On Monday 17th August 2009, the day after the Deliverance Homa, Grandmaster Lu walked into the Tantric Quarter surrounded by concerned and worried students. Everyone can see the unconcealable weariness on Guru`s face. His eyes were also slightly swollen. Perhaps, he shed too many tears for the suffering of sentient beings last night. The sight made students hearts wept

After Guru blessed the letters requesting help and guidance, Guru let out a long sigh and told everyone that he had suffered great losses in order to complete this most recent deliverance homa. `I lost more than fifty spiritual emanations, lost approximately half of my cultivation power. In addition to these severe losses, I also must compensate for the lost of fifty dark angels and repair damage to the hell realm.`

As it turned out, Guru had been in negotiation with Lord Yama and the Lord of the Five Mountain Ranges all last night. He did not catch a moment of rest. He stayed up all the way until noon. Guru revealed that the negotiation had broken down. Despite the appeals of multitude of buddhas and bodhisattvas, Golden Mother of Jade Pond, and multitude of dharma protectors, one still cannot violate the Law of Karma, damage was done to the Hell Realm, and fifty netherworld guardians (dark angels) did die. Despite Shakyamuni Buddha`s mediation pacifying the Hell Realms` displeasure, Guru still has to compensate for the death of fifty dark angels and use his own five-color rainbow light to restore the hell realm repairing its damage.

Some students objected, why Guru had to compensate for the fifty dead dark angels, Guru lost fifty some spiritual emanations! Why didn`t the hell realm compensate for our losses? Guru gently explained, `We started this incident. I threw all caution aside trying to rescue the dead from my homeland. My spiritual emanations were formed from cultivation; they can be replaced through cultivation. Fortunately, Guru obtained the help of White Tara to repair the hell realm with five color light. But, replacing these spiritual emanations will be very difficult. Even if I replace one spiritual emanation a day through cultivation, it will take fifty days. It will take a long time to restore my full retinue of 108 spiritual emanations. Most of the time, it is my spiritual emanations who are helping my students around the world.`

Some students asked about the secrets of Guru spiting holy water to purify the karmas of the spirits sentenced to hell. Guru responded, `That wasn`t just holy water, it was my cultivation energy, the energy that I accumulated through decade of cultivation. I made this great sacrifice in order to rescue these dead from my homeland. It will take a long time to restore the spent energy.`

Guru told everyone, karmic power, especially karmas that have reached fruitions are the most difficult to change. Lord Yama told Guru, these victims of the flood had been destined to fall into the hell realm because of their karmas. Now, Guru transported them to the buddha pure lands. This is a violation of Law of Karma. This is breaking the Law of the Netherworld. This is going against the natural order. In the past, the Monkey King had stormed through the heavens, now, Living Buddha Lian-sheng actually stomped open hell to rescue sentient beings.

Some students asked, isn`t all phenomena inherently empty in accordance to Zen principle? Guru explained, Zen doesn`t advocate heaven, hell, or pure land. Even so, genuine reality is neither appearance nor emptiness. We have to abide and understand Law of Karma. Using our bodies as an example, we still need to go see the doctors when we get sick even though our bodies are illusory transformations. The same reasoning applies to the hell realm. Its damage must be repair.

After hearing Guru`s explanations, students praised Guru for his complete disregard for his own well being to rescue sentient beings. On the other hands, everyone was concern. They all want to know how they can share this heavy burden of sentient beings` karmas on Guru`s shoulders. Guru peacefully responded, Thank you for everyone`s concern. Fortunately, Guru obtained the help of White Tara who can help repair damages to hell realm.

By nightfall, unimaginable auspicious clouds appeared in the sky foretelling a brighter tomorrow after enduring all this hardships. The students and Guru bid each other good night and exchange well wishes. The students earnestly pray that Guru swiftly regained his boundless radiance. Wish Guru swiftly restore the energy lost rescuing sentient beings. Wish Guru restore his retinue of one hundred and eight spiritual emanations, and have much and much more! Pray that the Phoenix rise after the baptism of fire becoming even more brilliantly luminous.

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