A Little Donation Goes A Long Way

I'd like to share something I did years ago but which only recently did I realise it had benefited my parents now. Hopefully it will inspire our youngsters to start planting their own seeds of dharma so that these seeds will grow into big trees and bear fruits to benefit themselves as well as all sentient beings.

I went to my mother's house recently and noticed there was a dharma book on a desk. It was strange because I know they are not that "into" reading dharma books. It was a dharma book published by City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, specifically it was The Amitabha Sutra - a sutra discourse by the Ven. Master Hsuan Hua. So I asked my parents where they got this. I thought it was one of the Sutras I left behind years ago when I moved out. But that was not it. My mother then explained she got that book from a local temple. She was casually flipping through the book when she saw my father's name and hers in the list of donors who had sponsored the book for free publication. When she saw that, her eyes suddenly opened wide. She became interested in the Sutra and took it back home. She knew it was me who had donated and put their names instead. I told them I had forgotten, but that must be it. I can't even remember everything what I did yesterday, what more some actions I did several decades ago. I was still in school at that time. But I remember I took an initiative to even write to YBAM and donated a little of my pocket money to support the free books published by YBAM. I must have done the same thing for other publications. Those are the seeds I planted years ago and they are bearing fruit now. At that time, my parents were not so interested in reading the Dharma books I brought back home. No matter what books I brought back then, they just won't read. But now, they are interested and my mother said this is karma. Yes, I am glad she understands. Hopefully she reads the entire Sutra, because the Amitabha Sutra will truly benefit them considering their old age now. I feel sad it took so long to see the fruits coming out now, but as the saying goes, better late than never. I did not donate much. It was less than RM5.00, if not mistaken. But yet, the dharma is not measured by money. It is sincerity. Even though I was young at that time, I was very sincere in the dharma. The things I have done then, a lot of them I don't even remember now. But I get surprises every now and then. Incidences like this remind me of my actions which I did years ago. If the small donation I made then can truly benefit my parents now, I am truly happy. So, never underestimate the small donations or the small good deeds you make! You’ll be surprised, how extensive it will go.

It is now that I realise that had I not "invested" so much of my time in the Budda Dharma then, when younger, my present situation would not have been possible. Blessings don't drop down from the sky without causes. To be sure, same thing for the negative things we did in the past. It will bear its ugly fruits too.  I want to thank Ven. Master Hua for his extensive kindness - his physical body no longer around, but his dharma life is ever present! Namo Amitabha Buddha!

Completed 100,000 Prostrations and Reminder from Ven. Master Hsuan Hua

Recently I realised that I have completed my 100,000 mark prostrations. It was a practice I started sometime in 2006 I think. I started off very slowing, I think doing prostrations only in the weekends. Then I do it everyday. Later I increased the prostrations to about 50 per day, and 108 during Saturdays. Then I increased it to 54 per day, except on Saturdays that is. I thought I will never be able to complete it but slowly, bit by bit, I managed to complete it. Now I am over the threshold. I completed the mark sometime in July this year but did not realise it till recently. When I realised it, it dawned on me that at around that time, I bumped into a dharma brother who is also a disciple of one of Ven. Master Hsuan Hua's students. When he found out that I am a direct disciple of Ven. Master, he said something about doing 10,000 prostrations. Although I have never forgotten about the 10,000 bows of Master Hua, that remark by the dharma brother came at such a timely manner when I have completed /almost completed the 100,000 prostrations. You think it is a coincident? Based on my experience, I don't think so. So, now I realised it was a reminder from the Buddhas and Venerable Master Hua, that I must complete the 10,000 bows too. It was also an acknowledgement that they are aware of my practices. Considering my difficult life, especially my working life, it is incidences like this that makes my life a little comforting.

I want to thank the Buddhas and  Ven. Master Hsuan Hua for still keeping my practice in your holy minds. Thank you!

I want to dedicate the 100,000 prostrations of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche's good health and continue to teach the Buddha Dharma!

I also want to dedicate the 100,000 to my other Tibetan Gurus, Zen Gurus, my other Buddhist teachers and Dharma friends - May they all have the excellent conditions for the dharma practice and dharma teachings!

Although I may not always be keeping true to my practice, and I do have my personal faults, it does look like the Buddhas and my Venerable Masters never gave up on me. And to this, I appreciate very much! Thank you!