Master Zhenlin’s Commentary on Lingmei’s Visit to Maitreya Bodhisattva

Master Zhenlin’s Commentary on Lingmei’s Visit to Maitreya Bodhisattva
I’d like to share with you first the background story about Lingmei’s visit to Maitreya Bodhisattva. I had already set the schedule of her trips, but Lingmei did not act according to the schedule, and went to visit Maitreya Bodhisattva ahead of schedule. She did not meet Him that time, though. She was quite worried this time. She was worried that Maitreya Bodhisattva would refuse to meet her. Nevertheless, as she wrote, for sure she could make it as it was sent by Master. Why did I send her to pay a visit to Maitreya Bodhisattva? The answer lies at the very first paragraph of the article.
Text:
The mind of utmost sincerity is well known by Heaven. That you are mindful of the Buddha is testified by the actions taken to fulfill the vows.
Commentary:
The verse was spoken to praise me.
I asked Lingmei to do it because the condition was ripe for her. On the one hand, since you are always attached to the mark and love to know the states, I employed an expedient means so that you get to know more about the Buddha Dharma and increase your faith. On the other hand, it shows to you how amazing the Buddha Dharma is and its boundless power. Many people are enlightened as they read the articles by Lingmei. They realize that spiritual penetrations are real, and that what Master has talked is real. It enables you to get to know Master better. Some of you are skeptical of what I say and ask “Master, did you get it from the book or you see it yourself?” Not only you, but some High Sangha of great virtues also harbour such doubts.
The series of stories written by Lingmei about her trips shall serve as a benchmark in our life, work, and propagation of the Buddha Dharma. Nobody can reach the highest tier of the mark. Only a genuine cultivator knows how true it is. You can also argue it is fabricated if you don’t believe in the Buddha Dharma. Anyway, nobody could have written such a series of stories. The best novelist could not have cooked up the instructions by the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. Their instructions are all-embracing, and perfect. Take Maitreya Bodhisattva for example, His language covers everything. In His words, no matter how myriad things are, one line perfects it.
Maitreya Bodhisattva’s instructions cover every aspect of it. When Lingmei said, “Bodhisattva, I do not understand what you are saying”, Maitreya Bodhisattva rubbed her head kindly and said, “Your Master should know how perfectly well-meaning I am.”
Not only Maitreya Bodhisattva, but also Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva and every other Bodhisattva speaks it perfectly, though their wording and language may be different. What they say covers fully the scriptures of the twelve division of the Tripitaka. Who could have come up with such subtle and wonderful language other than the great Bodhisattvas and Buddhas? If it were fabricated, it would never convince the genuine cultivators and the High Sanghas of Great Virtues. Nobody could reach such a level.
At the outset, Maitreya Bodhisattva said, “The mind of utmost sincerity is well known by Heaven. That you are mindful of the Buddha is testified by the actions taken to fulfill the vows.”
The mind of utmost sincerity shows how much I care for and love my disciples, including those who have not yet returned to the family. High Sanghas of Great Virtues, as I said just know, would realize it immediately. You have to be a genuine cultivator to understand it. If you are entangled in the pursuit for fame and profit, you won’t.
“That you are mindful of the Buddha is testified by the actions taken to fulfill the vows.”
I have come to the world to fulfill my vows, to uphold and protect the Lotus Sutra, and shall travel between the worlds in the ten directions, so that the Sutra shall abide permanently in the Buddhalands of the ten directions, and that anyone can become a Buddha. A Buddha is not only enlightened, but also enlightens others. Some of you ask me, “Master, where are you going (after the present life is over)? I may go anywhere. Maybe I will come to the secular world, or maybe to the Path of Ghost, or the Path of Animals. You had been my disciples in your previous life. I am obliged to guide my disciples towards a higher state through cultivation.
In fact, we have all been disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. It is because we are so dull that we have yet to reach enlightenment. Master, therefore, has to come to rescue you time and again, life after life.
After we finish learning Lingmei’s visit to Maitreya Bohdisattva, we’d learn her visit to Shakyamuni Buddha. Many heavenly secrets shall be revealed to us. We are acting on the vows we made, and we made them from the bottom of our heart. We should know how sincere we are to the Buddha. It doesn’t matter if others don’t believe us. We know it ourselves.

Text:
As Master’s behest, I paid a visit to Maitreya Bodhisattva. As if in a trance, and with a flash of light, I arrived at somewhere. There was a road before me. It was a hardpacked gravel road whose surface was nonetheless very smooth, and extended forward without an end.
Commentary:
Why such a road? The Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and masters pave the road for the disciples with their own body and everything they have. They employ every expedient means possible to pave the way for your cultivation, and instruct you in practicing the Great Vehicle and towards enlightenment.
Masters and the Buddha Dharma are the road. When Guanyin Bodhisattva met Zhiming (disciple), He transformed His body into earth. In fact, this is how masters, the Great Virtues, the Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas have devoted all they have to paving the way for you in cultivation. It is with such a broad mind, such great compassion and kindness, that they lead you forward.
This is how great the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and masters with great virtues are. They are devoid the self. They serve as the stepping stones for you. Maitreya Bodhisattva, by making the road before Lingmei, showed to Lingmei how the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and masters of great virtues are helping the cultivators to attain Buddhahood.
Text:
All of a sudden, I saw a glimmering object. It was kind of like a basin, but was very very large. Before I could take a closer look at it, I found myself in a totally different place.
Commentary:
In fact, it was not a basin. It was a bag. She indeed was in Maitreya Bodhisattva’s Cloth Bag of Heaven and Earth.
Why did Maitreya Bodhisattva place Lingmei into His Bag of Heaven and Earth first? He was trying to explain to you everything is empty. Everything in the Heaven and Earth is created by our Buddha nature. All of them come into being because you discriminate. Heaven and earth, too, are empty. Lingmei saw many different views while in the Bag, but they were all empty. Maitreya Bodhisattva, by showing the Bag us, warned you against taking the pictures revealed to you in the states as real. You may try feeling it, experiencing it, but do not take it as real.
Text:
It was different from my previous trips. I was flying, and wearing heavenly clothes, like the immortals we see in TV programs. Suddenly, the sound of music was heard. I flew past mountains and oceans to the music. I felt it was endless. I then thought of what Master had spoken to me. Perhaps I was in Maitreya Bodhisattva’s Cloth Bag of Heaven and Earth?
Commentary:
She was smart to realize she was in the Bag of Heaven and Earth. That was because she thought of what I had spoken to her. Before she set off, I told her that she’d never get out of my Bag of Heaven and Earth no matter how far away she may travel to. She saw herself flying in the air and across mountains and rivers. She saw everything in the heaven and earth. At that point, she was reminded of what Master had spoken to her.
Text:
As I was thinking about it, a Buddha appeared before me. His head reaching the blue sky and His feet standing firmly on the earth. His countenance was inexpressibly adorned. He did not look like the Maitreya Bodhisattva we are familiar to, but by instinct I knew it was Him. I knelt down and bowed to Him, “At the best of Master, I have come to visit you for your instruction. May you please grant us the instruction?”
After I finished saying it, I looked up, and found the Buddha getting away further and further. I did not know what to do, but thought of what Master had told me that I should go to the inner court of the Tushita Heaven, where Maitreya Bodhisattva now lives. Hence I asked Master for a bestowal of power. In less a second I arrived at the Tushita Heaven. The Palaces were magnificent, and awe-inspiring. Well, I don’t know how to describe it. It was just inexpressibly superb. Actually, I did not feel it strange to me at all. I then asked Maiteiya Bodhisattva for a bestowal of power.
Commentary:
“As I was thinking about it, a Buddha appeared before me. His head reaching the blue sky and His feet standing firmly on the earth. His countenance was inexpressibly adorned.”
It was the manifestation by Maitreya Bodhisattva. Everything in the sate is unreal. So was the manifestation. Fortunately it was transformed by Maitreya Bodhisattva. Had it been transformed by heavenly demons, Lingmei would have fallen into the demonic state. She knelt down at once when she saw the Bodhisattva, which was really good. We should show reverence to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Let me tell you how to distinguish the true Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from the false. The true ones will explain the Buddhist scriptures for you, and stress to you that you have to work on cultivation of your mind. They won’t ask you to seek externally. Those who do so are likely transformations by the demons.
Maitreya Bodhisattvas showed great care for us. He transformed into a Buddha to be seen by Lingmei, and got further and further away. He did not say anything. He did not look like the Maitreya Bodhisattva we are familiar to, but instinctly I knew it was Him.
Maitreya Bodhisattvas impress us mostly with His big smile. Few people have ever seen him like this. In fact, a golden statue of Maiteya Bodhisattva like this can be found in the Great Buddha Temple in Xinchang.
I knelt down and bowed to Him, “At the best of Master, I have come to visit you for your instruction. May you please grant us the instruction?After I finished saying it, I looked up, and found the Buddha getting away further and further. I did not know what to do.”
It was fine as the Buddha was transformed by Maitreya Bodhisattva. You’ should be particularly cautious though, just in case it might also have been transformed by Mara Papiya or other demons. They also would explain the Dharma to you, but never would ask you to work on your mind or ask you not to seek externally. The real Buddha Dharma focuses on cultivation of the mind and seeking internally. When the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas expound the Buddhist scripture, they always focus on cultivation of the mind, no matter how much they talk. This is what the Proper Dharma is about.
While we need to be cautious to distinguish the Bodhisattvas from the Demons, there is no need to be over-cautious. Otherwise, we may get too attached to it. Just relax, and be mindful of it when we are in the state. I once told Lingmie that she could ask Master for a bestowal of power if she encountered a frightening state or was disturbed by the demons while sitting in meditation. The mantra in fact represents our mind power. It becomes unsurpassed great Dharma as long as our mind power is strong. I always tell you to keep in mind the saying “Master, please bestow power on me”. This is very helpful when you face state-related challenges in cultivation.
Maitreya Bodhisattva also reminded us that we should not take the state as real. It is fine just to witness and experience it. We see the state when we are in tune with the Buddha Dharma. Don’t be afraid of it. It shows we are making progress.
Lingmei was at a loss and did not know what to do when she saw the Buddha getting away further and further, but she soon thought of what Master had told her. In fact, she was not firm enough in concentration. Master had told her where she could meet Maitreya Bodhisattva, “Master had told me that I should go to the inner court of the Tushita Heaven, where Maitreya Bodhisattva now lives. Hence I asked Master for a bestowal of power. In less a second I arrived at the Tushita Heaven.”
Once she gave rise to the thought, she was endowed with enough power and arrived at the Tushita Heaven in less than a second.
“The palaces were magnificent, and awe-inspiring. Well, I don’t know how to describe it. It was just inexpressibly superb. Actually, I did not feel it strange to me at all.”
It is truly so. The palaces in the Tushita Heaven are just incredibly magnificent. It is above the Suyama Heaven. It is in the empty space, and the buildings there all emit lights. That’s why Lingmei found them flashing with golden lights. Tushita Heaven is within the Realm of the Form, where everything is marked. It is understandable why Lingmei did not know how to describe it. Nothing in the secular world can match it.
“It was just inexpressibly supreme.” Word falls short to describe it.
“Actually, I did not feel it strange to me at all.” Certainly you wouldn’t feel it strange. They joined the sutra lecture you gave at the Trayastrimsha Heaven. Your writing proves you in truth have been there.

She then asked Maiteiya Bodhisattva for a bestowal of power.
Text:
I said, “At the behest of Master, I have come for your Dharma instruction.” Having said it, I saw a very large book. As if shaken by someone, it opened like a scroll extending from heaven to earth. When I tried to take a close look at it, it disappeared. A voice then spoke to my ears, “Tens of thousands of books are kept in the Sutra Storing Tower, and all of them are centered on cultivation of the mind.” I did not quite understand it. “Does Maitreya Bodhisattva refuse to meet me?”
Commentary:
She was quite worried, and did not realize it was the manifestation by Maitreya Bodhisattva. He showed such a book before her. The book in fact represented the mind. I told you that the sutras of the twelve divisions of the Tripitaka and the 84,000 Dharma Doors all lie in our mind when I was lecturing the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth. It is so profound that we can never finish explaining it. When applied to us, the Tripitaka refers to greed, hatred, and ignorance, while the twelve divisions refer to the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and Dharmas. The twelve divisions of the Tripitaka are all housed in our mind. He also shows to us that the Buddhist sutras are connected harmoniously. The book was shaken, and opened like a scroll extending from heaven to earth. We don’t need to discriminate the sutras when propagating the Dharma. Our efforts would be in vain if we have read all the sutras in the Sutras-storing Tower and yet still fail to realize that it all lies in our mind.
“Tens of thousands of books are kept in the Sutra Storing Tower, and all of then are centered on the cultivation of the mind.”
The sutras lie in our mind, except people’s frame of mind is different. I met different people who visit me thinking all differently. Some take me as a fortune-teller, and others as someone who provides solutions to them on getting a child, getting rich, or curing diseases. I always respond kindly no matter what the questions are, never getting impatient. And still others visit me to get guidance on cultivation, or how to enter Buddhahood. No matter for what purpose, you shall always acquire benefits, as long as you have three minds, namely, a true mind, an honest mind, and a sincere mind. You shall have your wishes granted. If they are not, reflect within and check if you lack in any of the three minds. Many come without even an honest mind, let alone the true mind and the sincere mind.
Master thinks the same as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and never would expect you to repay me anything. I don’t treat you according to your wealth or social status. Visit me with a true mind, an honest mind, and a sincere mind, and you get all your wishes granted. Visit me with none of the minds, you still get something. It is like you want to borrow 20,000 yuan from friend A, but ask behind him friend B whether friend A is reliable. If you visit me with none of the minds, you don’t get your wishes granted, but have planted good roots. You’d receive good retribution in your next life. You never return empty-handed if given the chance to meet masters of great virtues, the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas.
You accumulate blessings even you visit with a mind of hatred or jealousy. The blessings are only greater if you make sincere offerings to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and masters of great virtues. For example, if you are to be born as a human again, a great Bodhisattva would come to the world and be born as your son. He’d cultivate the Way, and take you across. This is just how meritorious it is to make the offerings. If you are rescued by a great Bodhisattva, you’d for sure become a Bodhisattva and then a Buddha.
You’d accumulate merits and virtues as long as you make sincere offerings to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and masters of great virtues, though you may not understand the Dharma.
That is why we say the sutras lie in our mind. As long as we understand the sutras of the twelve divisions of the Tripitaka, we find the Buddha Dharma everywhere. Some time ago, I wrote a verse for you, “Dharma exists everywhere as long as it exists in our mind.” Anything can be the Dharma for us in that case.
“I have never read the sutras. How do I know whether it is fun to read it or not?” said Lingwen the other day. I told her, “You have read them a long time ago.”
“Why cannot I understand them?” She asked.
“It is so because you have not yet opened the folder. Your computer is infected with viruses. The folder just won’t open no matter how you click the mouse. This is why I ask you to recite the Sutra of Longevity. The Sutra of Longevity is the anti-virus software. Gradually, the viruses will be deleted as you keep reciting it. By then, with a click of mouse, all our memories will be regained, which is also referred to as gaining enlightenment. You will be able to understand all the files in the folder. The real Buddha Dharma resides in our mind, and all of them are centered on cultivation of the mind. The Tripitaka is stored in our mind.
Lingmei could not understand it and thought perhaps Maitreya Bodhisattva did not want to see her. She was worried because she had been turned down during her previous visit. As she was thinking over it, Maitreya Bodhisattva appeared before her, with the smile that we are so familiar to.
Text:
As I was thinking over it, I felt it lightened before me. I was in a different place. Maitreya Bodhisattva appeared amidst the Buddha lights. Wow! Exactly as I had imagined, He looked so amicable. I felt incredibly warm and at comfort seeing His smile. Again, I knelt down, and bowed to Him, “At Master’s behest, I have come for your instruction.”
Commentary:
She did meet Maitreya Bodhisattva this time. When a true Bodhisattva is before us, He will for sure talk the Dharma for us, and what He talks always focuses on the mind.
Text:

Maitreya Bodhsiattva said with a smile, ‘Set your mind at liberty. Why have it riddled with changing thoughts? It is as illusory as a dream. Why get obsessed to it? Be modest and empty it all as you shuttle around. Take it up when you are obliged to and put it down when it is gone. In a space of a breath, you have been to it all. Having experienced it all, it is your mind that matters in everything you do. You’d end up being hurt both mentally and physically, if you blindly follow the external marks. There is a sequence in how everything develops either in the heavens or earth. Cultivate according to the sequence, and you make yourself a fine jade.”
Commentary:
“Try setting your mind at liberty.”
Maitreya Bodhisattva manifests before us as at great comfort and ease. To be as at ease as the Bdhisattva, we have to transcend our own mind. Put down all the seven emotions, six desires, and three poisons.
“Why have it riddled with changing thoughts?”
Your mind is constantly changing. What you think today is different from yesterday. In fact, it changes within second. There are too many idle thoughts in your mind so that it is constantly changing. It is like someone makes a vow but retracts it immediately. Earth Store Bodhisattva says, “Every single movement or stirring of thought on the part of beings of Jambudvipa creates karma and offenses.” For example, someone makes a vow earlier today that he’d visit Dongyue Temple to pay homage. However, he decides not to go when he found it is raining heavily outside and the traffic must be bad. By doing so, he commits the offense of lying. It is just that easy to plant karma.
“It is as illusory as a dream. Why get obsessed to it?”
Everything with a form is like a shadow, and as illusory as a dream. As I said at the outset, all the marks of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are empty and illusory. The Buddha nature is formless, unmarked, and tasteless. All that can be seen is false. When seen from the state of the Buddha, the manifestation of Maitreya Bodhisattva and Guanyin Bodhisattva is false. They manifest because we living beings in the Three Realms enjoy seeing it. It is an expedient means employed to help us learn the Dharma. Nevertheless, we should refrain from being attached to it. Forget about it after we have seen it. Manjushri Bodhisattva can be Lingmei, and Lingmei can be Guanyin Bodhisattva. Do not discriminate. Try placing ourselves in the state of the Buddha. Do not get arrogant though. Do not think that it is not necessary to bow to Manjushri Bodhisattva. Just be mindful that it is all illusory.
“Be modest and empty it all.” First, we need to be modest. We should respect everything in the universe, including the scriptures, and learn it. How modest should we be? For example, we see an ant, and squat down to observe it for quite a long time. For what? It is to learn the Buddha Dharma from the ant. Some of you may argue how come an ant has something to do with the Dharma. Well, while the ant is so small in size, it can carry something dozens times of its weight. Why is it so? It is because of the Buddha nature. One ant knows what another ant is thinking simply by having a touch of its antenna. Who makes it happen? The Buddha nature! If we are really serious about learning the Buddha Dharma, everything can be the Dharma. An ant alone speaks so much Dharma. Other than being modest, we are also supposed to empty it all. Forget about it no matter what we have seen. Why keep thinking over it? People are disturbed by afflictions because they fail to empty it.
The other day I gave a “knock” to Lingying’s head. She was just too worried. She was worried about her own parents and parents-in-law. Is worrying about it helpful to make it better? You should put it down. Nevertheless, it is easier to say than to do. As I told Lingwen earlier, you need to delete the virus using the means that suits you the best. Gradually, the folder will open.
“as you shuttlle around” means we are shuttling around in the worlds in the ten directions. Sometimes we are born as immortals, sometimes as cats or dogs, sometimes the Asuras, and still sometimes in the Ghost Kingdom of the Rakshas. We keep shuttling around to cultivate and improve ourselves, to eventually attain Buddhahood. We want to enter the state that is unsurpassed and real.
“Take it up when you are obliged to and put id down when it is gone.” Stay vigorous in cultivation. Do not slacken your efforts. Be flexible. Do not get too attached to it. One of my disciples, however, was so inflexible that he dare not even kills the worm in the vegetables. One day his wife bought him a piece of clothes, with the collar made of fur. He came to ask me, “Master, can I wear it? Is it an animal fur?” I told him, “Is it that easy to get animal fur anyway?” He was being too attached to the mark. This is like buckling the belt. We tighten it if it is too loose, and loosen it when we have just finished eating.
Maitreya Bodhisattva is humourous. “Take it up when you are obliged to and put id down when it is gone.” It is like how he wears the pants. Maitreya Bodhisattva dresses quite casually, but there is always a waist belt to his pants. He advised that you need to be able to flexible, both in life and in cultivation. Chairman Mao once put it, “those who do not rest never work well.” Well, I speak a lot on them so that you know the instructions by the Bodhisattva, though short, contain every bit of the truth.
“In a space of a breath, you have been to it all.”
In a short span of time, Lingmei has been to the heavens, and to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Her mission at the current stage is over after she visits World Honored One. Maitreya Bodhisattva knew about her schedule. “In a space of a breath, you have been to it all.” As we look again at the instructions, the focus is in the mind.
“Having experienced it all, it is your mind that matters in everything you do.”
All the Bodhisattvas exhort us to work on the mind, reflect within, and seek internally instead of externally.
He reminded you that no matter how well-travelled you are, from heaven to earth, and across the Buddhalands in the ten directions, in the final analysis it is your mind that matters. He made it clear to you, “It is your mind that matters in everything you do.”
‘You’d end up being hurt both mentally and physically, if you blindly follow the external marks.”
The Bodhisattva had noticed your problems. You all want to have a try as well having learnt about Lingmei’s trips. The Bodhisattva told us that none of the states was real. When seen from outside the Three Realms, it is not real.
It is not necessary that you all go for the trips. What is so fun about it anyway? If you all go for it, it is injuring. It is harmful to your mind power. It is not that helpful. Be mindful of it.
“There is a sequence in how everything develops from heaven to earth. Cultivate according to the sequence, and you make yourself a fine jade.”
Things in the heaven develop in a sequence. The Bodhisattvas have the Bodhisattvas’ states. There is a sequence to the development of everything. Don’t try to break the rule. Set our mind at peace and cultivate according to the sequence. We’d make ourlseves a fine jade.
Text:
I did not understand it.
Commentary:
Lingmei did not get the point.
Text:
The Bodhisattva laughed and said, “Haw-haw. By the time you’ve seen it all, you’d find yourself at great leisureliness.”
Commentary:
This is a message for Lingmei. He said with laughter and that by the day she had seen it all, she’d feel at great leisure to the extent of boredom. However, she should learn to enjoy the leisureliness which helps set her mind at peace. The Bodhisattva showed great love to you. He reminded you that by the time you have seen it all, you still should remember to set our mind at peace and work to propagate the Dharma.
Text:
I asked another question, “This is a question from my master. What can we do so that there are more Great Bodhisattvas than otherwise would by the time you come to the world?”
Commentary:
Lingmei has been the messenger between the Bodhisattvas and us. I came up with the question as an expedient means to help you gain faith. Of course, we are also sincerely looking forward to hearing His instruction. Both you, as my disciples, and many other cultivators with whom we have the affinity, want to get the instructions from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Lingmei has brought back from the Bodhisattva to us the Dharma mark. Lingmei so asked the question.
Text:
The Bodhisattva replied with a smile, “Quietly, the Buddhist scriptures and Dharma are connected and will be passed down. Don’t try to cut the corners. The teachings by any masters are consistent and that you should work on none other than the cultivation of the mind. Ong-ha-o-tuo. Recite it, and you’d enjoy great liberty as you will. Tuo-ma-li-ha. Recite it, regularly, and you'd rid of the attachment to the self, and won’t get deviated from the Proper Path. You shall enter the Proper Path of no self.
Commentary:
Before we realize it, the Buddhist sutras and Dharma are connected and will be passed down. Don’t worry about it. It is the law of nature, or, it is all predestined. Don’t try to change it by employ a tactics or any means. Don’t try to cut the corners. Do it with an unconditioned mind. Don’t bother to think what purpose we may achieve even in propagating the Dharma. Just do it.
Do it without asking why. Don’t try any tricks. Maitreya Bodhisattva used Ningbo dialect when He was speaking it. He was born in Fenghua County, Ningbo City, when he came to the secular world. He left the home-lift at Xue-dou Temple in Fenghua. As Fenghua is hometown to Chiang Kai-shek, a Buddhist believer, Xue-dou Temple is very splendid in decoration. It is really magnificent. Nevertheless, I have yet to pay a visit to the temple, though Fenghua is quite close to where I live. There is a TV play about Maitreya Bodhisattva by the name of Monk Cloth Bag. After Maitreya Bodhisattva had left the home life and attained the Way in Fenghua, he chose to roam around the world. He was at great liberty and leisureliness. He never dressed formally but casually and looked sloppy. He had a big belly, and always wore a big smile. He laughed at the laughable, and tolerated what is hardly tolerable. In fact, later on he also said , “Laugh, laugh, laugh, and laugh, as it is laughable. Ask, ask, ask, and ask, but who is it that keeps asking for more? ”. Why ask for more? He seemed quite at ease and relaxed when speaking this. This is how He manifested before us. Think about it. Would it be possible that Lingmei made it up? These articles about her trips are different from each other in style and language, and convey such important messages of Buddhist wisdom. How could that possibly be spoken by her? A genuine cultivator will not harbour the least bit of doubt when reading it.
The Bodhisattva told us not to employ tricks but rather should apply an unconditioned mind to whatever we do, either in life or in cultivation.
“The teachings by any masters are consistent and that you should work on none other than the cultivation of the mind.”
It is in response to Lingmei’s question. According to the Bodhisattva, all shall take place as is scheduled. Each master shall lead his team of disciples there. It is all predestined.
“Ong-ha-o-tuo. Recite it, and you’d enjoy great liberty as you will.”
Ong-ha-o-tuo. This is the Mantra of Proper Mind. The Bodhisattva cared for you very much. He found that your proper mind was not firm enough, and sent you the mantra to empower it. With a proper mind, you’d be at great comfort and able to go as you will.
Tuo-ma-li-ha is the Mantra of Removing the Deviant and Reassuring the Mind. The Bodhisattva gave you two mantras altogether.
Recite Tuo-ma-li-ha, and we won’t get deviated from the Proper Path. You shall have the proper thoughts in the proper mind.
You’d be able to get rid of the “self” clearly and thoroughly, after which you shall attain the no-self mark. I immediately entered the no-self mark after I had recited the mantra twice. The mantras are very powerful, therefore.
Tuo-ma-li-ha. Recite it regularly, and you’d rid of the attachment to the self, and won’t get deviated from the Proper Path. You shall enter the Proper Path of no self.
Text:
I was quite puzzled, “Bodhisattva, I don’t get it!” The Bodhisattva, with kindness and love, rubbed my head, and said with a smile, “Your Master knows it. I have put all I have to say to you. Be it in the heavens or earth, Venerable Master is around to supervise you. Whatever it is that you are doing, it can always be achieved by the power of your vows.
Commentary:
While she may have recognized that they were two mantras, she did not know what they were for.
The Bodhisattva told her that Master would know it. Master will explain what it means.
“I have put all I have to say to you. “
It contains all that the Bodhisattva has to say to us. It is perfect. As I said, the Bodhisattvas, though speaking with different wordings, send to us the same message. They remind us that cultivation of the mind is the key as we practice the Dharma.
“Be it in the heaven or earth, Venerable Master is around to supervise you.”
The Venerable Master here does not refer to me, but Shakyamuni Buddha. Whatever means it is that we employ to cultivate, it is for the sake of empowering our mind. We cultivate to melt away the seven emotions, six desires, and three poisons. How much we accomplish depends on how much they are melted away. At some point we’d enter Samadhi, but that is not done by ourselves but by the power of Venerable Master. “Good, the little boy has dissolved quite a bunch of three poisons. OK, I’d send you a gift, and take you to Samadhi.” See, He is supervising us all the time. Don’t worry about it.
“Whatever it is that you are doing, it can always be achieved by the power of your vows.”
What state we may enter or how much we accomplish in cultivation depends on our mind. I always ask people who say they want to be my disciples, “What do you want to get from cultivating the Dharma?” What they want to get represents their wish, and the power of the mind comes from it.
Some of them want to cure diseases. They remain obedient for a while. After they recover, the fall back to the bad habits of gambling or womanizing, and very soon fall ill again. It is really a pity.
Whatever we do and how well we can do it all depend on the power of our mind.
Text:
I asked, “What should we disciples do?”

The Bodhisattva replied, “Do your best to forget about your “self” Take it as empty, and you’d transcend it. Wherever you are, set your mind consistent with the Dharma. Thousands of eons pass like a dream. Keep your mind awakened.
We have always been in one. Which one is you anyway? It has been so long. You should smile at it, and move on hand in hand. View the life with a joyful heart, as you’ll find it full of wonderful moments. Hold on to single-mindfulness, and you’ll succeed in everything.”

Commentary:
Let’s learn the verse together.
Do your best to forget about your ‘self’. We cultivate to rid of the ego, and melt away selfishness, so that we reach the state of no-self. We are so occupied by the self: I want to eat. I want to sleep. I want this and I want that. It all starts with “I”. I feel jealous that he is better than me. I feel disgusted…this is just how selfish we people can be. Whatever Dharma door it is that we cultivate, it is for the sake of ridding of the self.
“Take it as empty, and you’d transcend your ‘self’.”
We need to take it as empty in our mind, and shall be able to transcend the self. We practice the Dharma to transcend the self, and get over the inherent weaknesses of our character.
If you are irritable, then cultivate to get over it, and you won’t lose your temper that easily.
If you are easily jealous, cultivate to get over it, and the jealousy shall melt away.
Cultivation helps us to transcend the self. For example, I tell Lingwen that she should uphold the Sutra of Longevity. Reciting it everyday is like removing the virus from a computer. After the virus gets deleted completely, you’d get access to all the folders in it with a click of the mouse. The click of the mouse is analogous to our thoughts while the folders contain the Dharmas, the Buddhalands in the ten directions, and all the Great Thousand Worlds. The virus is analogous to the seven emotions and six desires. We remove them with antivirus software. Lingwen upholds the Sutra of Longevity and it is the antivirus software for her. Lingyuan upholds the Buddha Speaks the Eight-Yang Dharani Sutra of Heaven and Earth, and Lingying upholds the Mantra of Great Compassion. Lingkong and Lingmei practice sitting in meditation and this is how they delete the virus. If we do not remove the virus, we never open the folders. In one word, take it as empty, and we’d transcend the “self”.
“Wherever you are, set your mind consistent with the Dharma. ”
Wherever we are, be it in the state of the Bodhisattva, of the Arhats, of the Pacceka Buddha, or in the realm of the Heavens, or in the secular world, or in the Path of the Animals, or elsewhere, it is our mind that matters. We have to set our mind in tune with the Buddha Dharma.
“Thousands of eons pass like a dream. Keep your mind awakened. ”
You’d realize immediately when you are enlightened that your coming and going is like a dream. Though living in the secular world, you should keep our mind awakened. Do not get confused. There is no need to feel miserable because of a failed relationship, or go into a fierce fighting against each other for a piece of cake. Just give the cake to whoever wants it. Don’t be deluded.
“We have always been in one. Which one is you anyway?”
As I said, we can be Guanyin Bodhisattva, or Manjushri Bodhisattva, or Maitreya Bodhisattva. We are no different from them. This is not in terms of our physical body, but the Buddha nature inherent in us. We have always been in one. We’d realize it by the time we reach the state of the Buddha that there is no “me” to speak of anyway.
“It has been so long. You should smile at it, and move on hand in hand.”
It has been so long since we set sail on the journey. What we have gone through since innumerable long kalpas till now is untold. For example, the condition for Lingmei and I to know each other was created 94.251 trillion kalpas ago. It has been so long, and certainly not easy if we look back it. Nevertheless, do not live in the memory. Rather, we should smile and feel gratified that we have been through it all.
“View the life with a joyful heart, as you’ll find it full of wonderful moments. ”
By the time we make it, we’d realize our life, no matter in what realm, is not spent in vain. It is fully of wonderful moments.
“Hold on to single-mindfulness, and you’ll succeed in everything.”
I have talked a lot about single-mindfulness. You know well about it. We’d succeed in everything by staying single-mindful.
Text:
I asked, “What can we do for Master?”
“Apply good efforts to cultivation, and your master can take care of himself. With earnest expectations, we hope you work on cultivation of the mind. The conditions shall manifest before you when ripe. Do not get over-ambitious. Subdue your thoughts. When you pray for something, we’ll appear in the state. By the time the flowers blossom, you’ll meet the Buddha. Seize the opportunity. The time and space is empty!”
Commentary:
“Apply good efforts to cultivation, and your master can take care of himself. “
Master can handle it well no natter what challenges are before me or what state I am in.
Before I started this lecture on Lingmei’s visit to Maitreya Bodhisattva, I asked you to practice alms solicitation and talked to you on what it means. Many of you thought you did so simply to help Master build the Bodhimanda. In fact, alms solicitation is part of our cultivation, and helps us to better reflect within, and withstand the Eight Winds .You are not helping Master but yourself.
Maitreya Bodhisattva took notice of your weaknesses in cultivation and therefore told you to take care of yourself, and that you master can take good of myself, too. Nothing amounts to an obstacle for master.
“With earnest expectations, we hope you work on cultivation of the mind.”
The Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Master expect you, all of my 3,000 disciples, to do well in cultivation, and to focus on cultivation of the mind.
“The conditions shall manifest before you when ripe. Do not get over-ambitious. Subdue your thoughts.”
When the conditions are ripe, they’d appear before us. For example, we may enter a certain state or gain spiritual penetrations having practiced cultivation for sometime. But always subdue our thoughts. Do not get arrogant or over-ambitious. Refrain from emulating each other out of jealousy or vanity.
“Bit by bit, the fruits shall appear.”
Bit by bit, you’d reap fruits.
“When you pray for something, we’ll appear in the state.”
You just need to keep applying efforts to cultivation, subdue your thoughts and mind, and many states shall naturally appear before you. We can travel around the Buddhalands and visit any Buddha and Bodhisattva at will. Once you give rise to the thought, they’ll appear.
“By the time the flowers blossom, you’ll meet the Buddha.”
When you are free from the self, you will see the Buddha.
By the time you all get back to the Buddha, you’ll find there has originally been no self to speak of. Where are you? Where is the Buddha? Everything disappears. Only by then will you truly see the Buddha. Before this happens, you are still occupied by the thoughts of whom you want to see and attached to the mark of self.
Maitreya Bodhisattva exhorts us to “seize the opportunity. The time and space is empty!”
Seize the opportunity before you and apply good efforts to cultivation! Gradually the time and space shall appear empty. A thousand eons pass within the twinkling of an eye.
Text:
I asked, “Do you have more instructions for us?”
Commentary:
She is pretty good at saying this. Anyway, she wanted to bring as many instructions to us as possible.
Maitreya Bodhisattva gave the following instruction in response to her question.
Text:
Having said so much, it boils down to one line. Apply good efforts to cultivation, and Master shall manifest before you as you wish. All the states and the conditions that lead to the states are made by your thoughts. When your mind is at peace, there is no where you cannot reach.
Commentary:
When I visited Shaoxing, many people came to me, some for help in curing diseases, others for Fengshui telling, and still others for advice on Dharma cultivation. Some of them had reached a certain state in cultivation and asked me how to handle it.
Anyway, people got as much from me as they were sincere. Not only so, if they acted upon my suggestion, they got their wishes granted. They want to be rich, and they get rich. They want a child, and they get a child.
Master appeared before you with some unusual images through the on-line video the other day. In fact, it happened because the condition was ripe. The condition was created by your sincerity. What state you can enter depends on your mind.
“When your mind is at peace, there is no where you cannot reach.”
When our mind is peaceful, we can go to any state as we want.
Lingmei put to him yet another question.
Text:
I asked, “What can we disciples do so that there will be more Bodhisattvas than otherwise would be by the time you come to the world?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva said with a laughter, “Follow your master closely throughout the four seasons. The Great Way is at such great liberty that it transforms you wherever you are. Unite your minds and you’d accomplish it together. Cultivate upon the mind, with faith, vows, and practice.
Commentary:
You only need to follow Master closely, and do what you are obliged to do. It has all been fixed what the world will be by the time Maitreya Bodhisattva comes to the world. Do not attempt to change it. Stay in accord with conditions. You only need to follow master in doing what you are supposed to do, and remain so throughout the four seasons
“Unite your minds and you’d accomplish it together. Cultivate upon the mind, with faith, vows, and practice.”
Our minds are closely united with that of Maitreya Bodhisattva.
You need to have three minds: a sincere mind, an honest mind, and a true mind. First you should have faith. With faith, you make the vows. After vows are made, you apply efforts to practice and fulfill the vows. To have faith sounds easy but is rather the most difficult challenge. People have different degrees of faith, wavering between faith and doubt. As I told you before, by the time there is not the least trace of doubt in your faith, you are no different from Guanyin Bodhisattva and Manjushri Bodhisattva. Anyway, hard as it is, you need to keep building it.
In fact, everything that you do, including sitting in meditation, reciting the sutra, or whatever means of cultivation it is, helps to build you faith. By the time it is pure without any doubts, the vows we you are so powerful that you’d gain incredible spiritual penetrations.
Anyway, faith is the first step. With faith, you make the vow, for example, to ferry across yourselves and rescue others, and you practice by sitting in meditation or sutra recitation. With faith, vows, and practice, coupled with the three minds, you’d make progress by leaps and bounds.
Lingmei wanted to ask more.
Text:
Before I could put another one, the Bodhisattva rubbed my head and said with a smile, “Do not get greedy for more. Cut off the feelings. Uphold the sutra with single-mindfulness. The states shall manifest naturally, with all the Buddhas and Buddhalands appearing in your mind. When your mind is open, the meaning of everything is revealed！
Commentary:
The Bodhisattva told her not to get greedy. Again he spoke in Ningbo dialect. “Wuyao”, in Ningbo dialect, means “do not”. He exhorted you to transcend the self. Face your mind squarely, and first of all, cut off the feelings.
You may have many feelings, the feelings about ourselves and about others. You have feelings because you discriminate. Cut off them, and you transcend the self.
Uphold the sutra with single-mindfulness. You are not able to make it when you first come to recite it. The Bodhisattva was not referring to when you first come to uphold it, but by the time you reach a certain state.
The states shall manifest naturally by then. All the Buddhas and Buddhalands shall appear in your mind. You’d get enlightened to it all. The intertwining of the response and way is unimaginable. This does not happen until you are single-mindful when reciting the sutra.
When your mind is open, the meaning of everything is revealed.
There is nothing that you do not know, from the marks of the Three Realms, to the Buddhalands in the ten directions, and all the 84,000 Dharma doors, and the sutras of the 12 divisions of the Tripitaka.
Though Lingmei did not get the point, she was nonetheless excited.
Text:
Fully excited, I kowtowed time and again, “Thank you, Bodhisattva! I shall bear it in mind! I look forward to visit you soon. Your kind grace is as huge as the mountains!” With a wave of the hand, Maitreya Bodhisattva sent me back with a cloud of auspiciousness.
Commentary:
She had a different experience coming back this time. Maitreya Bodhisattva had a wave of His hand, and Lingmei was back ridding on a cloud of auspiciousness.
Text:
I kept thinking over what the Bodhisattva had spoken to me after I was back. What did He mean to tell me with what I saw? At that point, a voice spoke to my ears, “Laugh, laugh, laugh, and laugh, as it is laughable. Ask, ask, ask, and ask, but who is asking for more?”
Commentary:
She was still immersed in the state and pondering over what the Bodhisattva had spoken to her. As she was thinking, a voice spoke to her, “Laugh, laugh, laugh, and laugh, as it is laughable. Ask, ask, ask, and ask, but who is asking for more? “
Sounds like it was spoken by Maitraya Bodhisattva. This is just how much at liberty He is. Or in modern language, He is at great leisure. In fact, the lines contain great Buddhist wisdom. He used four “laugh-s”, and He was laughing at you for not being able to take as empty the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind.
“Ask, ask, ask, and ask, but who is asking for more? ” You are asking for more, for the four elements, which give rise to greed, hatred, and ignorance.
She seemed to realize something having heard the voice.
Text:
“I was quite taken aback. All of a sudden, I realized just how much I can act upon it though I have asked for so much? Isn’t it pitiable and pathetic? Master has been so earnest and keen in teaching us, but how much we know it?
Commentary:
Not only Lingmei but many of my disciples have the problem. You need to reflect within. You can never measure how kindly I you, but for sure I never treat you with the least bit of evil thoughts.
Let us read the concluding passage:
Text:
Master, I have come to know you better somehow. You are never tired of teaching and instructing us, and yet how many of us have realized it? I am honest as usual, and I must write down what I truly think, even though others may misunderstand me: Let us cherish it! Our coming to the world is not easy. Meeting an enlightened master who enlightens us is even more rare. Why wait until we run our head into the brick wall? Who want to experience a tragedy again after it is over? Why get attached to it since originally there has not been the self? View the life with a joyful heart, and we’d find nothing belong to us. Pardon me for being so straight. I am writing down what I am thinking and want to say. Hopefully, we all get back to our true-self as soon as possible!
Commentary:
This passage is what she has learnt from the trip. Easy to understand it for you.
We now come to the end the text.
Amitabha-Buddha!
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.