(Translation from Chengdu, China newspaper article)
(Article from Asian Journal )
A Heavenly Window Opens to the Western Buddha Land; Everyone Saw Holy Sights of the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss
Laywoman Quan-Fang Lu Attained Enlightenment; Amitabha Buddha Escorted Her Away to the Western Paradise; She Left Behind 49 Shariras and Firm Relics
After the cremation of laywoman Quan-Fang Lu, people collected 49 shariras and firm relics from her bone ashes.
Several days ago, Madame Tang, who was a disciple of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu, attained great liberation from the cycle of reincarnation and left behind 263 sharira firm relics. On September 9th, Amitabha Buddha escorted to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss yet another outstanding disciple of His Holiness–laywoman Quan-Fang Lu! Amitabha Buddha praised the unsurpassed and true Buddha-dharma of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu. For 29 hours, Amitabha Buddha opened up a heavenly window of a Buddha land, thereby allowing many people to see the sights of that Buddha land. An image of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu miraculously emitted bright light for three hours, thereby empowering those with the karmic affinity to be empowered!
Elder laywoman Quan-Fang Lu was from Chengdu, Sichuan. She and her husband, layman Gung-Ming Wang, had been Buddhists since the 1950’s. When they took refuge in Buddhism, they received an initiation and Dharma transmission from His Holiness. In the 1950’s, they were working in Tibet. Because of their underlying karmic conditions, they received the guidance of an outstanding Rinpoche of Tibetan esoteric Buddhism. That Rinpoche told them that H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu possessed the best and highest Buddha-dharma. After going through many hardships, they brought their son to His Holiness. His Holiness was not even seven years old at the time. The three of them formally acknowledged His Holiness as their Master. Laywoman Quan-Fang Lu and her husband Gung-Ming Wang then resolutely decided to have their son stay by the side of His Holiness in order to receive his training and Dharma teachings.
They have been very pious and respectful toward His Holiness, and they have diligently practiced the Dharma that His Holiness transmitted to them. Over the past two years, certain people have spread rumors and made false accusations against His Holiness. Laywoman Quan-Fang Lu and her husband Gung-Ming Wang were filled with righteous indignation at this. They vigorously berated the contemptible conduct of those rascals who spread rumors, fabricated lies, and deceived people.
Based upon layman Gung-Ming Wang’s own pious heart and upon His Holiness’s realization, which is like that of a Buddha, in November of last year, layman Gung-Ming Wang passed on to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss. At his cremation, layman Gung-Ming Wang left behind 11 sharira firm relics.
In the middle of August, 2004, laywoman Quan-Fang Lu told her son Min Wang that she would soon pass away. Min Wang telephoned His Holiness a few times, beseeching His Holiness to cause his loving mother to stay alive longer. When Min Wang’s mother found out about these calls, she admonished her son, “Those who learn Buddhism and cultivate themselves must understand that the law of cause and effect never fails. My karmic connection with this world is about to end. My karmic connection with the dharma is now complete. His Holiness will help me go to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss.”
As expected, at around noon on September 9th, the crown of elder laywoman Lu’s head suddenly opened. The crown of her head became as soft as cotton. At that time, a colorful auspicious light filled the room. Amitabha Buddha came to escort her away. Beautifully set off by a huge white Buddha light, the pure gold bowl of Amitabha Buddha slowly descended. The red lotus flowers in the bowl were bright-colored. Two photographs were hurriedly taken of this extremely rare and holy sight. Heavenly music could be heard. Imitating the Buddha, elder laywoman Lu assumed the “auspicious recumbent posture.” Amid the Buddha light, she passed on to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss.
The next day, her body was placed in the Buddha worshipping hall of Bao Guang Temple in Xindu, which is one of the four great Chan (Zen) temples in China. Right after her body was placed there, an image of His Holiness suddenly emitted bright light. A colorful Buddha light went round and round H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu’s image. A fragrant scent wafted through the air.
News of such phenomena began to spread. More and more people came to chant mantras and sutras for the benefit of laywoman Lu, respectfully see her off to the next realm, and observe the ceremony. Day and night, the chanting of Amitabha Buddha’s name did not stop. On the evening of September 10th, eminent Tibetan Rinpoches and Lamas who were all disciples of tHis Holiness arrived at the temple after having traveled a great distance. They came to perform Buddhist rites. On the evening of September 11th, the machine used to chant the name of Amitabha Buddha suddenly emitted the shocking sound of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha. His Holiness was in the United States. The monastics and laypersons in attendance were all extremely moved.
At around noon on September 12th, a holy sight appeared for the first time in history! A painting of Amitabha Buddha hangs in the Buddha worshipping hall of the temple. In front of Amitabha Buddha’s chest, a heavenly window to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss suddenly opened. This heavenly window directly displayed the sights of the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss!
People were seething with excitement. They were so pleasantly surprised they could hardly control themselves. Through that heavenly window to a Buddha land that appeared in front of the painting of Amitabha Buddha, all of those who had the requisite karmic affinity saw Amitabha Buddha. They even saw the protuberance on top of Amitabha’s Buddha’s head. They saw Kuan Yin Bodhisattva wearing white clothes and holding willow tree branches. They also saw Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. In that heavenly window, elder laywoman Lu was reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha. Her lips were constantly moving, her eyes blinked, and her head swayed. She looked the same as when she recited Amitabha Buddha’s name when she was alive. The former abbot of Zhao Jue Temple, Dharma Teacher Qing Ding, also appeared. He was sitting on a chair, smiling, and nodding his head.
The image of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu appeared in that heavenly window. He was wearing a red Dharma robe and a Dharma crown. When he appeared, people excitedly shouted words such as, “Master, I see you!” “Great Dharma King Master, by following you we do not fear even death!” “Great Dharma King, my whole family wants to take refuge in you! We want to learn the true Buddha Dharma from you!”
People were awestruck by these holy scenes. They could not control their emotions. The sounds of people marveling, shouting, and kowtowing could be heard.
At 8:00 or 9:00 that evening, more and more people arrived at the cremation site. People rushed over from all directions to see the holy sights of the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss displayed through that heavenly window and to receive empowerment from Amitabha Buddha. Many people rushed home and brought back their parents and children. All of the elder and young people saw the holy scenes of that Buddha land. They did not even care about eating their dinner. They sat there in rows and devoutly chanted the holy name of Amitabha Buddha deep into the night. The holy sights of the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss displayed by that heavenly window continually changed and lasted all the way up to 5:00 in the afternoon the next day. This display of sights lasted all together 29 hours, which is a miracle in the history of Buddhism.
On the morning of September 13th, a colorful Buddha light filled the sky. After 1:00 in the afternoon, the picture of His Holiness suddenly began emitting bright white light that continually flashed. For three hours, this light empowered those with the karmic affinity to be empowered. While immersed in the Buddha-dharma empowerment bestowed by His Holiness, people shouted with joy and prostrated. It was an extremely moving scene!
At 5:00 in the afternoon, those disciples who had been reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha formed long lines as part of the ceremony placing the body of elder laywoman Lu into the cremation furnace. Whatever place her body passed through, there was a fragrant scent in the air. Before the monastics and lamas began chanting mantras and performing Buddhist rites, the part of the wooden cremation-casket over elder laywoman Lu’s chest was covered with Buddha light. From the cracks in that wooden cremation-casket, red, white, and yellow light emanated!
As soon as the cremation furnace was lit, a round Dharma object that formed from a translucent silver light appeared on the crown of elder laywoman Lu’s head. There was a square hole in the middle of that Dharma object. That Dharma object was exactly the same as the round light that appeared over the crown of Henghsing Gyatso Rinpoche’s head when he respectfully received a picture of His Holiness. He received that picture right before he began his journey around the island of Taiwan. Before receiving that picture, Henghsing Gyatso Rinpoche, who is a disciple of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu, had made a vow to journey 1,100 kilometers around the island of Taiwan on foot by prostrating fully once after each step. He made this vow in order to atone for the sins of others.
During the cremation of laywoman Lu, holy sights continually appeared. Lotus flowers emerged. Images of tHis Holiness, the Three Holy Ones of the Western Paradise (Amitabha Buddha, Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva), and Maitreya Bodhisattva all appeared. Vajra Dharma protecting deities and dragon-spirit Dharma protecting deities stood in a circle on both sides of her. Fire phoenix flew to and fro inside the cremation furnace. Beautiful scenes of pagodas and towers from the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss repeatedly appeared. People before the cremation furnace were filled with Dharma joy and began prostrating. They were so moved they began to cry. The sound of joyous laughter filled the temple.