Master Hsuan Hua's 15th Anniversary

It was on June 7 1995, according to the Western calendar, exactly 15 years ago that Venerable Master Hsuan Hua passed away into Nirvana. I still remember what happened that day.

On the early morning of June 8 1995, I had a dream. In that dream I was traveling across a bridge. When I reached the mid-span, I saw the water below the bridge had dried up. What was even stranger were I saw that there were many dragons and other sea creatures on the seabed that had died. And in the dream, the thought that I had in the dream was that they had died out of grief. I sensed an air of deep sadness in the atmosphere. I knew it was an omen and at that point, I woke up. A week after that, a friend called and informed me that he had received news that Venerable Master Hsuan Hua had passed into stillness. Ven. Master Hsuan Hua had passed into stillness at 3.15pm in Los Angeles on June 7, 1995. That time in Los Angeles corresponded exactly with the time of my dream in Malaysia. It was amazing. I take the dream as a blessing from him to inform me of his passing. It was so kind of him.

I was sad when I heard the news because it means the world would be deprived of one really great master, one that had benefited the world so much, especially the Buddhist world. He translated the Sutras and made them available to us all. He explained them in so much detail. He promoted the Great Compassionate Heart Dharani and Shurangama Mantra. He did so many things for us. With all these, I knew we had a genuine master and that enlightenment was indeed possible. With his teachings on Amitabha, I also grounded my faith in Amitabha’s Vows and knew that that is the place I want to go after this life is over. He had also set a high standard for all left-home persons and lay Buddhists. It is with this in mind that I am forever grateful to him. And I am sure those who had taken refuge with him will feel the same way. Hence, I bow my head and heart in deep respect. I end this with a praise I wrote sometime back.

The sky is enormously huge and vast,

Still greater than that is Master’s Way Virtue!

The ocean is enormously deep and wide,
Still greater than that are Master's Vast Vows!
To you - Embodiment of the Triple Jewels,
And the Incomparable Saviour, I go for refuge!