightly upon me like heavenly rain.” There were so many treasures offered by the heavenly beings that Lingmei could not even tell which was which. Without hesitation, she transferred them all to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Master. Some of them even offered their heavenly palaces to her. They were really sincere! You should know that the palace of a heavenly being is no less important than his life. Offering the palaces to Lingmei was tantamount to sacrificing their life.
Lingmei won’t be able to see the heavenly beings again when she visits it the next time. They must have gained release from the Three Realms as long as they showed single-minded sincerity in making the offerings. Isn’t it superb and wonderful that they even offered Lingmei with their palaces?
The human beings are different. Many people make offerings to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Master with what they do not need. This is really a bad habit. How meritorious is such an offering, anyway?
The merits and virtues are as large as we are sincere. For example, someone so impoverished that he gets nothing but an apple, which he buys for the money he has saved for three months, makes the offerings to Master with the apple, and he certainly accomplishes great merits and virtues by doing so.
In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha also praised the living beings of the Brahman Heaven. All of them made offerings to the Buddha with their own palaces. That’s just how sincere they are! Nothing but single-minded sincerity!
It takes sincerity of the mind to cultivate the Buddha Dharma. Putting up a front won’t do. I often stress this to you. Master knows well how you cultivate, how sincere you are when making an offering, and how you perform the merits and virtues. I do not talk to you about it directly though. After all, how much you progress and how many merits and virtues you accomplish all depend on your mind. The fruit you reap reciting and upholding the Sutra depends on your thoughts. Sure, it also depends on how vigorous you are. Do not slacken your efforts.
The heavenly beings were so reverent and sincere that they even offered their palaces to Lingmei. When she visits the Heaven next time, those who offered her with the palaces have long ago been liberated from the Three Realms. Lingmei transferred the palaces to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Master.
After that, music was played from the air. It was inexpressibly beautiful. For sure it was beautiful. It was heavenly music! How unlikely one is to hear it here in the secular world. Lingmei heard it because she showed filial piety. She also found herself changed too. She was then the same like the heavenly beings, without any shape or mark, but became a ray of light. Nevertheless, it is not illusory. The heavenly beings in the Heaven of Light Sound are of mark. When in the Heaven of Neither- Thought-Nor-Non-Thought, there is only light, nothing but the light.
Text:
After I had finished the sutra lecture, the Great Brahman King saw me off in person. With all reverence, he said, “Having listened to the instructional talk by Master, the heavenly beings and immortals get awakened. They all say it is great to be immortals, yet we should never slacken our efforts to cultivate the Way. After all, when the heavenly bliss is exhausted, we shall be subject to rebirth in the Six Destinies. Occurrences of past eons have now surfaced in my mind. Let us seize the opportunity and connect our minds. Transmit the sutra treasure in the heaven and earth.” I got the King’s point. In less than a second, I was back.
Commentary:
These lines are quite interesting and thought-provoking.
“Having listened to the instructional talk by Master, the heavenly beings and immortals get awakened.” What Lingmei talked woke them up. They heavenly beings have good blessings. They do nothing but attend sutra lectures and sit in meditation. They do not have to eat three meals a day, nor answer the call of nature as we humans do. Ours is too complicated. They are well-blessed.
“They all say it is great to be immortals, yet we should never slacken our efforts to cultivate the Way. After all, when the heavenly bliss is exhausted, we shall be subject to rebirth in the Six Destinies.” Do not leave the Buddha Dharma out of the mind no matter how great the blessings are! Cultivation of the Way is a must! The heavenly beings, too, have a finite lifespan. When the blessings come to an end, they shall be subject to rebirth in the six destinies, and may get reborn in the Path of the Animal as a cat or dog.
“Occurrences of past eons have now surfaced in my mind.” Lingmei did not know why, as she was not thinking from the angle of the Brahman King. The king was endowed with the spiritual penetration of Knowing Past Life as Lingmei recited the Sutra of Longevity for him. He saw clearly his past, how much suffering he had undergone, and how he had cultivated bit by bit, life after life, with all the toil and sweat, before he became the Brahman King. It all appeared in his mind clearly when Lingmei recited the Sutra.
“Let us seize the opportunity and connect our minds.” He talked of seizing the opportunity and connecting the minds of cultivators in the secular world with theirs.
“Transmit the sutra treasure in the heaven and earth.” This is a commitment to us by the Brahman King. He shall serve as the Dharma Protector for us so that the Sutra of Longevity can be well transmitted both in the Heavens and on earth. Lingmei got the King’s point. In less than a second, she was back.
Text:
I understood why Master arranged the sutra-lecturing trips for me after I came back. The treasure is right in our mind. It is such a rare opportunity that we really need to seize it. We do accumulate merits and virtues cultivating in the secular world, while on the other hand, the task is arduous and journey tough.
Commentary:
I do hope you have got the point of the Brahman King. You are right to reflect upon it after you returned and thought over why Master sent you to lecture the sutra for them.
“It is such a rare opportunity that we really need to seize it”: What is the opportunity? Our getting-together again to study and cultivate the Buddha Dharma is a rare opportunity and we need to seize it.
“We do accumulate merits and virtues cultivating in the secular world, while on the other hand, the task is arduous and journey tough”: Do not think it is suffering. We do reap fruits cultivating in the secular world. The treasure is right in our mind. Regulate the mind well and cultivate it.
There are more tasks for Lingmei and places that she has yet to visit. Why do I send her to do it? She is transmitting the Buddha Dharma upon in the heavens. It has been so long it was done last, since Shakyamuni Buddha entered Nirvana.
This is what it is meant to lead and reunite the Three Realm. I am not going to dwell on it further. You should ponder over it yourself.
May the merit and virtue accrued from this work,
Adorn the Buddha’s Pure Lands,
Repaying the four kinds of kindness above,
And aiding those suffering in the paths below.
May those who see and hear of this,
All bring forth the resolve for Bodhi,
And when this retribution body is over,
Be born together in Ultimate Bliss.
Amitabha-Buddha! May we all be filled with the joy of the Dharma!