''Why Bother 'Cultivating Ghosts'?''
from Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu Book 256 Paying a Visit to an Eminent Master


There was a person who was in favor of cultivating ghosts. He came to talk to me about the ''magic'' of ghost cultivation and raised many questions. I answered his questions one after another, improving his knowledge of this subject. Cultivating ghosts is actually just making connections with ''lower level spirits.'' The following is the substance of our conversation:
He asked me, ''Master, I heard that cultivating ghosts has its benefits. What are these benefits?''
I replied, ''One who succeeds in cultivating ghosts can obtain great wealth, become famous, wield power and authority, and attract the opposite sex. Wealth, sex, fame, and power can all be successfully accomplished. However, there is a downside. If one fails at cultivating ghosts one may very well be devoured by this practice.''
He asked, ''Master, how does one cultivate ghosts?''
I replied, ''The sequence of ghost cultivation is as follows:
Invoke the ghost.
Make offerings to the ghost.
Make a pledge of commitment to the ghost.
Utilize the ghost.''
He asked, ''Some people travel to Thailand and bring ghosts back with them. They then invoke the ghosts and make offerings to them. After attaching the ghosts to themselves they proceed to utilize the ghosts. Is this how ghost cultivation goes?''
I answered, ''Yes, it's like that.''
He asked, ''How does one know that ghosts are present?''

I replied, ''Make an incense offering. If the air is still but the smoke is wavering, ghosts are present. If ghosts appear in one's dreams, one feels the presence of ghosts, one experiences an illusory sighting, one hears illusory sounds, or one has illusory sensory perception, etc. and then, at that moment, one makes a vow of commitment to the ghosts, one will definitely be able to obtain assistance from the ghosts from that point on.''

He asked, ''What are the signs that one is receiving assistance from ghosts?''
I replied, ''If an artist cultivates ghosts his fans will quickly multiply and he will become famous far and wide. Politicians who cultivate ghosts will gain great power, always receiving abundant popular support. If religious leaders cultivate ghosts, great crowds of people will take refuge in them. The territory of the religious leader will grow larger and larger.'' (by acquiring connections with ghosts)

I continued, ''By cultivating and connecting with ghosts fortune tellers can be exceptionally accurate, thereby earning the love and respect of people.''

He asked, ''Why do people like to cultivate ghosts so much nowadays?''

I replied, ''Because it is easy to receive responses from ghosts and obtain benefits from them.''
He asked, ''What ghosts are included?''
I answered, ''Worshipping 『Youying Gong』,『Baixing Gong』,『Temple of the Eighteen Lords』,『Minor City Spirits』,『Fox Spirits Temple』,『Fox Immortal』,『Saucer Immortal』,『Netherworld』, and『Spiritual World』is all included. Cultivating『Baby Spirits』and『Child Ghosts 』is also included.''

He asked, ''Is this cultivation?''

I replied, ''This is a devil's gate and a crooked path.'' (acquiring connections with ghosts)

He asked, ''How is ghost cultivation different from the right path?''

I answered, ''By making offerings to buddhas, bodhisattvas, herukas, dharma protectors, and the heavens, one's mind goes upward. When one makes offerings to ghosts one's mind goes downward. Because of greed one may descend to the three lower realms.''

He asked, ''Grandmaster! Are there those within the True Buddha School who cultivate ghosts?''
I replied, ''Yes there are. But I won't talk about it!''

He asked, ''Can ghosts turn against one?''
I answered, ''Yes, if they become unhappy they will definitely turn against one. One who makes offerings to ghosts will descend to the ghost realm or Three Evil Realms. Therefore, why would one bother to cultivate ghosts.''
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Mahabala, the great lineage dharma protector of True Buddha School, protects True Buddha! Massive worldwide mantra chanting energy collection event has been kicked off! All temples, chapters, cultivation venues, and all TBS disciples are cordially invited to cultivate Mahabala Ghost Prohibiting Practice.

Mantra: ''Om, ma-ha-ba-la-ye, hum-hum-pei.''

Pray to Mahabala to guard Root Guru Living Buddha Lian-sheng so he may have ''health, longevity, and stay long in the world.'' Pray to Mahabala to protect cultivation venues and individuals for ''forming and purifying protective boundaries and for accomplishing cultivation.''

【Event Details】
Starting immediately, participants may record their mantra recitation count with the name of participants or participating cultivation venues at this website: http://tbsn.org/chinese3/prayform.php?cid=7. Participants may also email the mantra count, including name and a note indicating ''for Mahabala mantra chanting event,'' to webmaster@tbsn.org. Please choose only one of the above two options to avoid duplication of the mantra count. Thank you for your cooperation.

【Important Notes】
1. Those who attended the Mahabala Ceremony presided over by Living Buddha Lian-sheng in Seattle on Aug. 27, 2016 and received the Mahabala empowerment are not required to request another empowerment for the Mahabala Ghost Prohibiting Practice. The Mahabala empowerment given during the ceremony already includes empowerment to perform this practice.
2. Vajrayana associations, temples, chapters, and cultivation venues are welcome to request empowerment for Mahabala mantra chanting on behalf of their group by mailing a letter requesting this empowerment to the True Buddha Foundation. The empowerment for Mahabala mantra chanting includes empowerment for the Mahabala Ghost Prohibiting Practice. Remote empowerment cannot be bestowed for the Mahabala Uncommon Practice as empowerment for this practice must be personally bestowed by the Root Guru.
3. TBF address and contact info:
True Buddha Foundation
17110 NE 40th CT.
Redmond, WA 98052-5479
U.S.A.
Tel: (425) 885-7573
Fax: (425) 883-2173
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!!Please be aware that before engaging in any True Buddha Vajrayana practices, one must first take refuge and receive the respective empowerment.!!