23 October 2021 Padmasambhava Group Practice at Seattle Temple
Partial translation of news article by TBS Seattle Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple


23 October 2021 Saturday is the weekly group cultivation night presided over by His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng at Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple [also warmly referred to by disciples as Seattle Temple]. Recently, due to the slight loosening of anti-pandemic measures at Seattle Temple, more disciples from other places further away have come to pay homage, creating a warm and more lively atmosphere!

At 8 pm the solemn and majestic melody of Padmakumara’s heart mantra is sounded, and everyone awaits in reverence to welcome the arrival of His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng [Grand Master Lu], to ascend the dharma throne and preside over the Padmasambhava group cultivation practice, and continue his detailed exposition on the Vajra Sutra (Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra, also known as the Diamond Sutra). During the dedication of the group cultivation practice, Grand Master Lu paid homage to Padmasambhava, and prayed for his benediction to bless and bardo-deliver all deceased spirits whether with affinity or without to the pure lands of buddhas; for the pacification or alleviation of calamities, bestowal of blessings, and the cessation of the pandemic.

As usual, Grand Master Lu’s dharma discourse also contained jokes [offered by disciples, jokes or witty anecdotes which often take on new shades of meaning after Grand Master interprets them, infusing the mundane with dharma flavour and transcendent wisdom.] This time, there was a story about a conversation between a fish and a turtle.

[A fish asked a turtle: Why do you always hide in your shell whenever you encounter something?
The turtle replies: Does it matter what other people say?
The fish responds: Don’t you care if others scold you?
The turtle slowly turns around and says: This is why I live longer than you.]

This parable teaches that what is most important is just to be and do our best; in the eyes of those who like you, what you do will always be right, and in the eyes of those who dislike you, no matter how well you perform or even if you improve, they will still dislike you.


Question and Answer Segment "Interaction is Power" (IIP #157)

This was followed by Grand Master Lu’s detailed replies to questions asked by disciples:

1. Why is it that there are only buddhas of the 16th bhumi (meaning stage or bodhisattva ground) at most? Are there no buddhas of the 17th, 18th, or 19th bhumi?
English translation of this QA (text): https://en.tbsn.org/guidem/detail/2501/

2a. If an accomplished adept or cultivator is buried instead of cremated, will there still be sariras?

2b. When a person passes away and his/her [cremated] ashes are scattered in the ocean, or placed at Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Hall [at a temple], which has a better effect on his/her descendants?

2c. If the family of a deceased has consulted a fengshui master, and has also found a spot with good fengshui, is it better to cremate the deceased’s body first and then bury the ashes, or to bury the body in the earth directly? Which of these methods will have a better effect on the descendants of the deceased?


Discourse on Vajra Sutra (VS #26)

His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng then continued his detailed exposition on the Vajra Sutra.
https://en.tbsn.org/guidem/detail/2638/

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Video of 23 October 2021 Padmasambhava Group Practice and dharma discourse at Seattle Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple:
https://en.tbsn.org/video/detail/256/

List of quick links to the English translated text of HH Living Buddha Lian-sheng’s dharma discourse on the Vajra Sutra:
https://en.tbsn.org/guidem/detail/2265/