What’s Endless Love?

It’s benevolent.

It’s philanthropic.

It’s merciful.

What’s Endless Love?

The title of this book is originally directly translated from Chinese as "The story of Joyful Bodhisattva and her family" （歡喜菩薩一家人故事） However, the author feels that the English title, "What's Endless Love?", better presents the content of the book. Because love does not differ in religion or ethnicity, it is the extraordinary among ordinary, through a family of honest, simple and true practice in belief that tells us endless love, which is benevolent, philanthropic, and merciful.

The Origin of Re-edition

Since ancient time, Buddhist monks have been encouraging Buddhist descendants to have an in-depth and constant study on a selected course from Eighty-Four Thousand Dharma. It must be predestinated that I therefore focus on the Commentary on the Amitabha Sutra（阿彌陀經要解）. Given that I selected this course, I am obliged to achieve certain goals. In the process of sharing the edition of the Commentary on the Amitabha Sutra, I occasionally mentioned the story of Joyful Bodhisattva（歡喜菩薩） and her family as an example in order to inspire the audiences and bring them to pursue the religious practice brightly. One day when I wrote about the moment that Grandma An-Tong（阿通老奶奶）, who was Joyful Bodhisattva’s mother, passed away, I was so touched and consequently shared this story with several friends. Surprisingly they were all inspired and asked me to share it with more people. Under the circumstance, I decided to edit and print The Story of Joyful Bodhisattva and Her Family, and then I can form a connection with the public.

Many people may have read the book of The True Story of Joyful Bodhisattva（歡喜菩薩真人真事） lectured by Master Daozen（道證法師） and therefore realize the essence of Joyful Bodhisattva. However, people are predestined to understand Joyful Bodhisattva through this re-edition whether they have read or heard about Joyful Bodhisattva or not. In this booklet, we will re-introduce Joyful Bodhisattva and her family and their benevolences, their alms giving without claiming any credit, and their ways to treat people irrespective the degree of intimacy. As well, we will let the readers to understand that they just follow their essences to practice these benevolences. It is essential to advocate the benevolences of Joyful Bodhisattva, who was mentioned by Master Daozen decade ago. I am also honored that I have the chance to, on the one hand, share these stories of Joyful Bodhisattva and , on the other hand ,introduce these stories to people through this re- editing that Master Daozen has not elaborated previously. I am fully convinced that the public can be impressed and touched by their benevolences and consequently obtaining in-depth comprehension of Buddhism and bliss as well.

There is a series of book, Caterpillar , which metaphorically describing the evolution of butterfly, were edited by Master Daozen. These books essentially warm and touch many people. Master Daozen had passed away decade ago in the early hours of the enlightenment day of Guanyin Bodhisattva（觀音菩薩 ）. Her last words were about the significance of the mentality while praying to Buddha. She was asking her disciples staying right beside her if they comprehend the meaning of praying to Buddha. She said that the mentality of praying is Buddha calling us instead of praying to Buddha. She said that she completely understand this. The Master had been confident and concentrated on her belief. After the Master enlightened her disciplines, she was lying on the right side and praying to the Buddha, and then she passed away. On her cremation day, about 7:00 PM, there were different colors of glows shining on the sky that fully impress all audiences. After cremation, there were many buddhist relics（舍利子） found that resembled the seven treasures of pure enlightenment（七寶清淨莊嚴）. Master Daozen, Joyful Bodhisattva and many others are, in fact, reincarnated from Buddha. I will make endeavor to deliver their stories to impress the public and can consequently make them believing in Buddhism.

I have repeatedly read The True Story of Joyful Bodhisattva in order to soften my deep heart. Whatever Joyful Bodhisattva can do, if I can do I will maintain. However, what Joyful Bodhisattva can do that I cannot, I would repent and learn from her. Joyful Bodhisattva is an uneducated countrywoman, who has been living beyond destiny and praying to Buddha’s glory. Her conduct makes us, highly educated intellectuals, no longer have proud heart.

From Joyful Bodhisattva we can see great freedom, immeasurable joy, chanting the name of Buddha with pure mind, heavenly music in the air, benevolent and doing good deeds, and treating everyone and every object with sincere heart, harmony and satisfaction. Her naturally formed behavior well deserves to be a role model of every Buddhist. I hereby tribute and praise Joyful Bodhisattva, Ms. Jin-Hwa Yu（游金花）, with all my loyalty, love, care, filial piety and faith.

In empty flying joyful heart

（虛空游翔歡喜心）

In glory shining immeasurable heart

（皓躍金光無量心）

In heavenly music raining pure heart

（天樂花雨清淨心）

In Bodhisattva giving benevolent heart

（一心菩提演慈心）

In benevolence showing pitiful heart

（仁者薩埵示悲心）

Respectfully I-Jen （一真）

Ps: The w ord “Bodhis attva” in this book was originally wordings used by Buddhists, but in Taiwan it has been extensively applied as a respectful form of addressing people who study Buddhism . Using Bodhisattva as a representation also means that this person is truly kind, benevolent, equal and philanthropic from his or her heart.

Table of contents

The Origin of Re-edition

1.    The first praying of mother and daughter

2.    Decent praying and foreseeing the time of death

3.    Meritorious deeds and blessings

4.    Real happiness and satisfaction donations, altruism

5.    The fundamental of Buddhist doctrine filial piety and respect

6.    Normal heart, benevolent heart

7.    Studying Buddhism is the cause,becoming Buddha is the effect

8.    The praise of the sky music sounding through the air

9.    The signs of Grandma An-Tong`s passing

10.    Faith, wishes, and grasping the truth when the time is ripe

Epilogue

1.The first praying of mother and daughter

At first, I would like to briefly describe how Joyful Bodhisattva and her daughter met Master Daozen and the causation. Joyful Bodhisattva, whose real name is Jin-Hwa Yu, was a typical simple countrywoman. The name Joyful Bodhisattva was entitled by Master Daozen, who was an Oncologist before her Pabbajja. They met each other in a hospital. In about twenty years ago, Ms. Yu, Joyful Bodhisattva, in despair and to her dismay, took her second daughter, who was fifteen years old and suffered advanced cancer, to the hospital in Taichung from a small village in Jiayi. During her daughter ’s stay in the hospital, once Ms. Yu went to the restroom and the neighboring patient, who was an old lady, could not turn over by herself alone. Her daughter, who was having an intravenous drip and could not move at all, hastily called:”Mom!” out loud for Ms. Yu. Ms. Yu heard that shouting from the restroom, thinking that something might have happened to her daughter, ran out from the

bathroom frenziedly. Just when she stepped out the bathroom door her both legs suddenly went powerless and she fell on the floor, wounded both knees. This was Ms. Yu’s mental state before she started learning Buddhism.

When Ms. Yu’s daughter was first diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma the cancer cells were found to have invaded spinal cord and brain and the lymphatic gland in her neck was very swollen. During that time their family was very deprived because of not only crop failure but also poultry plague. No watermelon grew in their field and all chickens and ducks had died one after another. In order to pay for the medical expense, they had to sell the only farmland other than borrowing money. Although they had been through those critical suffering and torment, they hardly complain but remain compassionate and thankful. Then the attending doctor arranged a special treatment for the patient that young Miss Yu had to take intravenous drip for seven consecutive days. In accorda nce with the medical record , this treatment usually resulted in serious vomiting even for adult patients. Surrounded by severe patients, the mother and daughter, far away from their home in a hospital of a strange city, plus the first time in having intravenous drip, were anxious and scared. They failed to sleep for seven days in a row. Master Daozen, at that time, started to tell them stories and encouraged them to pray to Buddha. Perhaps the mother and daughter have accumulated good deeds in many previous lifetimes, they believed in Master Daozen and, with no doubt, began praying to Buddha.

In that extremely challenging situation, Joyful Bodhisattva devoted herself to the Holy Amitabha. Because of her wholehearted love to her daughter, Joyful Bodhisattva prayed to the Buddha, without feeling of tiredness and pain, for seven consecutive days, more intense than those Buddhists behave in a seven-day Recitation of the Buddha’s Name. She later told Master Daozen that she neither felt any pain nor herself. At that moment, there is nothing left but the Holy Amitabha. Joyful Bodhisattva’s first pray lasted for seven consecutive days and nights, that she chanted Buddha’s name until her heart reaching purity, like obtaining the ability of zen in primary level（淨土宗功夫成片）. Before that, she was illiterate and never chanted before. For people like us, we still cannot pray well and should be ashamed.

After period of medical treatment, Joyful Bodhisattva and her daughter left the hospital. While arriving at home, the devastating typhoon brutally destructed their house. The roofing was almost gone. They hung some bricks under the roofing to counter weigh the wind force The roof, however, was inevitably leaked and water flooded the inside. Children sat on the ground helplessly because they were scared by heavy rain and strong wind. In addition to her second daughter, who just left the hospital, Joyful Bodhisattva had to settle down the whole family, it was double whammy. Master Daozen indicated the most commendable of Joyful Bodhisattva were her invincible confidence and fortitude. In that stormy night, Joyful Bodhisattva chanted even louder than the wind. The louder the wind blew, the even louder.Joyful Bodhisattva chanted. She simply focused on the Holy Amitabha and felt fully protected. Joyful Bodhisattva did not pray to the Buddha in any favorable circumstance, instead, she was in an extremely dreadful circumstance of ill child, poor harvest, vast wipeout of domestic fowls, and devastating livelihood. In such an atrocious situation, Joyful Bodhisattva left all her faith to the Buddha and therefore chanted not only loudly but also confidently.

As indicated in the Buddhist scripture, the merit of praying to Buddha is unbelievable. If the sentient beings bear the Buddha in mind and are mindful of the Buddha, they will be certain to see the Buddha at present or in the future. Joyful Bodhisattva justified Maha- stamaprapta Bodhisattva's Yuantong chapter（大勢至菩薩念佛圓通章）: They will never be far from the Buddha, and without the aid of expedients, their minds will awaken by themselves. This i s what Maste r Daozen had perceived from Joyful Bodhisattva, who wholeheartedly prays to Buddha and therefore change her mind and fate, and lives thankfully cons equently.Joyful Bodhisattva always said that the Holy Amitabha not only enhances her wisdom but open her mind that converts her vexation into happiness and power. This statement was from a countrywoman who was illiterate; we therefore can only pay our tribute to Joyful Bodhisattva. Afterwards, Joyful Bodhisattva comprehends the Holy Amitabha further and chants for all time. She chants while she is working, planting, and cooking. Increasingly, the vision of Buddha not only appears on her face but also resides in her heart. No matter in the good times or adversity, Joyful Bodhisattva always prays to the Buddha with joyfulness. I was destined to meet Joyful Bodhisattva and found that she, indeed, chanted for all time. When I w as talking, s he w as listening with prayer beads in her hands. When she was cooking, she was praying to Buddha along with every motion. She even prayed to Buddha by singing! When she was feeding her grandchild, she was also praying to Buddha. Praying to Buddha actually melts into the daily life of Joyful Bodhisattva and that makes her feel at ease.

2.D ecen t pr ayin g and for es eeing th e time of death

When the second daughter of Joyful Bodhisattva was 17, she foresaw her demise and prepared everything well before she approached her end. Before accessing future life, she only prayed to Buddha for two years while she was 15; therefore, she must be a sincere prayer. When she left the hospital, she went to work to support her family. Right before approaching her end, she prepared gifts for each member of her family. She bought a new bed for her parents, are frigerator for her elder brother, and a bookshelf for her elder sister. During the afternoon on the day she passed, she even helped her aunt harvest rice, as if everything is fine. When the night arrived, she told her family, unexpectedly, that she wanted to wash her hair and change her clothes. Her mother, Joyful Bodhisattva, noticed the irregularity and then recited prayer with her husband, while her daughter passed away shortly after, with a smile on her face. Eight hours late, her body was still soft and her face still seemed lively. After her second daughter's passing, Joyful Bodhisattva's youngest daughter dreamt of her sister following Guanyin Bodhisattava, flying awa y. At the time, her eldest son was preparing for the college entrance exam, but he was busy helping on the farm and didn't have much time to study. He also dreamt of Guanyin Bodhisattava taking him to Feng Chia University, telling him 'this is your school.' When the results were posted, sure enough, he got into Feng Chia University! Even the other neighbors of the village dreamt of her daughter's passing to the west. Upon realising all the effects of her second daughter's passing, the Joyful Bodhisattava became more determined in her faith in chanting to Buddha. Proving Master Daozen's praise, she chanted out the light of mercy, following with the light of happiness, wisdom, and escape. Not only did she free herself from her suffering, she turned the lacking of life into a beautiful, precious lotus; furthermore, she led her family to focus their body and soul to recycling, caring for Earth, and turning the filthy into the land of bliss.

Joyful Bodhisattva told me that she only knew of praying to Buddha when she met Master Daozen at the age of 40. From that moment on, "with the beads in the hand and the Buddha in the heart; when the heart contains Buddha, i t will contain Dharma, and with Dharma comes Sankhara.", so she began helping others everywhere, using action to convince families and neighbors to pray to Buddha.

Before Joyful Bodhisattva studied Buddhism, she didn't know the benefits of praying. When her mother-in-law passed away in pain and suffering, she felt extremely sad and helpless. After realizing the power of chanting to Buddha, she regretted not helping her mother-in-law more at the time, so she prayed for a good next life for her diligently. After this experience, she showed extra care towards the elderly, leading them to chant and learn of the benefits of Buddhism, to trust wholeheartedly in Amitabha.

Joyful Bodhisattva's grandfather, Mr.Yu, knew of his death at the age of 92. The old Bodhisattva regularly chanted with 108 beads for many years. Each bead was sparkling. The day before his passi ng , Joyful Bodhisattva visited him , hugging him and chanting wit hhim just like always. She also brought new clothes for the old man, to which he replied, "If you're buying them for people to 'burn', I have no use for them." At the time, she hadn't yet understood the meaning of his words. (It turned out that he was ready to go). Since the old man seemed healthy in every way, he went to sleep like normal. Because nothing seemed wrong, the family didn't know he was going to pass away. Only until the next morning did they find out that grandfather had left the world for the Western Pure Land.

Joyful Bodhisattva's grandmother, Mrs. Yu also passed away peacefully at the age of 94. Mrs.Yu and her husband lived without worries and spent their days modestly, even making their own meals well into their nineties. During their spare time, each would sit in their own chairs and hold bead to chant. Since Joyful Bodhisattva chanted with sincerity, she often sensed unimaginable occurrence. The night before Mrs. Yu's passing, she dreamt of Master Daozen speaking to her, she said, "Bodhisattva! You have to go visit your grandmother. You have to go today. Otherwise you won't see her tomorrow." When Joyful Bodhisattva woke up, she felt that the dream was too realistic, so she hastily brought her kids along to see her grandmother. Usually healthy, grandmother was not feeling well in the morning, so they took her to a checkup. When they went home, she played with her grandkids, just like normal. Grandmother doesn't cook for her grandkids, but that afternoon, she cooked a special meal for them, urging them to eat. After dinner, she went to bed and slept peacefully, while the family prayed for her until 10:40 pm . Her face was full of pinkness and glow when she passed, as if someone purposely put makeup on her, surprising family members who arrived later. Joyful Bodhisattva remarked, "That’s the light from Amitabha." Afterwards, the family realized that the special meal was grandmother's way of saying goodbye.

Everyone knew of the filial piety of Joyful Bodhisattva. In the ten years after her grandmother's passing, she spent every day caring for her father-in-law, accompanying him on walks in the park or prayers. During their strolls, she would hold his hand with one hand and carry a reed chair in the other. It turned out to be a seat for the old man when he's tired, so he could rest. This action was full of consideration, a proof of her filial piety. Joyful Bodhisattva said, "three days before her father-in-law passed, she dreamt of him riding a bicycle, feeling that it's too dangerous, she told him to not ride it and get on her back, so she can carry him to the house." Three days later, the father-in-law told Joyful Bodhisattva, "no exercise today, I'll just sit and wait to 'go'." Joyful Bodhisattva replied quickly, "Not yet." But the old man smiled at her and said, "I am satisfied, just want to wash my hair first, then use the restroom." After using the restroom, the old man's legs softened and he fell to his knees . Immediately, the small frame Joyful Bodhisattva carried the hundred and seventy something centimeter father-in-law. Standing only a hundred and fifty centimeters, when she carried her father-in-law, his legs still dragged on the ground. At this moment, she believed only Amitabha can provide her strength, so she yelled, "Amitabha," and then someone came to help carry the legs. As if in a dream, she carried her father-in-law in front of a statue of the three saints of the West, allowing him to pass away in peace. The 87 year old man also died in peace, without disease or pain.

Joyful Bodhisattva lived with great success, earning the love of all the elderly neighbors. They all love chanting together with her. Mrs. Yeh, an old neighbor, who also learned how to chant from her, visited her home frequently. They often interacted together. While Joyful Bodhisattva worhipped Buddha, Mrs. Yeh would chant nearby. Joyful Bodhisattva regularly gifted the neighbors some cooking pans. On a day about ten years ago, the 80 year old Mrs, Yeh wanted her to help clean her kitchen, allowing her to take anything she needed and recycling the rest. Then the old lady said she will go to her daughter's home and pass away. Joyful Bodhisattva comforted her, "don't say that, not yet." However, when the kitchen was cleaned, the old lady went to her daughter's home and really passed. Old Mrs.Yeh also passed without disease and suffering and her passing was also predicted, what a marvelous proof.

From the first time that the mother and daughter started to prey the name of Buddha piously to manifestation of stories about predicting timing of her family and neighbors, it let us to have firm confidence in learning that “among all methods of studying Buddhism, the simplest and most stable one is to study with faith, willingness and focus and maintain the chant in ‘Commen tar y on th e Amitabh a Sutra’”. The Scripture teaches us that there are many ways to study Buddhism and they can be summarized to around four: studying Buddhism from inner self, studying Buddhism by thinking the image of Buddha, studying Buddhism by looking at the image of Buddha, and studying Buddhism by chanti ng t he nam e of Buddha, which are all in “The Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra”.（觀無量壽佛經）The large volume “The Infinite

Life Sutra”（無量壽經） and small volume “The Amitabha Sutra”（阿彌陀經）both teach us to specifically use the method of chanting the name of Buddha. We can see that “studying Buddhism by chanting the name of Buddha” is the method specially offered by Gautama Buddha with thorough benevolent heart. In fact, it is also highly valued by all Buddha, such that all Buddha are the same. They all value this method.

In the four ways of s tudying Buddhism, the easiest way is to "focus and maintain the chant." Focus means focusing on the heart and on the one. Holding means maintaining it and not losing it. The chant is the six words "Namo Amitabha." It's best to never leave this chant every day and night throughout the year. The way to recite it is to chant either all six words or just the last four words, either loudly or

quietly, or even silently in the heart, but most importantly, the ancient high monks taught us to never stop, never doubt, and never get distracted, as the Great Strength Bodhisattva taught, "when focusing on chanting Buddha without any thoughts or desires, all six senses would be contained and the Buddha chanted is pure.”（都攝六根，淨念相繼）" Some may ask how long does it take to accomplish something from studying Buddhism? Bhadanta also told us to study from "The Study of Dreams in The Record of the Pure Land Saints",（淨土聖賢錄） and the "Tales of Rebirth"（往生傳）, that good men, who are spiritual and reborned and walk while standing and sitting, can accomplish something on average in about three years. Joyful Bodhisattva's second daughter can be reborn in less than three years, providing us a great lesson and proof. However, do not mistaken that you will die if you study Buddhism for three years. That's not dying, but living to be reborn, simply discarding the body that's borrowed for now, following Amitabha, and folowing the Three Saints of the West.

It is a very rare chance in fate to encounter the way to study Buddha. According to "The Infinite Life Sutra," this is a maturity of this life from the build-up of good deeds in the infinite past life. Why is that? A person can only believe this way and accept this way. If not for the maturity from the infinite build - up of good deeds, he would not fully believe it and study it seriously when he encounters it. In other words, if a person can't be reborn in this life, it means that he's not yet mature. Just as Joyful Bodhisattva and her daughter believing in Buddha the first time they encountered it, accepted it and really achieved it without doubt, interruption, or distraction. This is the proof of a mature person. A mature person decided to acquire life in this life. Therefore, if we tried to convince everyone of the way and he would not accept or believe, we shouldn’t be discouraged or shamed. Why is it so? Because he is not yet mature, even Buddha can't even help him. How can we help? It is necessary to wait for his maturity after many lives; along with the power of the Ten Direction Tathagata, helping in the background, he will then believe, wish, and act to achieve something in his life.

3. Meritorious deeds and blessings

Meritorious deeds surpass reincarnation, able to escape the Three Domains, but meritorious blessings cannot. The Sixth Patriarch（禪宗六 祖惠能法師） expressed this clearly in the "Holy Scriptures"（壇經） in situations of life and death, blessings cannot save, meritorious blessings has no use. In ancient China, everyone knew that Emperor Wu of Liang（梁武帝）was a devoted disciple of Buddha, very protective of Buddhism. Using his rank and power, he helped the Buddhists build 480 temples, and also promised to offer assistance to anyone who wished to become a monk, attracting tens of thousands to leave their homes to join monasteries. Coincidently, Bodhidharma（達磨祖師） visited China and paid Emperor Wu a visit. The Emperor once asked him, look at all the good that I've done, aren't these meritorious deed substantial? Bodhidharma shaked his head when he heard him, and replied

"not meritorious deed." As if a bowl of cool water splashed on the Emperor's head, he was not joyful to hear these disagreeable words, so he decided not to shield and sustain Buddhism anymore, forcing Bodhidharma to flee to the Shaolin Temple to face the wall for nine years. If only Emperor Wu asked him that year, aren't my meritorious blessings substantial? Then Bodhidharma would nod his head and say very substantial. What Emperor Wu of Liang did was meritorious blessings, not meritorious deeds.

Basically, meritorious deeds can't be given to people, but meritorious blessings can be shared with everyone. If you have a house, you can gift it to someone, if a car, you can also gift it. However, you cannot gift the achievement or the wisdom you've acquired, because those are meritorious deeds. Meritorious deeds must come from yours elf, and never from others. Therefore, we need to understand the difference between meritorious deeds and blessings.

Master Daozen respectfully called her the "Joyful Bodhisattva," because she's a teacher who taught us how to achieve infinite happiness and compassion through her "actual actions" everyday. Even though she looks ordinary, she possessed deep wisdom, emanating a very similar compassion as a Bodhisattva, with the four infinite heart of loving, kindness, joy and giving（慈悲喜捨）.

Joyful Bodhisattva is a farmer's wife in Chiayi, 68-year-old this year. Just like all countrymen who plant rice diligently every day and, in the past, had to use manual labor during harvest, she had to carry about six thousand kilograms of rice crop. When there's sunlight, she took them out to dry, but if it suddenly rained, she would quickly pull all the crops away from the rain under a cover, with her breaths panting from running, her sweat dropping like the rain, her work seeming very tough to a regular person. However, she smiled sweetly and said to Master Daozen, "I chanted Amitabha while working. I got happier the more I worked. It felt very sweet, and not tough at all!" Her words really earn our respect, proving that true chanting can be used to transform your mindset, turning toughness to sweetness. She also said,"Since I've started studying Buddhism, planting rice became very relaxing. I chant Amitabha while spraying rice. I sprayed and chanted. The more I sprayed, the happier I became. Planting the field became very easy, and the harvest is better than before." Other than "Amitabha,' Joyful Bodhisattva also said "very happy, really simple,' often, meaning very joyful and very simple. This phrase "very happy, really simple" became her motto, since she does everything with happiness, so any difficult things became very simple and joyful when they happened to her.

Joyful Bodhisattva's crops, her husband described, "her crops grows fast and well, and she only plants, but doesn't harvest." Since she's generous, she'll tell the neighbors, "Something is ready to be harvested in the field, if you want some, just come and get it!" No matter who showed up to harvest, she's always smiling, joyful to help. Even when the couple noticed someone was stealing their crops, they'll quickly hide, in order to not embarrass the person.

I have observed her behaviors and notice it "evolving." She truly used her heart and consideration. For example, legumes such as the green beans were lined up neatly in a row, directly planted next to the road, so people who pass by could pick some conveniently. She remarked, people wouldn't even need to go into the garden and got their feet or shoes dirty. Even her joyful donations were thoughtful in many ways for the people, which is not easy.

Normally when the government planned to open a new road, people, who received notices to evict or lose a lot of their land, would be very stressed and most likely not joyful, even writing petitions to overturn the government's plans. However when a state government representative talked to her about this problem, she still smiled happily like a pure, joyful child and said, "so joyful, really grateful, I've received a blessing. My field can be used for your road,and please make it bigger, so everyone's car can be 'better meet and dodge'," meaning it's easier for everyone to drive and much safer. The Master complimented her on this sincerity, this very joyful donation without hesitation, expressing the deep ideas and principles of the sutras in only a few words, and realistically achieved them . Quoting a comm on phrase from her, "I don't know anything, only being joyful everyday." This is truly an abnormal and amazing wisdom, which can be rephrased as great wisdom appears to be foolish. Facing something nobody would be joyful about, she still managed to be joyful. She truly studied Buddhism, possessing a very deep "mind kung fu." On the contrary, most of us would want to fight with everything, always quick to debate, without understanding how to use happiness to face everything in life. In comparison, we are truly shameful.

An old man occupied their farm field for almost two years, but the couples were always polite and courteous, preventing conflict. One time in the village, everyone suggested measuring the land and drawing boundaries, requiring marks on the land that's measured. Naturally, the occupied range would be returned to the owner, but that old man acted like a bully and complained loudly to the man measuring the land, "whoever dared to mark my land, I'll punch you straight to the ground!" In fact, many villagers couldn't stand him, so one after another deciding to stand up to him, starting to argue, so loud that the local policemen quickly showed up. However, the old man still acted tough and wouldn't back down, and remarked shamelessly, "you guys can try to sue me in the court." As a fight seemed imminent, Joyful Bodhisattva saw it and quickly arrived, her mouth chanting Amitabha while rushing straight into the crowd and said, "Amitabha! Amitabha! We are all together, s o we s hould be joyful. Don't be angry." Then she turned to the old man and said: "Sir, if this piece of farmland is to return to us, don't know if you're joyful or not?" The old man replied angrily: "Of course I'm not joyful!" Joyful Bodhisattva then said, "Oh! If you're not joyful, then you don't need to return it to us, because you are like our parents, needing our filial piety. I'll give anything joyful to people. Everyone here simply wanted to mark the land to prove the boundaries, in order to prevent future family members from fighting. Starting tomorrow, our field will still be open for you to plant! If you're joyful, I'm joyful." After these words, she turned to her husband and gently used her hand to soothe his chest, and said with a smile, "We are giving this sir happiness, you should be joyful too!" When she's done, she waved to everyone and said, "Goodbye, I'm going home." Then when she turned around to leave, suddenly, the old man called out her name from behind. When she turned her head, she saw the old man shedding some tears and saying, "I'll return the farmland to you." When all the villagers present saw this, they stared at each other and said, "Eh? How could it be so simple? It’s resolved with only three phrases." This is truly "very happy, really simple," amid happiness, everything becomes very simple.

In the "Bodhisattva precepts in the Sutra of Brahma's Net."（梵網經菩薩戒本） Buddha said Bodhisattva should develop Buddha-like filial piety and compassion, allowing all life to have prosperity and joy. Master Daozen used this excerpt to compliment Joyful Bodhisattva, since she always uses Buddha-like filial piety, compassion, giving people happiness and joy. But she never wishes for anything for herself, she always considered the joy of all life to be her own joy, she often said, "If you're joyful, I'm joyful!" All life has the character of Buddha, no matter good or bad, all possess Buddha, able to become one in the future. She used Buddha-like filial piety to treat everyone nicely, sincerely affecting people. The people felt the sincere and joyful heart, naturally developing the compassion already within their Buddha-like character, letting go of unnecessary greed. This all happened in a flash. The light of joy from the Joyful Buddha had the power of illuminating people's heart. Truly, her joyful, magnetic field could reach everywhere. Every time a student was with her or talking to her on the phone, they felt very joyful, unknowingly affected by her happiness.

After the land was done zoning, Joyful Bodhisattva couple shrunk their land purposely, making sure the farm road was only within their own land, allowing neighbors to be happy. One of the roads should've been paid for by everyone, but her husband was considerate of their neighbors, knowing their old age and hard life, taking the lead to pay for them. Actually, their money was hard earned from blood and sweat. Her husband worked as a cement mason, doing tough and hard work. Every night, he would return home covered in mudwater, but he still took care of the farmland. This tough job did not take away their generous heart. Her husband once said, to explain how they work together, the husband "took care of the belly," while she "took care of Buddha." The family treated people with sincerity and generosity, but live modestly themselves. A life full of humor and joy allowed them to sound out voices of laughter, as if the family really lived within the land of bliss.

The sutra taught us that donations need "threefold wheel of essential emptiness," and "giving without purpose." We need to at least remain in the stage of release and awareness. After listening to some of their actions, their touching stories should help everyone have a deeper understanding. Their way of polite courtesy demands serious admiration. Master Daozen complimented them, this kind of polite courtesy and joyful donation when being taken advantage of is rarer than simply donating to acharity, because their hearts were not contaminated by others, or invaded by feelings of anger. The Buddhists said "Meritorious deeds are infinite," so what counts as "meritorious?" Only by "benefitting others only and not yourself" counts as meritorious, meaning fully benefitting others, and not even a little selfishness. And what counts as "deeds?" There must be "no judging mind", which is even harder, meaning the mind must not distinguish other's wrong or your own right, your bad and other's good. This kind of impurity of right or wrong prevents real deeds. Therefore, real meritorious deeds are hard to achieve.

In order to become one who act according to nature, their hearts have already realized that "all life is of one body," only unable to express it through words. They have the wisdom to realize that all life constitutes one body, so there's no need to fight, no desire to fight, just like the hands put on the socks for the feet; or like the teeth accidently bites the tongue, but the tongue wouldn't blame the teeth and get angry. You, I, and everyone are like a body's hands and feet, tongue and teeth, so there's no need to fight, no need to mind. This is the highest level of "Mind Kung Fu". To understand this, the Buddhists often use the ocean as a metaphor. The ocean seems wavy on the surface, with this wave and that wave. You are this wave and I'm that other wave, on different levels. You are this bubble and I'm the other bubble. In reality, the whole thing is the oceanwater! Every one of us is part of a wave, part of a bubble. If you only insist a wave is yourself, than that distinguishes you from the other waves. This wave hits that wave, fighting hard with each other, however, it turns out everyone is the oceanwater, without any reason to compete and waste energy. Joyful Bodhisattva performed this wonderfully, allowing her to achieve peace without wasting energy while good results always come around. A normal person would've fought until their faces are red, yelling back and forth, so angry that it affects their sleep, unable to gain any good.

4.Real happiness and satisfaction—donations, altruism

The sutra taught us that if we don’t make a wish to expiate the sins of everyone, worries in the mundane world cannot be broken off. There is no need to talk about definite worries, so Arhat cannot become Buddha. However, Buddha helps others every day. Actually helping others is accomplishing oneself. To help others with all heart can one completely accomplish oneself. Thinking of only others and not thinking about self can one naturally have complete bliss. If thinking about others while still thinking about self, although one can still have bliss, but it would not be complete, because there is still worry in the bliss. If one forgets self and thinks only for others, there is no worry inside the bliss to be enjoyed, this is called a true complete bliss. We must understand these principles, so we must study earnestly.

Joyful Bodhisattva family often likes to give precedence out of courtesy and donate,which did not make them poorer. According to principle of cause and effect, the family's financial conditions are, on the contrary, getting better and better. Besides, “He who respects others is constantly respected by them. He who loves others is constantly loved by them.” He who possesses more generosity must have more karmic reward. They joyfully and peacefully study Buddhism in their heart is the biggest and truest karmic reward. The husband of Joyful Bodhisattva is the seventh of eight brothers. According to her description, eight sisters in law all shared the same thoughts. In the early ages houses were interconnected and no doors were shut. She often told everyone: “We were brought together by fate, so our hearts must link to each other and are happy every day.” Eight sisters in law can be of one mind is not easy. It is actually a miracle in modern days. What an extraordinary family Bodhimanda!

Some farm family in their village wanted to enlarge their own land by expanding to public road gradually so the ridges between fields became very narrow. Some road surface was even drilled holes by mice . When farmers walked by carrying heavy burdens, the ridges can suddenly collapse and people would fall to the fields, thus easily got into fight, blaming each others. When people started to quarrel, Joyful Bodhisattva would run to the middle and said: “Amitahba! We must be joyful when we are together. I’ll go pick up some soil to help you fixing the road so no one will fall down again.” Then she really go picking up soil. When everyone saw her like this, they were too embarrassed to continue quarrelling.

One day, Joyful Bodhisattva lost five thousand dollars on the road. When she found the money is missing, to one’s surprise, her first sentence was: “Now whoever got hold of the money can use it. I am very happy. “ She is happy whoever picked up the money can enjoy it. She then joyfully ride her motorcycle as usual to do recycling work everywhere for NPO Tzu-Chi（慈濟）. She enjoys giving anytime and never searched where she has lost that five thousand dollars. When she joyfully mentioned this to Farmer ’s Association, coincidentally it is the staff in Farmer’s Association who got hold the five thousand dollars. When the person knew that she was the one who lost the money, he hurriedly wanted to return to her. She replied: “You picked it up, so it’s yours.” This staff in Farmer ’s Association has seen her painstakingly cleaned out garbage in schools and everywhere everyday autom atically for environmental protection and for helping Tzu-Chi to build hospitals, and tried to persuade everyone to collect recyclable goods and then carried everything home to process further. People have been moved by her so the staff in Farmer ’s Association insisted to return the five thousand dollars to her. She could only say: “Why don’t we just divide the cash between us, three thousand for you and two thousand for me.” The staff didn’t want to, so she bought a lot of stuffs with this five thousand dollars and shared with everyone. Everyone is happy. Joyful Bodhisattva is different from everyone else, but is on t he contrary super adorable. People usually like to fight for himself or herself and want others to please him or her. But Joyful Bodhisattva specifically wanted others to be joyful. She is joyful when everyone is joyful. As a result she is the most joyful person in the world.

Once an organized car theft gang showed up to dis turb the village. Many villagers ’ motorcycles were stolen. When the eldest son of Joyful Bodhisattva found that her vehicle was stolen, he told her: “Mom, congratulation!” Joyful Bodhisattva adorably replied: “I had become grandma three days ago. Why you waited till now to congratulate me? What are you congratulating me about?” The eldest son said: “Mom. Congratulations! You are about to ride a new motorcycle, because the old one has been stolen.” She, unexpectedly, replied: “Amitahba! How fortunate. I just spent more than a thousand to fix it, even replacing the rear box to a new one. Now whoever took the motorcycle can ride safely.” Such comforting and joyful expression, as described once by Master Daozen, is like having the motorcycle repaired for her own kids.

She really liked to give equally, regardless of t he person to be good or bad in general people’s eyes. She treated motorcycle theft as her own kids. Her merciful and joyful heart would not be moved by favorable or adverse circumstances or people’s good or bad. It is truly “remained unmoved by outside changes”. She lived comfortably inside mercy and joy without shaken. Everyone would more or less feels “this thief is after all detes table” when running into this situation, but she responded without hesitation: “Amitahba! How fortunate.” Everyone was born by a mother. The thief ’s mother also wants him to ride safely without danger and running to accident. Joyful Bodhisattva has the same loving mother’s heart, Buddha’s heart, generously loving people. This is not a dull “remained unmoved by outside changes”. She is living comfortably in mercy without shaken. Usually most people would develop “good thoughts” when meeting good people and good thing, but also would develop

“bad thoughts” when meeting bad people or bad thing. In another word, the goodness or badness of our thoughts are easily affected by others, but Joyful Bodhisattva always has thoughts of living comfortably inside mercy and joy so her merciful heart in treating people and handling things is never shaken.

If the motorcycle thief knew about her merciful heart, that still loved and protected him in silence, he would definitely feel ashamed. Everyone has Buddha nature. For those who have wicked conduct, perhaps there are some ineffable difficulties that made people behaving this way. However, if we can learn from Joyful Bodhisattva and bring joyful living attitude to people, when people are in joy, they are more easily developing kind thoughts.

Recycling field is apparently the big Bodhimanda that Joyful Bodhisattva gave and benefited others. Every volunteers in the recycling field likes to learn Buddhism with her, so they recycle and chant the name of Buddha side by side, with much happiness. When some volunteering Bodhisattvas knew someone has trouble and depressed, they would autonomously notify Joyful Bodhisattva to counsel this certain person, because she can often make everyone feeling joyful and the effects are usually excellent. She likes to say most “Do every day. Feel good every day. Recycle every day. Grow old without upsetting.” to encourage and teach elderly neighbors and friends to recycle and chant the name of Buddha side by side. Like a Senior Apprentice Chu, she was in pain every day because of her injured spine that may need surgery. She often has trouble sleeping and teased herself to be like a crazy woman pacing up and down at midnight. After she accepted Joyful Bodhisattva’s advice and started to chant the name of Buddha and also recycle, in addition to the diagnosis that her spine no longer needed surgery, Senior Apprentice Chu’s life has gotten sweeter and her body and mind were all lighten up.

As for little kids, she often taught children to say “Hands are for doing good things. Legs are for walking good paths. Mouths are for talking good words and chanting the name of Buddha. Hearts are for thinking Amitahba.” Joyful Bodhisattva has a Senior Apprentice neighbor, who would take her two grand kids to Joyful Bodhisattva’s house for care whenever she needs to go out. She certainly is using this opportunity to build foundation for teaching kids some good words. After all, kids are naïve. When Joyful Bodhisattva taught them to say: “Our hands are used to do good things,” the children would reply: “my grandmom’s hands are used to beat people up.” When she taught: “mouths are used to speak good words,” the children would reply: “then my grandmom’s mouth is used to curse people.” When those adorable and naïve children told their grandma about the goods words they learned, this grandma introspected and changed herself accordingly. The joyful light of Joyful Bodhisattva spread and infected every old and young people in the village. Once there was a small kid in the village having an essay topic of: “my best friend”, the best friend she wrote about is Joyful Bodhisattva.

Therefore, we must learn to think for others, not thinking about ourselves. There naturally would not be worries inside the enjoyment of bliss. We can be like Joyful Bodhisattva, who is so joyful and free. This is the true meaning of happiness and satisfaction.

5.The fundamental of Buddhist

doctrine-filial piety and respect

Buddhist doctrine is a benevolent law that stands aloof from worldly affairs, which is also the law of filial piety and respect. The Amitayurdhyana Suntra stated: ”To be born in your state you must have practiced three bliss. One is devoting parents, serving teachers, merciful hearts without killing, practicing ten good deeds; two, receiving three conversions, fulfilling ten disciplines, realizing twenty- four regulations of behavior; three, spreading Buddhist heart , believing deeply in causal effect,studying and reciting universal theories, persuading others to study. Such three things are called cleansing works.” As encouraged by Master Jing-Kong（淨空法師）, the first one must be achieved. When we really did it, learning Buddhism and foundation of becoming Buddha have been established. If we cannot do it, the study of Buddhist doctrine would be the Buddhism talked by the general public, that only study Buddhism as knowledge, which has nothing to do with our life, practicing and even life and death and exiting trayo dhatavah. Buddhist doctrine is filial piety. Sutra of the Great Vehicle Precepts states very clearly to expand from fulfilling filial piety to parents to obey and respect teachers, then to everyone, with a heart that big. So “filial piety” can be said to include all Buddhist doctrine. “Filial piety” is an awareness, a self consciousness. After awareness, expressing in living behavior is “providing”.

The filial piety of Joyful Bodhisattva

Many people envy Joyful Bodhisattva’s bliss that she has great daughter-in-law. If looking back on causal-effect, there is no mistake that she has a very good daughter-in-law because she used to be a good daughter-in-law. How did Joyful Bodhisattva exercise filial piety to her father and mother in law and parents?

She really treated her father and mother in law as future Buddha and served as Buddha. We heard that when her mother-in-law was very old,due to her inability to walk, the small-framed Joyful Bodhisattva, about 5 feet tall, would carry her mother-in-law on her back to the street and the places her mother-in-law wanted to. People on the streets saw her “big” filial piety were all very touched. She really has big filial piety heart, big mercy, and big endurance.

Her father-in-law was a very authoritative person. Anytime he got angry, the entire family would be so frightened to be near him. Joyful Bodhisattva was married to this big family of eight brothers by parents’ arrangement. Only two months after the wedding her husband started to serve his military duty in Kimen for two years. She had to be responsible for planting a lot of rice field and cook meals for thirty plus people. When her father-in-law threw a tantrum during the meal, everyone besides her would be scared and sneaked away. Everyone would worry that she might be scolded or beaten up, but she gently comforted the old man, even kneeled down to apologize and said good words. She would tell her father-in-law: “If there is anything wrong, please tell me. I would correct it. Please don’t get angry. It harms your health.” She would also touch the old man’s head gently as if she’s taking care of small kids to calm him down. It is really “the benevolence has no enemy”. An originally authoritative and angry old man became tranquil and even- tempered when meeting her.

The eight brothers and their wives took turn to take care of their parents. When her father and mother-in-law stay with them, she not only prepared three meals very well, she also accompanied them to eat. Old people acted slowly. She would sit beside them to take care. Any grapes or fruits served to her father and mother-in-laws were definitely peered and seedless and held up high with both hands to the old folks. She did not only treat her own father and mother-in-law this way, she also treated neighboring old people the same way. Most unusual is that their dining room was in the first floor while their father-in-law lived in the second floor. Sometimes when kids were eating, her father-in-law might pour chamber pot from the window, with content passing the dining room window. The first time kids would say with strange expression: “Why is Grandpa like this?” Joyful Bodhisattva would say, still smilingly:”We must be very joyful. You just imagine that grandpa’s pee smells good and you would be fine.” Master Daozen explained well. Although we as the one study Buddhism can memorize Heart Suntra（心經）“no dirty, no clean”, but in fact if people pour pees on us, we would not be happy. However, she lived comfortably inside joy and not shaken, even some people unpleasantly threw things at her, she still picked it up with joy.

After Joyful Bodhisattva’s father reached the age 70, because he still insisted on planting two acres of rice field, he always felt burdensome and powerless so he often went to the hospital asking for intravenous drip, which made his eyelid and limbs swollen. His mind often worried and fidgeted. Joyful Bodhisattva understood that her father suffered because he was old, pressured, and had no bright objective in his heart. So she did her best every day to speak to her old father in comforting words to make him happy. When Joyful Bodhisattva started to do recycling works, one day, with girl scout look, she stretched out two fingers and asked her father: “Papa. Papa. These two, which one would you choose? ” Her father replied: “You only stretch out two fingers. How do I know what to choose?” Joyful Bodhisattva smiled and said: “One is a sweet life; another is a painful life.” Her father answered: “Of course I will choose sweet life. Who wants to pick a painful life!” Joyful Bodhisattva again said: “I’ll teach you how to do recycling works, so you don’t have to get intravenous drip and live a sweet life. You will get happier as you do more.” Her father replied: “You’ll make me a laughing stock, someone who picks up garbage.” Joyful Bodhisattva explained to her father the meaning of environmental protection and how garbage becomes gold, gold becomes loving heart (like Tzu Chi’s great mission that built hospitals to save people’s life), and loving heart becomes joyful heart. She also encouraged her father: “If anyone laughs, that means this person doesn’t understand the meaning within. You can explain to him or her. He or she would not laugh after he or she understands. He or she can also join us.” Her father is also merciful deep in his heart. He gladly accepted after he heard about participating in saving people’s life and protecting the earth. Joyful Bodhisattva happily talked him into it. “Whenever you pick up a bottle or can, you have to say Amitabha Buddha. “Every time you pick up a can, you have to chant the name of Buddha. It not only cleanses our body and soul, but also directs us toward the Extremely Happy World in the West.” Joyful Bodhisattva has been very filial since she was a little girl, so her parents always accepted her suggestions and actively involved in the work that can cleanse body and mind world . As expected,after her father set this mind into the work, his life turned from “self” to “public” and from worrying to protecting the earth to work for saving people. His life began to be filled with bright meaning and he chanted Buddha with high spirit. Grandpa Ah-Tong no longer insisted in dragging his old body to plant two acres of rice field. Instead he donated part of the land to recycling field and the remaining rice field was leased to others to plant. Because Grandpa Ah-Tong happily let go his old devotion, he lived freely and happily. Once his mind opened up and became cheerful, his body also got healthy. Naturally he did not need intravenous drip anymore.

Grandpa Ah-Tong is 90 years old . Two or three years ago he went to the hospital for gastroscope exam due to his ulcer condition. During the exam process because his wound could not stop bleeding, Joyful Bodhisattva saw her father ’s both eyes nearly turned white out, after she powerfully called out “Namo Amitabha” several times, the three nurses onsite also followed her to say “Namo Amitabha”, suddenly the resident physician found the wound opening and was able to stop the bleeding. The old Buddha survived and remains healthy still. Joyful Bodhisattva told me that back to the days in the hospital when they met Dr. Guo, later known as Master Daozen, who has not left home to become a Buddhist nun yet. The Master was a resident then. Benevolent heart like her, whenever the hospital paged Dr.Guo to come to a certain hospital room, she would rush herself to the room and would chant “Namo Amitabha” out loud right immediately when she stepped into the room. There usually were miracles. One deep hearted name of Buddha would often call patients back and awakened. That day Joyful Bodhisattva, a person of filial piety, recalled the scene of Master in those days, so she followed suit and also called back her beloved father.

Joyful Bodhisattva’s respect

Joyful Bodhisattva said that she does not know many words so she never recited the Scriptures, but she can make flexible use of “ten great vows” in “The Practices and Vows of Samatabhadra Bodhisattva of Flower Avatamsaka Sutra”（普賢行願品） in her daily life: like the first vow, “to pay homage and respect to all Buddhas.” Because all sattvais future Buddha, we must pay homage and respect. Joyful Bodhisattva is very polite and respectful to everyone. Master Daozen has once witnessed in her own eyes the spirit of Joyful Bodhisattva in respecting all Buddha. One day a neighboring old lady went to her house with a grumpy face. Joyful Bodhisattva still cordially greeted the old lady, a sking her to sit and treating her fried radish cake. However, the old lady replied coldly: “I don’t want to eat.” Joyful Bodhisattva then said: ”Have some grapes then.” She peeled the grape skin and picked up the seeds with toothpick, then respectfully held the plate to the height of her eyebrow and presented to the old lady. The old lady was still grumpy and said: “I don’t want to eat.” Joyful Bodhisattva asked her with everything follows: “Please eat this.” “Or eat that.” The old lady was still very unhappy. Joyful Bodhisattva asked her respectfully every time for a total of thirteen times. When she asked for the thirteenth time, the old lady suddenly laughed happily, like a flower suddenly blooms, and said to Joyful Bodhisattva: “Ha! Every time I come to A-Hwah’s house she always treats me like this, better than my own son and daughter- in-law, with lots of filial piety.” Because she laughed so happily, all previous unpleasant appearances have melted, like sun coming out of cloud. As it turns out this old lady must be persuaded thirteen times to be happy. Master Daozen thought that if she met her, after asking for three times, she would think that the old lady is probably not hungry, then she will not ask again. Only Joyful Bodhisattva understands the old lady, knowing that she is not in good mood and needs people’s comforting and care, so she always treats her very respectfully, regardless of any unpleasant expression or false words. She never changes her respect, nor her benevolence and joy. Like this, the unpleasant old lady can also transform to joyful old lady.

I have observed that Joyful Bodhisattva really “respects” every visitor with all her heart. Every time she would prepare several plates of fruit to treat the guests and all fruit would absolutely be peeled, pitted, and arranged orderly and pleasantly for guests to enjoy.

The three Saints of the West in our study of the Pure Land, the images of Guanyin Bodhisattva and Bodhisattva Mahāsattva created are almost the same, with only difference in the hat worn. Above the head of Guanyin Bodhisattva there is a standing Buddha, the Buddha of Amitabha, represents respecting teachers, unforgetting and thanking the grace of teachers. Bodhisattva Mahāsattva wears a precious bottle, representing filial piety. When Bodhisattva Mahāsattva initially determined to cultivate the way, his parents had passed away. This is his biggest regret, so he put the remains of his parents inside the bottle and wears on the top of his head. He feedbacks all the merits he gained from his cultivation and practice to his parents and prey to the three jewels to add grace to his parents so they can obtain Bodhi and surpass Three Realms. Bodhisattva Mahāsattva was an ordinary person when he determined to enter the Buddhist monastic system. His parent’s remains were naturally ordinary people’s remains. However, because Bodhisattva Mahāsattva was brave, fierce and dedicated himself to progress in practice, he transformed himself from ordinary to saint and

became a big Bodhisattva. He practiced every day for his parents to return their blessedness, because his parents’ remains were in the bottle, they also changed and transformed to light. The top of the two great Bodhisattvas are actually the expression of filial piety and respect.

6. Normal heart, benevolent heart

In villages forty some years ago, there were seldom anyone feeding babies with milk. Everyone in general fed breast milk. When Joyful Bodhisattva’s children still needed to be fed breast milk, there were also few neighbors’ kids in similar ages. Every time she came back from the rice field, whenever she saw any kid crying, she would feed that kid first while her own children would come the last. People laughed at her: “ I’ve never seen any silly mother like you since I had my eyes. What if your own children have no milk to drink after you fed other kids, what would you do?” She only smiled innocently and heartily and said: “That won’t happen. Breast milk is naturally abundant, it can feed many children without exhaustion.” She thought that kids are pitiful when they are crying because of hunger, it would be the same to anyone’s child, whom we should feed. Such equal and benevolent heart most correspond to Buddha. Even though she fed neighbors’ kids first, her own kids did not turn out to be mal-nutrient. Instead, her children all grew to be tall, strong, diligent, honest and kind. Her children started to help on planting rice since they were little. Everyone is excellent and shows filial piety. She also has grandchildren now. They are as well-behaved as her children. Joyful Bodhisattva’s eldest son often tells her that the old lady next door only takes care of one grandchild and has been complaining “angry to death” and who else can be like her, taking care of three grandchildren at the same time and full of joy. Before when Joyful Bodhisattva worshipped Buddha, she would often take grandchildren in cradles or carried the monher back to worshi p. Her grandchildren were very well-behaved and quiet, and whenever they heard Amitabha Buddha they would smile. Because the whole family is full of joy and work of charity, with excellent prenatal education children naturally would be docile once they were born. In their family they never argue for how kids should be raised. They all possess bright, positive and joyful belief to inspire joyful facts. Joyful Bodhisattva did not attend 1st grade of elementary school until age 46. Teacher used to ask her how to make an entire family happy. She replied: “Keep smiling every day.” Good heart and belief naturally create good fruits. She really accomplished. Everywhere is spread with joyful fragrance.

In the rural village, everyone has the concept o f being in confinement for a month after childbirth, so did Joyful Bodhisattva’s husband. When Joyful Bodhisattva’s eldest daughter-in-law got pregnant the first time, her husband encircled a small parcel in the rice field,planning to raise chickens and ducks for his daughter- in-law to take a tonic after the birth. Seeing her own husband has started happily to nail the coop, Joyful Bodhisattva did not say anything but let him to be happy. However, in silent she full-heartedly pray and worship Buddha continuously. Before the chickens and ducks were even raised, her husband had a nightmare one night, dreaming that he killed fifty or sixty chickens and ducks. It was horrible and no one wanted those chickens and ducks. After rousing up from the dream, he told Joyful Bodhisattva about the dream and decided himself not to raise the chickens and ducks anymore. It is really the overwhelming power of Buddha and response flow. Joyful Bodhisattva always makes people happy with her sincerest heart. She asks herself to do well, not forcing others to do anything. She achieves everything peacefully without any fights. Because of her full-hearted sincerity, it naturally touches people and also receives the support and power of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, giving her husband a dream so he could understand. When causes and conditions are matured, her eldest daughter-in-law was also full of benevolent heart in her confinement month after childbirth, not bearing to kill for taking tonics. She only ate some nuts, like pulp made of walnut, cashew, or almond, etc. As a result she turned out to have better complexion, beautiful and dignified.

Not only her entire family are vegetarian, even the cat her grandchild picked up on the street also got affected by their family’s tame. The black cat named Apple only eats vegetable, no meat.The cat is chubby and has healthy glowing hair. Therefore, we should not forcefully persuade our family members to become vegetarian or study Buddhism just because we study Buddhism and become vegetarian ourselves, making everyone unpleasant. Instead, we should learn Joyful Bodhisattva’s wisdom and her way of moving people with complete sincerity.

Once Joyful Bodhisattva’s husband accidently hit a puppy while riding a motorcycle and broke the puppy’s leg bone. He immediately sent the puppy to an animal hospital and pleaded the vet to give the puppy a shot that protects its brain and also hoped for a surgery to reconnect the leg bone well so the puppy would not limp in the future. When puppy’s tears dropped due to the pain, Joyful Bodhisattva was besides to comfort the puppy as if protecting her own kids , apologized and repented to the puppy, chanting the name of Buddha. The puppy’s master, on the contrary, said:”Dear me! It’s not that highly valued. There’s no need to spend so much medical expenses to cure it.” Yet Joyful Bodhisattva and her husband said: “We must cure it no matter what. Or it will limp and cannot walk in the future. That will be very pitiful.” They not only were willing to spend ten to twenty thousand dollars of medical expense for the puppy, they also went to take care of it every day. Every day when her husband came home from work, he would first ask:”Did you go see the puppy today?” In comparison to the present day society, some people drive cars and hit people, even hitting people to death, they would have run away, not willing to take responsibility. Joyful Bodhisattva and her husband can treat a dog so benevolently and equally, even the vet was deeply moved and automatically cut the medical bill to half price.

One day Joyful Bodhisattva saw a dirty black stray dog in front of her house. She talked to this dog: “Because I don’t know your name, so I’m calling you Ah-Dog. Come, Ah-Dog. I’ll take you to bath. Clean you so well that you can smell good.Then your master will like you and love you.” Her normal and benevolent heart, for a stray dog that comes to her door step, is like greeting her own family and friends.

Once in a stormy night with thunder and torrential rain, the front door of Joyful Bodhisattva’ house suddenly opened. She ran outside. Her neighbors thought that her daughter-in-law was in labor. They later found that that she heard apuppy crying hard in the storm,probably frightened by the sound of thunder. Once she heard the crying she immediately rushed outside and carried the puppy in her arms inside under the heavy rain. Her benevolent heart is so soft that even in the middle of night she can vaguely but clearly hear the puppy far away that it is in the middle of horror feeling due to the thunder rain. She joyfully got up, as if she is rescuing her own children, and held the puppy in her arms inside the house to comfort it.

Her eldest daughter was hit by a car one day on the way to school. A policeman nearby happened to see the incident and walked to her to make written statement. Usually when people got hit by a car they would request the party involved to make written statement so they can negotiate compensation in the future. However, the kind eldest daughter of Joyful Bodhisattva did not want the other party to have a record of causing accident, because that would be very troublesome and costly to that person in the future. She felt that she can take care of her own wounds. In fact, the other party’s family is not well-off and did not have good job, and also had three children to take care of. Because of the kindness of Joyful Bodhisattva’s family, that person often brought fruits to visit them, but they still asked that person to take the fruit back. Joyful Bodhisattva told me, she is glad that her daughter also thinks for the other party. Besides,that person’s family is poor, they cannot let him to spend more money.

Why does a person of consciousness treat everyone with normal and benevolent heart? Because self and others are one, they are both objects transformed from self. So the benevolence of Buddha Bodhisattva called “benevolent even without reason, pity as for own” is naturally shown. There is no particular liking or disliking. Big benevolent heart is clean and normal to love every being in heaven and earth, equally for Buddha Bodhisattva, for animals, for pretas, for hell, and every mineral and plants, with no difference, which is true benevolence. Therefore, we must learn to irrigate our heart field with benevolent water, using light of wisdom to drive darkness away, using benevolent heart to cultivate our heart, and using thanksgiving heart to cultivate our moral characters.

7.Studying Buddhism is the cause, becoming Buddha is the effect

If the heart contains Amitabha and nothing else, some may ask, do you still need to do things? Do you still need to work? Do you need to care about anything at all? The answer is no. There are many things that needs to be done in this world. When the opportunity arises, it should be done well and complete, but the heart doesn’t have anything. “The Buddha law in this world, does not affect this world’s laws.” It will definitely not destroy this world’s laws. Not only does it not destroy, it completes it. It says in the “Flower Avatamsaka Sutra”（華嚴經） “Truth is without barriers. Everything is without barriers .” Truth is in the heart’s nature. Everything is whatever it is made to be. The heart’s nature and everything do not have barriers. The heart’s nature is forever clear. No matter how complicated everything is, it would not destroy to clearness of the heart’s nature. If everything does not interfere with each other, then everything has no barrier. Actually, there is Amitabha in each heart. Once the heart is set on Amitabha, the senses would be exceptionally clever and quick-witted. Why is that? Since there are no desires and ill thoughts, the heart gets to be clear. Therefore, what you see and what you hear is more clever and quick-witted than normal people, allowing things to be done more well-roundedly.

For Joyful Bodhisattva, besides her philosophy of “very easy, really happy,” when I’m with her and only spoke a little, she would start to laugh and say “really funny!(in Taiwanese)” which is another of her catchphrase. Her “really funny” means full of fun and interest. Although an illiterate farmwife, she really has her heart set on Aimitabha, chanting personally, allowing wisdom to naturally emanate. She likes Master Cheng Yen’s （證嚴法師 ）words, so she shared with me the one time she attended a tea party a nd received a little card. She took it home preciously and pasted it in a notebook, then asked her son to type, zoom in, and print, so she can make copies to give people. When Joyful Bodhisattva is at home chanting happily, “A happy heart is the remedy, not getting angry can remove obstacles. Words from people without hearts should not be kept to heart.”, “The upper lips represent the sky, the lower lips the earth, it doesn’t take much for words to shake the sky and the earth,” her son heard it and said that those are from the Jing-Si Aphorisms（靜思語）, there’s already a book, so why bother printing a few phrases? Then Joyful Bodhisattva replied wisely, “Foolish child, books are for the literate. I’m illiterate, so I only need a few good phrases to connect with people.” Speak of this story, she especially told me, since many in rural areas are illiterate, she only need to learn a few good phrases to connect with people, a few phrases to let people know they can do it. That is enough. Joyful Bodhisattva says it really well, really wise! Truthfully, if one can “honestly” do a few things from the Jing Si Aphorisms, then they’re impressive and benefitted.

Joyful Bodhisattva did not deny that recycling can be tough, and her family had an opinion because they couldn’t bear her hardship. She remembered early on, she would frequently sort until midnight. When her husband returned from work, full of sweat and dirt and hadn't eaten yet, he would see her still busy sorting and complained to her, “Just do this all day then!” When Joyful Bodhisattva heard her husband, she would immediately remove her gloves and go to her husband with a smile and say, “Ah Chi, go take a shower and eat first, then help me tie up the bags, so I won’t finish too late!” She knew if she got angry or annoyed, both of them would worry and not do anything. She applied what she learned in her life, smiled and said to me, “If you use a happy heart, then anything is possible. Master Chen Yeng told us to use the ‘Four herb soup’ wisely, meaning using contentment, a pprec ia t ion, empathy, tolerance to recycle and it won’t be tiring. Every day the tasks are accomplished and I can sleep easily when I get home. I am happy every day, so my husband can be happy, too.” She views every recycled item as a lotus flower, picking each one up along with a chant. The hardships of the world become wise words in her heart, her happy words reaching her family, neighbors, reaching one infinite, happy heart. This is admirable.

The enjoyment of Buddhists is that their heart often contains Amitabha . Other than Amitabha, when other thoughts and desires are not there, then one have gained Samadhi（念佛 三昧）. The lowest level of Samadhi is reaching purity, like obtaining the ability of zen in primary level, that the heart only has Amitabha. Other than Amitabha, one has no thoughts, no stubbornness, but only Amitaha day and night. This person is very happy, without worries, without anxiety, without attachments. A heart

like this is very clear, very free. If we pay a little attention around us, there are people like this, such as Joyful Bodhisattva. As for deeper Samadhi, there are many levels. If according to the fifty one levels of “Flower Avatamsaka Sutra”, then the Samadhi is separated into fifty one levels. However, as Buddhists, we need to know this, but not dwell on it. As long as one studies hard, the Samadhi can be enhanced naturally, because the key lies in “honesty”.

Causality includes a wide range that even the stately ten spiritual realms cannot set arule for causality. A phrase from Commentary on the Amitabha Sutra should help with our faith in causality. “Plant melon get melon, plant bean get bean（種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆）,” this phrase is easily understood, “the shadow follows the form, and the resonance follows the sound（影必隨形，響必應聲）,” resonance is echo, when we yell in a valley, there is echo, that’s resonance. This is how causality is explained. Our decision to study Buddhism decides that we can become Buddha, “studying Buddhism is the cause, becoming the Buddha is the effect（念佛是 因， 成佛是果）.” The Amitayurdhayan Sutra talked about clearing karma for three blessings, the third one “develop Bodhisattva heart, deep faith in causality（發菩提心，深信因果）,” this is what the Buddha said to the bodhisattvas, explaining that if one decides to study Buddhism, one’s afterlife is decided.

Speaking of faith in causality, we will continue to talk about stories of Joyful Bodhisattva’s family. Not only is Joyful Bodhisattva, even her family is admirable, because they naturally accomplished true faith, entreaty, and real action. By giving their all to Amitabha,without a doubt in their faith , Amitabha will surely take care of them. Similar to Joyful Bodhisattva, her parents, who are in their nineties, started recycling around their seventies. Every day, they biked to all the sites to clean up trash, collect papers, bottles, and metal cans, taking it all home to sort. Despite their aging legs, they biked tirelessly throughout the countryside, through wind and rain, without an ounce of regret. Joyful Bodhisattva often encouraged her parents wisely, “You wake up every day to face this huge pile of recyclables that’s just like a giant lotus flower! When you chant as you work, the lotus flow er blooms bigger!” The family already see the recyclables as lotus flowers, with a clean heart may the earth be clean as well, truly devoting their hearts to it without any fakery.

The Old Bodhisattva（老菩薩）, as people in Taiwan like to address a person with special respect by calling them “Bodhisattva”, who is also Joyful Bodhisattva’s mother, always has a gentle grin on her face despite all the hardships in her life. She often joked, “Chiayi’s military camp and airport are both her domain!” The army officer admired the old lady’s selflessness, and often helped her tie up the recyclables. Seeing her little ride, with so much stuff on it, he described, “You’re using a little goat to carry a big water buffalo!” One time, Joyful Bodhisattva saw a tricycle up ahead, with so many cans covering up the rider. She quickly went ahead to look and realized it’s actually her mother! The old lady may be wrinkly, but her happy face covered it up. Anyone can see that while she’s pushing through the hardship, her heart was infinitely sweet. Talking about this, Joyful Bodhisattva once said to Master Daozen with her face red from tears, “I’m moved and heart-broken.” However, the Old Bodhisattva remained good spirited, riding her bike, chanting along the way.

Their family road has a trench on the side.Joyful Bodhisattva warned her mother to be careful while riding , so she doesn’t fallin. The Old Bodhisattva reassured her, “Amitabha will hold me up! A few days ago it happened already!” It turns out that many people see her carry the recyclables every day, thinking that she’s being tricked. Even though the Old Bodhisattva had to explain where the recyclables came from every time, s ome neighbors s till laughed at her. One day, she was carrying a lot as usual, riding next to the trench, while the neighbors who laughed at her happened to be there. Suddenly, Old Bodhisattva flipped her ride. The people there panicked as they watched her about to fall into the trench along with her ride, but the old lady yelled “Amitabha!” At that instant, as if held in place, floating in the air, the Old Bodhisattva jumped to the other side of the trench safely. What’s amazing is when the bike seemed to fall back in the trench, there seemed to be a force pulling on it, allowing both to be safe on the other side. This scene shocked the onlookers, as the Old Bodhisattva said, “It’s Amitabha that held me still!” Those guys saw the power of the Buddha with their own eyes and decided that the power of chanting, the good work of recycling should not be ridiculed! The Old Bodhisattva performed the power of Amitabha. The guys stopped laughing at her and also started participating in recycling.

Joyful Bodhisattva told me that her mother is truly adorable. About six years ago, the Old Bodhisattva Grandma An-Tong was diagnosed with liver cancer. Before the surgery, the Old Bodhisattva told the doctor, “I’m not afraid, so you shouldn’t be either! During the surgery, you should chant for me. If you succeed, then Amitabha, but if you don’t, I won’t blame you.” While everyone is worried about the grandma, she wa s worried about the doctor. During the time in the hospital, the Old Bodhisattva also told the nurses, “Did you see all the Bodhisattvas here? There're so many!” The nurse said, “See what?” Amitabha did not get her then, leavingher to continue setting an example for us. Later on, the Old Bodhisattva had a dream, so she happily told Joyful

Bodhisattva, “Ah Hua Ah, I already toured the Land of the Bliss on a golden lotus flower! And I was also wearing golden shoes!” An honest Old Bodhisattva from the countryside toured the Western Pure Land without hesitation. I happily wished the same as Joyful Bodhisattva: the Old Bodhisattva would be fine. She really is admirable and adorable.

There’s no set amount to study Buddhism every day. Master Ou-yi（蕅益法師）explained in The Commentary on the Amitabha Sutra, it’s the quality of the study, not the quantity. How do we determine the quality of the study? The more serene the heart is, the deeper the study. Suppose one chanted 100,000 times a day, but the desires and worries still arisen, then there’s no use. As they say back in the days, shout until your throat breaks and it still isn’t heard! One must be able to see through and let go. This letting go is not putting aside the work, nor putting down the responsibilities. It’s to let go of our desires, our worries, and our attachments.Letting these go will clear the heart. A clear heart can yield wisdom. With wisdom, no matter what can be completed and done well. People in this world make mistakes because they’re silly, confused, or without wisdom. The Dharma has always strived for wisdom.

8.The praise of the sky music sounding through the air

There is a paragraph in The Amitabha Sutra that describes the frequent “heavenly music （天樂）” in the air of the land in the west. Not only do we of this world enjoy music, even the ones in the Ten Direction World enjoy and love music. The West has sky music, which is played by no one, but comes naturally from the sky. This music plays what the listener likes and wants to hear.

We know that Joyful Bodhisattva is an illiterate farmwife, having never read the sutra. One day, she said to Master Daozen, “When I chant, I can hear wonderful, nice music coming from the sky.” And she asked, “What is it?” She even remarked that it makes her want to chant more and become happier as she chants. Master Daozen thinks it’s what the sutra refers to as, the Sky Music Sounding through the Air（天樂鳴空）! I agree that’s what it is, too. The honesty a nd simplicity of Joyful Bodhisattva, who chants with a pure heart frequently, summons“hundreds of thousands of music at the same time, naturally encouraging the heart to chant to Buddha, the Sutra, and the Monk（念佛、念法、 念僧）.” At the same time, she also proved for us the truth in the sutra.

As Master Daozen put, maybe we should be ashamed of ourselves, because sometimes we don’t just listen. Our minds wander or we complain of the pitch or the speed. However, while Joyful Bodhisattva is collecting trash, she can chant as she picks up tin cans, using their clanking like a wooden fish to clear up her heart and hear the Music through the Air that can make one love to chant more. That is not easy!

Joyful Bodhisattva’s chanting is profoundly skillful, always very modest and restrained. She’s only a year younger than my mother. I look up to the Bodhisattva like my mom, but facing the mischievous me, she can only admit honestly that this Music Sky Music Sounding through the Air occurred many times already. When I am with her or talking to her on the phone, she is naturally where the Bodhisattva resides, frequently making people happy. I praise her from the bottom of my heart!

I even heard my senior sister Mien Mien said, “There’s a senior sister who lives in the north wonder ing where Joyful Bodhisattva lives.” Apparently, this senior sister wants to move there, because she thinks that wherever Joyful Bodhisattva is, the place will be very peaceful and calm. That’s right. The one who chants to the Buddha honestly can receive the biggest blessing. The place she lives is called the blessed place for the blessed. This place would have no disasters. Why not? According to the reports, there were people training there and no disasters occurred.

The old Master Jing Kong always said, the old people in the countryside don’t know anything, not even how to read, but just one phrase of Amitabha, day and night. This type of people cannot be looked down upon. Our struggles are full of doubts, needing to read it three hundred times or three thousand times to believe without doubt. But these people have bigger Kuśala-mūla and blessing, they do not need to do that. They would accept and believe the first time they heard Buddhism and never doubt, just chanting Amitabha until the end, thus leaving the world in the highest tatus.（上上品往生） Therefore, when some people really chants, it doesn’t matter if he learned it or knew the words. We can feel their kind hearts when we get to know them, hearts without any ill thoughts. If we asked him about the Ten Good Deeds（十善業道經）, he wouldn’t know, but he has all of them already. Any place with at least one or two of this kind of people would be treasure. There would not be any disasters. As people say, one blessed man spreads the blessings to his home, one with big blessings spreads it to the entire area in which he lives.

9.The signs of Grandma An-Tong’s passing

This year during the start of May, taking advantage of the break in Japan, I returned to Taiwan to file taxes. At the same time, when I visited Joyful Bodhisattva, her mother, the old Bodhisattva, is quite healthy. However, a week after I returned to Japan, the old Bodhisattva, who people called Grandma An- Tong, passed away on the morning of June 4th at the ripe age of ninety. I only learned of this at the start of July. Six years ago, Grandma An-Tong was diagnosed with liver cancer. While she was staying in the hospital for surgery, she once told her daughter Joyful Bodhisattva, “I sat on a golden lotus, and even wore beautiful, golden shoes, and toured the Land of Bliss once.” She also said, “I know the Land of Bliss well now.” The pure honesty from the old lady is precious, giving us immense confidence. Since the old lady is illiterate and never read the sutra, she couldn’t say to us, “as seen as the sutra,” to verify with our ancestors and make a greater contribution to our faith.

The timing of Grandma An-Tong’s leaving was known. Joyful Bodhisattva told me how happy she smiled when she peacefully left the world in her sleep. Three or four days before her passing, grandma began telling her family, especially Joyful Bodhisattva that she’s about to go. Because she’s frugal and wish her family cherish what they have, she told them to recycle her clothes. Joyful Bodhisattva did as she’s told and wore her mom’s clothes. Actually, those clothes were bought by Joyful Bodhisattva for her, so now the grandma is gone, she naturally wear those clothes. The night before her passing at eight, the grandma fell asleep peacefully, without fear or panic, nor any sign of pain. She waited while all the family members gathered around to chant. Joyful Bodhisattva told her that they have all gathered and wanted to let her go with Amitabha now. The grandma opened her eyes briefly and fell asleep again with a happy grin. When the chanting went on for twelve hours until eight the next morning, the grandma had left the world, her body soft and her face still full of life.

Apparently, Grandma An-Tong had quite a few stories full of signs. Six years ago, when Grandma An-Tong got liver cancer, before the surgery, she said to the doctor cutely, “I’m not afraid, so you shouldn’t be either! During the surgery, you should chant for me. If you succeed, the Amitabha, but if you don’t, I won’t blame you.” While everyone is worried about the grandma, she was worried about the doctor. Even when six months after her surgery and a small tumor grew again, she got healed again and luckily, had no trouble until her passing. She still rode her bike every day and couldn’t change her habit of overloading it. The only difference is that she let the young volunteers handle the big houses with lots of recycling. She worked hard her whole life, her fingerprints gone, her legs bent out of shape. This kind of rural life where you work a lot but eat a little is full of hardship. I heard that the doctor recommended her to receive knee surgery, but she worried that she can’t ride her bike anymore to recycle and rather endure the chronic pain and inflammation, all for the fact the doing recycling makes her feel hopeful for the future,so she smiles more the more she does. One time while she’s working, she accidently cut a chunk off her leg. She was worried that her family would forbid her to go out and recycle, so she grabbed some mud and pasted it on her leg, thinking to fool her family, so she can do a little more, save some more trees, and help the charity build hospitals for people. This friendly old lady has the affection to make everyone joyful and not care about how much she gives. This is not something anyone can do. She’s bound to be a big Buddha. Actually, a lot of people also study and listen to the sutra, but they just can’t do the first thing that’s required. Even if they are stubborn, there’s a reason why their trainings haven’t started yet. Looking at the life of the old lady, though illiterate, her life is special and simple honestly chanting. This is her way of increasing her wisdom and blessings. Her recycling gave her blessings, so she can receive them and allow her family to know when she’ll pass.

10.Faith, wishes, and grasping the truth when the time is ripe

There are three requirements for entering the Land of Bliss, which are the merits of faith, wish, and action（信願行三資糧）. The faith has to be authentic, and deeply sincere. The wish has to be earnest, eager to become true. It has to truly see through this world, able to let it all down and not on any minds. Letting go the heart is the most important. One cannot simply let go the outside, but still worry about it on the inside. There are no benefits in doing that. One has to completely let it go from the heart, so that things won’t obstruct anymore. Why do things become obstacles? It is because the heart is still worried. A heart without worries has no obstacles. In “Flower Avatamsaka Sutra”, all the 53 spiritual friends have pure hearts and absolutely nothing blocks them. However, people of all walks of life, gender, and age need to realize this point clearly. The heart has to be clean. Only a clean heart can sense the clean soil.

If we use all of our energy for faith, wishes, and actions, it will correspond. If one never believes anything he or she chants, so-called saying things without really meaning it, then there cannot be correspondence. People who have learned knowledge of large good told us clearly, to be able to correspond with the three merits of faith, wish, and action, it must correspond with the Three Learnings, which are abiding by discipline, nature zen and gaining enlightment（戒定慧三學）, as well as the Three Jewels, which are awareness, correct recognition and pure heart（覺正淨三寶）.

The so-called “special cause leads to special effect, does not depart from one pure heart”（妙音妙果，不離一心）is a special cause. If we chant here, lotus in the Pool of Seven Jewels（七寶池） in the Western Pure Land would bloom. This is special! Later on when we pass away, we will spawn in this lotus flower, called the lotus flower reincarnation, this is effect. The cause is special, so the effect is special too. It all depends on faith, wish, and actions, collectively called wholeheartedly focusing on chanting the name of Buddha（一心稱念）. With the heart focusing entirely on chanting the name of Buddha, we won’t have bodies. In the Pool of Seven Jewels in Western Pure Land, the lotus flower blooms. The lotus flower is marked with your name, so when you passaway, Amitabha will use this lotus flower to guide you. Therefore, the lotus flower blooms from your own senses. Its radiance and size are not decided by Buddha, but developed by yourself. “When the chanting continues, more chanted hearts will correspond（念念相應念念佛）.” As the chanted hearts

correspond, the lotus flower in the Pool of Seven Jewels grows bigger, glows brighter. This refers to the way of chanting for both the cause and effect simultaneously, unlike other ways of cause first, then effect. The clean soil is represented by the lotus flower, as the Western Pure Land is full of them. The lotus is cause and effect simultaneously, unlike other flowers. Other plants bloom first then grow fruits. The lotus develops flower and fruit at the same time.

If we chant sincerely, hoping for life earnestly, even if we haven’t seen the Pool of Seven Jewels or the lotus flowers, it definitely is described in the sutras. We need to trust this. As to response, do not beg for it. Begging for response may lead to trouble. As long as you honestly chant, it will naturally ripen.

Epilogue

Truthfully, I do not have a foundation in history or particular skills in writing, but I managed to push through the editing process. Although not fully satisfied with the edit, I wish from the bottom of my heart to give the bodhisattvas who happen to chance upon this work can feel the joy and happiness and receive usefulness from this work. At the same time, I thank all my bodhisattva friends for helping with the publishing of this book.

Lastly, I like to close with a work from Master Che-Wu（徹悟大師）to encourage everyone.

Chanting the name of Buddha should bring about four kinds of heart. When one exists in these four hearts, clean state can be achieved.

Karma created from nothing, shameful heart should grow.

When good meth od is learned, joyful hear tshould grow.

When the method is hard to meet, painful heart should grow.

Buddha is benevolent, thankful heart should grow.

I-Jen

November, 2013

Revised 3rd Edition : November, 2014

PS. With special thanks to Ms.I-Fen Shao and Dr.Justine Chang for your selfless efforts in translating this book to Japanese and English version, respectively.

Because of love, the world is better.

I-Jen

January, 2016

Fruits prepared for guests were all peeled and pitted with sincere heart and prayer to Buddha. (Picture taken on 2013/10/25)

Joyful Bodhisattva-Ms. Jin-Hwa Yu(Picture taken on 2013/10/25)

The second daughter of Joyful Bodhisattva—Miss Mei-Shu Yeh

(then 17 Years Old) (Picture duplicated on 2013/10/25)

From right to left, Joyful Bodhisattva’s grandfather-Mr. Chuen- Cheng Yu, Grandmother-Mrs. Yu, Mother-Mrs. Su-Lien Huang Yu, Father-Mr. Pao-Tong Yu. (Picture duplicated on 2013/10/25)

Trip to Hwa-Lien- Wearing her favorite shade of red cloth.(Picture duplicated on 2013/10/25)

Calligraphy given to Joyful Bodhisattva and her husband by Master Daozen- 7th Granduncle Kwang-Tai Yeh and 7th Grandaunt Jin-Hwa Yu. (Picture duplicated on 2013/10/25)

Often use psudo-classical stove to cook her favorite “peanut tofu”

to treat guests. (Picture taken on 2013/10/25)

Vegetable garden behind house for everyone to pick anytime. (Picture taken on 2014/1/24)

Vegetable planted by Joyful Bodhisattva grew fast,big,and healthy. (Picture taken on 2014/1/24)

Water Buffalo Recycling Station-turning garbage to gold, gold t o compassion, compassion to joyful heart .(Picture taken on 2013/10/25)

One corner in recycling station (Picture taken on 2013/10/25)

7th Granduncle responsible for “stomach” of entire family-Mr. Kwang-Tsai Yeh. (Picture taken on 2013/10/25)