English
(This translation only includes content pertaining to Natural Disaster Eradication Tara)
< April 28, 2019 Dharma King Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu Dharma Discourse on Natural Disaster Eradication Tara at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center>
Homage to the lineage gurus, Reverend Liaoming, His Eminence Sakya Zhengkong Rinpoche, HH Dharma King 16th Karmapa and Vajra Master Thubten Dargye. Homage to the Three Jewels on the shrine. Homage to Green Tara, the 21 Taras, the Natural Disaster Eradication Tara, and all Buddha Mothers, Taras and celestial goddesses under Prajnaparamita.
First, I wish to thank everyone, including all the VIP's, for being here today. A very warm welcome and good afternoon to all present. (Grandmaster greets everyone in various languages)
Grandmaster discussing presidential electionBeing capable with good meritsAs primary considerations
The ceremony today was very fruitful! We wish to express our gratitude to Green Tara Bodhisattva, the 21 Taras, the Natural Disaster Eradication Tara, Prajnaparamita, all the Buddha Mothers, Taras, and celestial goddesses under Prajnaparamita for making today's ceremony resonate with positive spiritual energy.Let's now begin the dharma discourse on the Natural Disaster Eradication Tara. Today, we held a Natural Disaster Eradication Tara Ceremony. Out of desire to protect our country, we must hold a ceremony of this kind so that the people will be peaceful, prosperous, healthy, safe and secure. May everyone be blessed with joy and happiness.
Without empowerment, one cannot engage in Natural Disaster Eradication Tara Practice
The first thing we must have when practicing an esoteric practice is the mudra. The Natural Disaster Eradication Tara Mudra is forming a Purification Vase Holding Mudra with one hand and a Fearless Mudra with the other. This is the mudra of Natural Disaster Eradication Tara. After forming the mudra, one visualizes her image. Amitabha is her crown ornament. Here is her image. One must visualize her. Visualizing the deity, forming her mudra, and reciting her mantra constitute a session of the sadhana.
The Natural Disaster Eradication Tara Mantra is ''Om, da-lie, dou-da-lie, dou-lie, ma-ma, sha-er-wa, ye-ye-ma-ha, ha-na-ba-ya, xin-deng-mu, gu-ru, soha.'' Recite this mantra 108 times.
Reciting the mantra purifies one's speech. Visualizing Tara purifies one's mind. Forming the mudra purifies one's body. With these three elements, one is able to practice this dharma just as one practices one's daily session of a dharma.
Let me tell you, the dharma transmitted today is esoteric in nature. One who does not receive the empowerment today cannot practice the dharma. Only acharyas who are present today can practice the dharma. Acharyas, reverends, and disciples who are absent today and do not receive the Tara empowerment are not allowed to cultivate this dharma.
Practicing dharma of suppressing earthquakes
Collect earth from the five directions
Cultivate a total of 108 dharma practices
Return the soil to its original location
I will now reveal the secrets of earthquake eradication dharma. What constitutes a natural disaster? An earthquake is one kind of natural disaster. How do we eliminate earthquakes? I shall reveal a secret to everyone. As I mentioned before, I instructed Master Lianzhe to practice this dharma. Why was Taiwan still riddled with frequent earthquakes? I am telling you right now. This dharma must be performed precisely, without being more or less. What does this mean? Let me elaborate.To relieve Taiwan of earthquakes, one must collect a kilogram of earth from the town of Su'ao in Yilan. From Taixi in the west, obtain a kg of earth from the seashore. In the east, the cities of Yuli and Fuli are located between Taitung and Hualien. One may obtain a kg of earth from Yuli. In the south, obtain a kg of earth from the southernmost point of Cape Eluanbi.
On each collection of earth one should note: this earth was retrieved from Cape Eluanbi; this earth was retrieved from Su'ao in Yilan; this earth was retrieved from Taixi; this kg of earth was retrieved from Yuli in the east. Finally, one needs to retrieve a kg of earth from the center. The middle section of Nantou is the center of Taiwan.
Placing the earth collected from east, south, west, north, and center at the Natural Disaster Eradication Tara shrine, one then cultivates 108 sessions of Natural Disaster Eradication Tara Dharma. During each practice, one must recite the mantra 108 times, form the mudra, and visualize Tara. One must cultivate 108 sessions of the practice. The practice may be performed as a group practice or one may practice alone.
When one completes the earthquake eradication practice and the collected earth has been blessed, one should return the earth to the location from which it was originally collected. Earth collected from Su'ao, Taixi, Eluanbi, Fuli or Yuli, and Nantou respectively must be returned to the original collection point. One must adhere strictly to these rules and be sure to return the exact amount of earth to its original location; if one kilogram was collected, exactly one kilogram must be returned. When the practice is completed, earthquakes will no longer occur within these regions.
Japan has the most earthquakes.We have two masters based in Japan: Master Jingxiang (靜香上師) and Master Lianchang 石川敏行（蓮常上師). Master Jingxiang, what is your Japanese name? It is Tian Yuan Jing Hui (天元靜惠）. One of these two masters is Japanese, while the other, though not Japanese, considers Japan her native country. Therefore, since Japan is plagued by earthquakes, I think you two masters have a duty to help Japan, so you must know esoteric practice. A tantric sadhana consists of mudra, mantra and visualization. To suppress earthquakes, a practitioner must cultivate a total of 108 practices.
I'm discoursing this particular practice because it is truly extraordinary. When one puts it into practice, it can eliminate earthquakes. So, from what locations in Japan should we collect the earth needed for the practice?
There are four main islands in Japan; Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu. One must collect earth from each of these four islands. One must also collect earth from the center of Japan, that is, from either the Kanto or Kansai region. To complete the practice, one must collect earth from all five directions. Although this earthquake prevention practice may seem quite difficult to perform, it will reduce, if not totally suppress, the magnitude of an earthquake. This dharma is truly effective to prevent earthquakes. What we want to avoid is an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 or above, because, at this magnitude, the tremor is extremely powerful. An earthquake less than magnitude 6 is tolerable. This is the first kind of natural disaster.
To protect against floods
Retrieve earth from a riverbank
Perform the practice
Return the earth to its original location
So what about flooding? Does Grandmaster know a practice to protect against flooding? There is a saying in Chinese: ''Stop soldiers from advancing with a general and stop flooding with an earthen dam.'' This practice also involves collecting earth. From where do we retrieve the earth? From a riverbank.I remember when I was young, I rode my bike from Xinxing District in Kaohsiung to Pingtung County. I rode past a river called the Shimo Tansui-kei. By what name is the river known now? (Note: Gaoping River) One should collect earth from the banks of Gaoping River. This will help prevent flooding in Kaohsiung and Pingtung.
As for central Taiwan, one is required to collect earth from Zhuoshui River. In Taipei, earth should be collected from Tamsui River. Earth must be collected from a major river. After the earth is collected, one performs the practice. Afterwards, one returns the earth to the riverbank from which it was collected. As a result, flooding will not occur.
However, we cannot rely solely on the Natural Disaster Eradication Tara practice to prevent flooding. The local Department of Water Resources should also establish appropriate infrastructure to facilitate the channelling of water into drains, to streams and rivers, and finally to the sea. Flooding can only be fully eradicated by constructing appropriate infrastructure.
To extinguish fire and relieve fire disasters
Perform Nine-character Mantra Practice
Form Four Verticals Five Horizontals Mudra
I'm discussing disasters of earth, water, fire and wind. Natural disasters arise from the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind. Disasters arising from wind will be discussed last.
I have already discussed earthquake and flood disasters. I will now discuss disasters caused by fire. The cause of fire may be an electrical malfunction or unknown. But what if a fire is caused by arson? If a fire is caused by arson, it will be difficult to prevent. So, as disciples of Natural Disaster Eradication Tara, how do we relieve fire disasters? I just formed a mudra (Grandmaster draws four verticals and five horizontals while reciting ''Lin, bing, dou, zhe, jie, zhen, lie, zai, qian'' (臨、兵、鬥、者、皆、陣、列、在、前)). This is the Nine-character Mantra Practice.
These nine mudras are the mudras of each individual syllable of the Nine-character Mantra, ''Lin, bing, dou, zhe, jie, zhen, lie, zai, qian'' (Grandmaster demonstrates the respective nine mudras).
Should someone in the audience happen to encounter a house on fire, facing the fire, this individual can extinguish the fire by just drawing the four verticals and five horizontals while reciting the Nine-character Mantra, ''Lin, bing, dou, zhe, jie, zhen, lie, zai, qian'', then forming the Four Verticals Five Horizontals Mudra (Grandmaster demonstrates the mudra) and pushing the mudra toward the fire. The fire will be extinguished. This is the method to relieve the fire disasters.
At times, a fire may be difficult to prevent. We hope that, as a result of this ceremony, there will be fewer fire disasters. If a fire breaks out and one of you happens to be on-site at the time, that individual can immediately perform this fire-eliminating practice. As a result, fire trucks will arrive in time to extinguish the fire. In addition, by applying this practice the fire will diminish and stop spreading.
There was a True Buddha School (TBS) disciple whose house was in the middle of a row of houses. The fire spread toward his house from the side of the row, but the flames jumped over his house. His was the only house that wasn't engulfed in the flames.
Everyone please spread the word to everyone to take refuge in TBS. TBS has the Nine-character Mantra, and by reciting the Nine-character Mantra one can eradicate fire disasters. Once one has taken refuge in TBS, one can chant the Nine-character Mantra to eradicate fire disasters. There was a TBS disciple whose shop was in a row of shops. There was a fire and the entire row of shops was destroyed. All that is, except the TBS disciple's shop.
It's highly recommended that everyone learn how to eradicate fire disasters. One may not be a fireman by profession, but one can still eradicate fire disasters by reciting ''Lin, bing, dou, zhe, jie, zhen, lie, zai, qian'' and applying the Four Verticals Five Horizontals Mudra to extinguish fires.
To eliminate typhoons
Erect a Usnisa Vijaya stupa
Recite Usnisa Vijaya Mantra or Natural Disaster Eradication Tara Mantra
My next topic relates to typhoons. Does everyone know the mantra of Usnisa Vijaya? Why are this year's typhoons changing course when they approach Taiwan? Grandmaster spent three and a half years in spiritual retreat in Taiwan. During this time, no typhoons were reported in Taiwan. During the three and a half years after typhoon Xangsane, not even one typhoon landed in Taiwan. Taiwan was free of typhoons. Why?A TBS disciple working in the Immigration Bureau checked the dates when Grandmaster entered and departed Taiwan against the time period of Grandmaster's retreat and verified that during this three and a half year period, there were no typhoons in Taiwan. Why was that so? It was because Grandmaster was in Taiwan. Typhoons landed in Taiwan immediately after I left. This is a fact. Typhoon Xangsane hit Taiwan before I came to Taiwan to begin my retreat. Taiwan was hit by another typhoon not long after I left. This is the truth.
Let me tell you a 2nd method to suppress typhoons: the Usnisa Vijaya stupa and mantra. The Natural Disaster Eradication Tara Mantra can also suppress typhoons. An Usnisa Vijaya stupa has been constructed at Taiwan Lei Tsang Temple in Caotun, Nantou. If we construct Usnisa Vijaya stupas in the west, north, at Fengbitou or Cape Eluanbi in the south, and also in the east, all typhoons will change course. The Usnisa Vijaya mantra and the Usnisa Vijaya stupas will suppress all typhoons.
The Governor of Guam granted me a special permit to visit the island. I was invited to the Governor's Office and a banquet was held to receive us. Later, we erected a Usnisa Vijaya stupa in one of the gardens in Guam. We specially erected an Usnisa Vijaya stupa in Guam because Guam is the origin of typhoons. Once the Usnisa Vijaya stupa was erected, typhoons appeared to change course and Guam was spared from typhoons.
We do feel sympathy for the Japanese that powerful typhoons were redirected to their country. Korea is another country affected by the redirection of typhoons. It would have been better if the typhoons had passed between Japan and Korea, right?
To Cure Illnesses
Use the Golden Well Dharma
The Natural Disaster Eradication Tara Practice is a practice which can eliminate all natural disasters of earth, water, fire and wind. In addition, the Nine-character Mantra and the Four Verticals Five Horizontals Mudra I just transmitted can not only relieve fire disasters, but can also save people. Form the Four Verticals Five Horizontals Mudra by cutting five horizontal lines with four vertical lines. Together, these nine lines represent nine syllables: ''Lin, bing, dou, zhe, jie, zhen, lie, zai, qian.''
True Buddha School has many practices that save people, such as ''First horizontal stroke becomes a creek, second horizontal stroke becomes a river, third and fourth vertical strokes form the Chinese ideogram of a Golden Well. This is no ordinary finger-pointing mudra, but a finger-pointing mudra of a scholar of Mount Lu. Pointing to the sky, the sky becomes pure; Pointing to the earth, the earth becomes spiritual, pointing to a human, the human gains longevity, pointing to a ghost, the ghost vanishes.'' This practice is very useful for treating illnesses, including illnesses caused by spirits and ghosts.
We really should not always rely on the help of Taishang Laojun: ''Spirits of the heavens and spirits of the earth, may Taishang Laojun descend.'' Instead of relying solely on chanting this mantra, we should also learn to use the Golden Well Practice. With the Golden Well Practice and Mudra, one just draws the Golden Well with one, two, three, four strokes and points to the ill or painful area while chanting ''First horizontal stroke becomes a creek, second horizontal stroke becomes a river, third and fourth vertical strokes form the Chinese ideogram of a Golden Well. This is no ordinary finger-pointing mudra, but a finger-pointing mudra of a scholar of Mount Lu. Pointing to the sky, the sky becomes pure; Pointing to the earth, the earth becomes spiritual, pointing to a human, the human gains longevity, pointing to a ghost, the ghost vanishes.'' Illnesses can be cured in this way, just by pointing to the problem area.
For cultivators who have broken precepts or committed evil deeds
Vajrayana practices will not be effective
Keeping this in mind, as a spiritual cultivator, one must refrain from alcohol. Practitioners must not drink. Also, do not drink and drive. This ''not drinking and driving'' is itself a precept.(Joke translation is omitted)
For a Tantric practitioner, abiding by tantric precepts is a requirement for attainment in spiritual cultivation.
(Joke translation is omitted)
Everything happens for a reason. In Buddhism, we believe in cause and effect. Therefore, one must not create evil karma. Trying to cultivate Buddhadharma while engaging in evil deeds is futile.
Cultivating Buddhadharma while violating tantric precepts is likewise futile. This is an extremely crucial point.
(Joke translation is omitted)
What I wish to tell everyone is that we must apply good judgment regarding everything we see. In this modern world, there is a lot of fake news and excessive smearing and slandering is taking place. Therefore, my advice to those seeking office and to voters at large is to exercise good judgment. This advice is for candidates and voters alike. Everyone should see the truth clearly. One should not smear or slander a good candidate who is actually working for the public interest. We must be clear about this.
To put an end to rampant fraudulent organizations
Guiding mankind's heart to be virtuous is the path
(Joke translation is omitted)
I want to caution everyone to carefully protect oneself from scammers and fraudulent organizations. Why is Taiwan so well-known for con artists? Because frauds and charlatans from Taiwan have infiltrated every part of the world including the US, China, Spain, and Southeast Asia. Needless to say, they operate in Taiwan as well.
One day I received a call and the caller told me over the phone, ''I have kidnapped your grandson.'' As he spoke, I could hear a child crying in the background. I asked the caller, ''What language does my grandson speak?'' to which the caller replied, ''He speaks Taiwanese of course.'' I answered, ''My own son doesn't speak Taiwanese, much less my grandson!'' My grandson lives in the US, so, of course, he doesn't speak Taiwanese. This caller was obviously lying.
Scammers are all over the place including Taiwan and the US. Once, while in the US, I received a call allegedly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). According to the caller, I had unresolved issues with the IRS, and was required to follow his instructions to press a certain extension number. Fortunately, my daughter is a lawyer so I have some knowledge of law and legal matters. My daughter had previously informed me that direct calling is not a practice of the IRS. Normally, the IRS communicates with the public in writing. I immediately hung up the phone as I knew this call was a scam. From this, we can see that con artists are active in the US also.
How did Taiwan become a country of frauds and charlatans? What it boils down to is education. There has been insufficient education. Education should focus on guiding people to have a good and virtuous heart.
Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to everyone for coming today. I pray that the Natural Disaster Eradication Tara, Green Tara, and the 21 Taras, will grant their blessings to this great land so that everyone will enjoy a long, healthy, peaceful and happy life free of natural and human disasters.
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Translated by TBTTs
Translator: Lynn Ang
Editor: Henry Wolf and DJ Chang
