This is a good Article by the
Venerable Master Hsing Yun, who is "a renowned Chinese Buddhist monk, as well as an important figure in modern Mahayana Buddhism.
Known best as the founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order, the largest religious and humanitarian organization in Taiwan, he is well known and recognized in the international Buddhist community for his humanitarian work, calligraphy, Dharma propagation, and writing. As an active philanthropist, Hsing Yun contributes in pushing forth the ideal of Humanistic Buddhism, a modern Buddhist philosophy preached by many modern teachers of the Buddhist faith. He is well-known among Chinese Buddhists around the world and has received praise from many teachers. So far, more than 5,000 monastic disciples have been tonsured under Hsing Yun, with over a million lay followers worldwide.
Hsing Yun is a forty-eighth generation lineage holder of the Linji Chan (Rinzai Zen) school through Master Zhi Kai, his teacher."
In other words, he's legit. Anyway, he wrote this very interesting article on Life after Death.
Life After Death: The Wheel of Rebirth Science Mysteries
Buddhism's View on The Wheel of RebirthA Speech by Venerable Master Hsing Yun
"Today, I am going to discuss with you a very important, but difficult to affirm, question. When we talk about rebirth or reincarnation, some people laugh at the idea. They consider such belief is passe and obsolete. Others may think such question is in arena of religion. After all, it concerns what is after death. It is not practical and very distant. There is a saying, 'If I don't even know about living, why ask about dying?' Thus, this question should not be an urgent concern. To be sincere, the setting of a grand lecture hall is not very suitable to talk about the subject of rebirth. If we could discuss this question on a battle field, where death confront us, then we can all sincerely and solemnly discuss our next stop upon death.
Most young people today slight and look down on the question of rebirth. These disbelievers of rebirth are not necessary living in a higher level. They are actually shallow and ignorant. Denying the existing of rebirth does not obstruct others, it only limits our own life. Without rebirth, there is no past and there is no future. A life without future, existence is so short and vain. The future is so hopeless. When we face a great obstacle, we can encourage ourselves, 'It is okay, another ten years then it will be my turn.' Even when criminal steps on the execution chair, they can still say, 'Another twenty years, there will be another tough man'. With rebirth, human existence has maneuvering rooms. With rebirth, pledge and wish can eventually be fulfilled. With rebirth, life has the next train available.
The phenomenal world cannot be separated from rebirth. Good or evil existences in the six realms are rebirth. Life and death are rebirth. The physical world changes naturally. There is the change of the four seasons. There is the time cycle of past, present and future. There is the twenty four hours a day. They are rebirth in term of times. There is change of directions. There is the movement from here to there. These are rebirth in term of space. Everything around us is the product of rebirth. The wind gathers the clouds. Rains fall to the ground. It evaporates back into clouds again. This is a phenomenon of rebirth. Automobile burns gasoline. It generates energy and produces carbon dioxide. It is absorbed by plants. Plants decay back to natural oil deposit. This is also rebirth. The light comes on, and then turns off. It then turns back on again. This is rebirth too.
All physical changes in the universe are rebirth. A person's birth, mature and death are also rebirth. According to scientific research, the human body is renewed every seven years. In another word, the seven-year metabolism has given us a total new body. According to Buddhism, all creatures from advance to rudimentary, all their perceptions and cognition, are changing constantly. Physical changes are birth, age, sick and die. Mental changes are forming, stay, change and vanish. Existence is dynamic. It is like a wheel. It is therefore called the wheel of rebirth. Besides, even family relationship, economic association, emotion up and downs, they are all just phenomenon of rebirth. Buddhism is to teach us the truth of rebirth in the six realms. Human existence is dynamic and with in rebirth. The pace may be different. The slow changes are called 'existing and extinction' or 'changing and differentiating'. The fast changes are called 'cycle of rebirth'. All beings create karma as a result of their thoughts. It forms the connection between cause and effect. It forms the endless and beginningless river of life. It gives rise to the life form of celestial, human, spirit and animal. Master SOUND-YIN in his 'Inspiration to pledge for Bodhicitta' said, 'I and all beings, from time since eternity, trap in rebirth and cannot be liberated. Heaven and earth, here and there, in many forms, rise and fall.' Yet, this profound and important law of rebirth is not accepted by so many ignorant beings. No wonder ancient masters exalted, 'Only the Buddha and scriptures could expose such profound truth.' Rebirth is a religious theory. It is not an escape for psychological comfort. It is a precision science that explain our existence from past into the future. With a correct understanding of rebirth, we examine our life intelligently. Buddhism's view on rebirth and reincarnation can be summarized into the following four points.
1. The value of rebirth
If we accept and believe in the idea of rebirth, what value does it bring? What meaning does it add to our existence? Rebirth extends our existences. Life is beyond only a hundred year. Life is full of hope and possibility. In rebirth, death is the beginning of another existence. It is like a torch. When one stick of wood is exhausted, there will be another, one after the other. Each stick may be different in component. Yet, the flame will continue to burn. Rebirth is also like a lamp. The oil may be exhausted. Another lamp can be lighted. One lamp after another, it gives brightness in the darkness of existence. We exist with in the six realms, as Henry or Jack. We may be in heaven or earth. We may have many different forms. Yet, the flame of life is eternal. The lamp of wisdom is endless. Rebirth connects us with the universe. Our existence is also timeless. Rebirth is the meaning of existence. We passed our experience, wisdom and history from one generation to the next. If we cannot hand down our experience, then work has no meanings. If we cannot pass down our culture, history will be very short.
Some people said, 'Everyone is equal in front of the law'.
Yet, even the strictest law has loophole. Buddhism believes only in front of rebirth that all are equal. King and noble, commoner and beggar, everyone must face the cycle of rebirth. There is a poem, 'The greatest justice of in the world is white hair. It will appear even on the head the noblest.' Time is the fairest judge. Birth, age, sick and death are the most just jury. Cause and result, rebirth and reincarnation, are not controlled by the Yama judge, nor the creator god. Event is determined by a being's confused deeds. It reacts with the ripen conditions according to the stored karma. It effects a variety of happy and painful rewards. Therefore, it is written in the scripture, 'Millions of millennium may passed. Karma does not vanish. When the condition is ripened. One must bear one's action.' In the rebirth of the six realms, being intelligent or dump, rich or poor, they are all the products of our past deeds. There are people attending college as children. They are what the society called talent. Talent is not a product of this life. It is accumulated from past lives. It too is a form of rebirth. Rebirth liberates us from the hand of divine power. Our karma controls rebirth. Heaven and gods cannot give us fortune or bring us disaster. We are our own master. We taste our own medicine. From the viewpoint of rebirth, every being is free and equal. Happiness and fortune are the products of our own hands. Misery and tragedy are also self made. A creator cannot protect us from crime. God cannot take away our merits either. In front of rebirth, cause and result, there is no luck. We are our own creator.
Live must be spinning like a wheel. We must progress forward. Sins are also like the spinning wheel. With time, we can repent and amend. Rebirth, it can give us so much hope. The winter may be long and cold, the warm spring will come. Rebirth is not a word game for argument. It is not a matter of belief it or not. Rebirth is all around us. We can examine the universe, nature, society, science, even you and me, everything is within the swirl of rebirth. How can we understand rebirth calmly? How can we escape rebirth and the three realms? How can we change the wheel of rebirth to the Dharma wheel of the Buddha? This is all a matter of wisdom.
2. Some questions regarding rebirth
Rebirth may have such a profound value and meaning. Yet, many people still strong doubt on its existence, it's phenomenon and it's purpose. I will summarize the questions and give answers as the following.
2.1 Is rebirth good for us?
People may think life is suffering. It is best death is final and everything is concluded. Buddhism said death is not final. It is the beginning of another life. We must learn to treasure each life, and not to waste it away. With rebirth, existences never end. There will be always hope to build a bright future. Without rebirth, death is the end. All our hopes and dreams will not be able to fulfill. It is such a grief. It is not a pretty sight at all.
2.2 Why am I not aware of rebirth?
If rebirth really exist, how come I cannot recall anything in my past life? The scripture said, 'Human are pitiful. Grandson marries to grandma'. Why are we so ignorant, that we would even marry our grandmother? In Chinese folklore, it is said a person must drink a bowl of soup before rebirth. It causes one to lose all previous memory. Plato also believes a soul must venture through a hot desert to rebirth. The journey leads to a river. Drinking the water to quench thirst will cause a lost of all previous memory. In Roman folk tale, there is also similarly stories.
Buddhism teaches that people lost all memory of previous life because of 'confusion through rebirth'. Rebirth must passed through a stage of 'intermediary body'. It is the 'soul' that go on to the next birth. The intermediary body is like a three feet child. It has supernatural power. It can venture anywhere except for a mother's uterus and the Buddha's diamond throne. The intermediary body dies and born every seven days. The longest existence would be seven-seven or forty nine days. During this time, it would chose rebirth into another realm. It is because of this intermediary existence, we forget our previous lives. Some of you may say, 'How regrettable, would it nice if I know my past life'? Do you really think those have supernatural power will necessarily be happy? Do you think it is nice to know that you were a cow or pig before? If you know you have only three more years to live, would life be great? If you can read mind, you know others hate you, is it really that joyful? We do not have magic power. Everyday is great day. Everywhere is a great place. Life is free and liberated. Universe and life have their rules. Everything has its appropriate place. We forget our past existences. We get a new body and forget all the past bad experiences. It is also a very good thing.
2.3 Could prayers affect rebirth?
If rebirth is real, then when we read scriptures to pray for deceased love one, would it has any benefit? Can it liberated them from rebirth? According to the Ksitagarba Sutra, the merit from reading scriptures are as following. The deceased will receive about one-third of the total merit. The rest will go the one reading the scripture. Therefore, it would be best we recite scripture by ourselves when we can. Instead of bothering our relatives when it is too late. Besides, the merits of reading scriptures are limited. What is then the value of reading scriptures for the death? It is like you have a wealthy and famous relative. It is like a passport during our trip. The merits allow one to born into a Buddha's Pure Land. If we throw a rock in a river, it quickly sinks into the bottom. If we tired it to a ship, it can arrive the other shore safely. Our sins can use the merits of reading scriptures as the ferrying vessel. We can be liberated from the sea of rebirth. If a wheat field is full of healthy and strong seedlings, then a couple weeds would not affect the harvest. The merits of reading scriptures promote the growth of our virtue. It buried the seed of sins in soil. It lessens their effects.
2.4 Would horoscope and fortune telling help rebirth?
In Chinese popular culture, people usually hire a fortune-teller to check the time and location for wedding, funeral and special occasions. The house has wrong alignment. It will effect your descendants' future. The couple's horoscopes do not match. They should not be married. Wedding must be on the best day. Funeral must pick the best locale. Our life is controlled by divine power and superstitions. Actually, many weddings are on the same day. Some end in divorce. Some build happy family. It is obvious the time is not important. Relationship and communication are the basis for happy marriage. If we can establish ourselves by helping others, friends with others, then everywhere is great, all times are good time. If we believe in rebirth, we should accumulate more merit. They will be reborn with us. We should build more good relationship. They too will be reborn with us. Accumulating merit and building relationship are sources of success and happiness in life.
2.5 How about some real examples as proof?
If I cannot know the past and future, then can there be some real example to prove rebirth is real? For example, people wear a silk blouse. Silk worm spin a cocoon. Silk moth break off from the cocoon. Are they three or one? Can we say the worm, cocoon and the moth are same, or are they different? This is a living example of rebirth. Once, a person steals a coconut. While enjoying his catch, he was caught. The owner scolds him, 'How can you steal my coconut'?
'No, I did not'.
'How can you deny? I planted the coconut tree'.
'Well, your coconut is in the ground. I am eating the one that is on the tree. What is that have to do with you'?
The coconut on the tree and in the ground has the connection through rebirth. Our existence is like this coconut. It is like lighting a torch. Birth gives rise to birth. The cycle never ends.
2.6 Is rebirth in conflict with no self?
The fundamental teaching in Buddhism is 'all phenomenon has no self'. If there is no self, how can there be rebirth? Are they conflicting each other? No self does not mean no life. No self means our bodily existence of the five skandas and four elements. Its existence is effected by cause and conditions. It does not has a self nature. Thus, it is said to have no self. It is like a piece of gold. It can be made into ring, earing, bracelet. They are a variety of forms. Yet, the nature of gold is unchanged. Our existence is the same. We become Henry or Jack, donkey or horse, heaven and earth. The truth rebirth is not the body. It is the master inside our body.
2.7 Who then is doing the rebirth?
If the body is reborn, it is the body's master, then who is this master? In Buddhism, Alaya-vijnana is this master. In the scripture, it is described as, 'It is the teachings in all of the Tripitika. It is influenced by external environments. It stores, affected and determine the next body. It is last to go, first to come and it is the master'. Alaya is the main source that gives life. It perceives different environments. It reacts and creates karma. The karma is store as future seeds in this giant warehouse. According to the good or bad, dominate or minor karmas in stock, the next rebirth is determined. When the body die, the Alaya is last to go. When reborn, the Alaya is first to arrive. It is the master that determine rebirth.
2.8 How does karma related to rebirth?
The master of rebirth is Alaya-vijnana. How does the direction of rebirth get decided? Everyday, we create new karma of deeds, speeches and thoughts. They can be good or bad. They are the two dominating and competing forces. If the good forces dominate, we born in to the three good realms of celestial, human or asuna. If the evil force win, we born in the three evil realms of animal, ghost and hell. The good or evil of karma decide the future direction of rebirth. To prepare for our future well beings, it is important to go all good and refrain from all evilness.
2.9 What is the final destination of rebirth?
All religion has the idea of rebirth. Their purpose may be different. Taoist seeks everlasting life and constant youth. Christianity seeks entrance into the kingdom of god. Popular religions seek to live forever. Buddhism's goal is to enter the realm of non-birth. The realm of non-birth is liberation from rebirth. From a Buddhism perspective, everlasting life, forever life and heaven are still in the painful cycle of rebirth. Only non-birth can emancipate us from the suffering of existence. It is the ultimate serene, joyful, comfort or pure living.
3. Proofs of rebirth
There are many records and stories in history that proves the existence of rebirth.
Famous scholar HUANG-YEN-MING visited the Gold Mountain temple once. The scenery was very familiar as if he was there before. He walked around to a closed and sealed door. The room looked very familiar. He just could not control his curiosity. He requested the reception monk to show him the inside of the room. The monk replied, 'I am very sorry. Inside the room is the body of our master who passed away fifty years ago. His words were that it should not be open to the public'.
'If the room has door, it cannot remain shut forever. Please, let me go inside to take a look.'
With persistence, finally the monk let him inside. Inside, there was a monk's body in meditation posture. Oh! How could the face look so familiar? On the wall, there is this poem, 'The HUANG-YEN-MING in fifty year. Same guy opens and closes the door. The consciousness leaves and returns. We now believe in the Ch'an teachings of the indestructible body'.
HUANG-YEN-MING is the reincarnation of the old monk. He closed the door before. He returned to open it today. As a proof for the future generation, he wrote another poem, 'The Gold Mountain awakened me like a fist strike. It breaks open the sky under HUI-YEN's lake. Looking at the moon from a high platform. The flute is playing and dragon is sleeping'.
In the record of KAN-HSI province SHI-SHU county, there was a story of a woman reborn as a county commission HUANG-SHAN-GOO. HUANG-SHAN-GOO was a famous scholar. He became a county commissioner at twenty six. One day, he dreams that he was in a room. He saw an old lady. She was making offerings of celery noodles. He smelled and it was so nice. He ate up all the noodles. He was awakened and still tasted the favor of celery. HUANG-SHAN-GOO thought it is all just a dream. The next day, he had the same dream again. He was getting disturbed. He took the day off and went for a walk. He was strolling around. Suddenly, he walked by a house and saw the same old lady in the dream. She was praying and making offering of a bowl of celery noodle inside the house. HUANG-SHAN-GOO was very curious. He walked up and asked, 'Madame! What are you doing'?
'Yesterday is the twenty-six anniversary of my daughter's passing. I am praying for her'.
HUANG-SHAN-GOO was alarmed. Strange! How come it's is the same as my age? So he asked further, 'What did your daughter like to do usually'?
'She was a devoted Buddhist. She liked to read Buddhism scriptures. She specially took delights in celery noodles. Therefore, I am specially making a bowl as offering for her'.
'Well! Can I look in her room'?
The lady showed him inside. The room was full of familiar books and scriptures. In the corner, there was a giant chest. HUANG-SHAN-GOO asked, 'What is inside the chest? Can we open it'?
The old lady replied that she did not know either the content or the key. HUANG-SHAN-GOO thought for a while. Then, he seemed to recall. He found the key and opened the chest. Shockingly, it was full of his essays and writings. He realized the lady was his mother of previous life. He sincerely pleaded, 'Madame! I am your daughter. I will take you home to care for you.'
He wrote a poem for memorial, 'Like a monk with hair. Like a mortal without dust. Dream with in a dream. I see the existence beyond existence.'
This is to say, 'He may be a lay person. His heart is with the way of clergy. He may live as a mortal. His heart is not corrupted by the dust. Life is like a dream. Beyond life there is another existence.' It is as the saying, 'In my dream, there are clearly the six realms. Awakened, the entire universe is vanished.'
The Fifth Patriarch of Ch'an HUN-YIN also has a famous rebirth story. It was said HUI-YIN was an old gardener. He wanted to become a disciple of the forth Patriarch TAO-SHUN. TAO-SHUN thought that he was too old and could not carry on the missionary work. He consoled him, 'If you reborn now, I may be able to stay on couple years longer for you.'
The old gardener bid the forth Patriarch farewell. He went by a stream and saw a young lady washing cloths. He asked, 'Lady! Can I borrow your room for a while?'
'You should ask my parents. I cannot decide.'
'I must have your okay, before I dare to go.'
The young lady saw that it is getting dark and for a poor old man, so she nodded. Strangely, she was pregnant. The family was very upset. They chased her away. Later, she gave birth to a young boy. She was thinking about abandoning him in a river. Miraculously, the baby flows up stream. Without support, she goes around begging to bring him up. Since no one knows of his father, he was called the kid with no name. Six years went by. One day, master TAO-SHUN was preaching in the area. The young boy followed the master and asked to be taken in as disciple. The master saw that it is only a young boy, so he replied, 'You are too young, how can you be my disciple?'
The kid with no name replied, 'Master, in the past, you complained that I am too old. Now, you say I am too young. When are you going to accept me as disciple'?
Master TAO-SHUN was puzzled. He asked further, 'Kid, What is your name? Where do you live'?
'They call me the kid with no name. I live in the ten miles avenue'.
'Everyone has a name. How could you lie and say that you have no name? Come on, tell me the truth'.
'Buddha nature is my name. Of course, it has no name'.
TAO-SHUN was very astonished. A young kid can said such impressive words. Later, the kid with no name became the Fifth Patriarch of Ch'an school with countless disciples.
In 1942, a commoner TIN-SAN-OU of SIN-SHI-PAN county was living in a cave. During a storm, the cave collapsed and buried him alive. He passed out then feel himself climbing out of the cave. He saw everyone was crying. He asked around but no one paid him any attention. He was getting upset. He left the area and walk by a house. He entered the door and suddenly hear, 'Congratulation! You have a new son'.
TIN-SAN-OU was reborn as a son of the CHEUNG family named CHEUNG-YU-SHIN. The mid wife is looking around for a scissors. He replied, 'Hey! The scissors was hanging on the wall'.
Everybody was shocked. They thought that he was some sort of demon. They were thinking about abandoning him. Because of the love of his mother, he was spared. For seven years, he did not dare to speak one word. Yet, he remembered everything of his past life. Anyhow, slowly the news spreaded. One times, the TIN's family had a dispute with their neighbor on land boundaries. They could not find the deed. In desperation, they invited the CHEUNG kid to their house. Strangely, the kid knew everything about the family. He also found the deed and resolved the argument. This story was told by the assistant director of social service Mr. MU-NIN-KON. It was witnessed by the deputy minister of fiance Mr.HUANG-FO-CHOU. In this modern age of science, there are still many unanswered mystery stories of rebirth.
SO-SHI has close association with Buddhism. He befriends many clergies. In the 'Record of Lamp Passing for Laity', it was recorded that he is the rebirth of Fifth Patriarch master KAI. His mother dreams of a skinny elderly monk just before giving birth to him. Many years later, his brother SO-CHI was the commissioner in KAO-AN. SO-CHI be friends monks JEN-JIN, MIN-SEN and SHU-CHON. They like to discuss Ch'an and Dharma together. One day, these three monks all dream of a visit from the Fifth Patriarch KAI. When talking about the dream, SO-SHI came over for a visit. They thus tell SO-SHI their dream. SO-SHI replied, 'He once dream of himself as a monk living in SIN-FA at seven'.
Master JEN-JIN added, 'Master KAI was from SIN-FA, and passed away fifty years ago'. Coincidentally, SO-SHI was forty nine.
There is this famous Chinese proverb, 'A relationship lasted for three lives'. Behind the proverb, there is a rebirth story. In the book, 'The Legend of Monk YUAN-JYE', it described a friendship between master YUAN-JYE and scholar LI-YUAN. Once, they planned a pilgrimage to O-MEI mountain together. YUAN-JYE wished to travel by land. LI-YUAN insisted to go by river. Master YUAN-JYE signed, 'Everything is in cause and conditions. It is beyond human control'. They travel by river together. While passing by NAI-POO, they meet a pregnant woman getting water along the river. YUAN-JYE signed, 'I was afraid that I would meet her. I am supposed to be his son. For three years, I have been hiding from her. She been pregnant for three years and cannot give birth. Three days later, go over to her house to visit me. I will check it with a smile. Twelve years later, we can meet again in the TIEN-CHU temple in HAN-CHU'.
That evening the master passed away painlessly. Three days later, LI-YUAN paid a visit to the lady's house. The newborn baby gives him a very warm and friendly smile. Twelve years later, he traveled to the TIEN-CHU temple. He saw a young herder riding and singing on top of an oxen, 'On the boulder of three lives the soul is old. Enjoy the scenery and let's not argue. I am happy an old friend come visit from afar. This body is different, but the nature is eternally same'.
LI-YUAN yielded, 'How is Ch'an master YUAN-JYE doing'?
The young herder waved backed and replied, 'Mr.LI is indeed someone who keep his promise'. He kept playing his flute and slowly ride off into the horizon.
4. How can we raise above rebirth?
We have understood the value and truth about rebirth. Now, we should talk about rising up above rebirth. The understanding in the reality of rebirth is only a method, process and way. Our purpose is to escape and rise above rebirth. Many people consider Buddhism is superstition because it talked about cause, result and rebirth. Actually, all of the Buddha's teachings are method to escape from the suffering of rebirth. It is the ultimate purpose of Buddhism. Buddhism is the religion that truthfully and wisely separated us from rebirth.
If we want to escape rebirth, we must first know the reason for rebirth. Mortals have to suffer from rebirth. It is because of the traction of karma. The karmic forces have good, evil, heavy and light. The rewards and results are all different. It is written in the scripture, 'Cutting a tree but not the root, the tree still grows. Cutting desire but the origin. There still be painful rebirth. It is like making an arrow, then striking it on yourself. The flesh arrow is the same. The arrow of desire hurts all beings'. The craving and greed for desires is the arrow. It makes us drowning in the sea of rebirth. We must burn the fire of diligence to incinerate the forest of desires. We must use the radiance of Prajna to break through ignorance and evil karma. We must use the sword of wisdom to free us from the chain of rebirth. These are our hopes and our directions. Buddha once said, 'This is my last rebirth'. With the countless teachings inherit from the Buddha, we all can be break off from rebirth with certainty. We can realize the emancipation. We can live in the realm of total freedom.
Knowing rebirth, rise above rebirth, the next step is not to be afraid of rebirth. We can live in rebirth and not corrupted by rebirth. Mortal's rebirth is controlled by karma. Arhats only wish to escape rebirth as soon as possible. Bodhisattva has the mighty power of vows. They chose to participate in rebirth. Avalokitesvara comes back to emancipate all beings. Master CHI-HANG also has the same vow. Many masters may wish to born in Pure Land. Their ultimate goals are still reborn in this world to help others. When a Tibetan Lama nirvana, it will be reborn to this world. Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama both have historical trace as proof. All the masters have a Bodhisattva's compassion and pledge. They wish for the well beings for all. They are not seeking comfort just for themselves. They are not deserter of humanity. They are the life boat in the sea of misery. They are lotus blossoming from dirt. They reborn in this evil world of Saha. Yet, they suffer no pain of rebirth. They are voluntary participate in birth courageously. They have the compassion to bear the mire of rebirth. This action truly rises above the no rebirth of an arhat. According to the Jataka tales of the Buddha, he was a deity, an animal, a monk and king. He never rested. He diligently practices the way of Bodhisattvas. He busily works for the salvation of all beings. All the time, he was also completing the path to Bodhi.
The founder of JYE-YEN school, Ch'an master JYE-SHAN-LIN-YU was about to enter nirvana, his students gathered around and asked, 'Master, with your cultivation. Where are you going to reborn after nirvana'?
'Oh! I will be a water buffalo in a farm nearby'.
His students were shocked, 'You are such are great practitioner. How can you possible be reborn as an animal'?
'You guys don't believe me? Okay, under the buffalo's left shoulder, there will be monk JYE-SHAN-LIN-YU five words'.
After the funeral, they did discover a new buffalo was born in a farm nearby. They also discovered their master's name on the buffalo. They saw the buffalo, or their previous master, was working very hard under the sun. They bought the buffalo. They gave him good hays to eat, but did not dare to put the buffalo to work. Strangely, the buffalo refused to eat or drink. Hopelessly, they took the buffalo back to the farm. The buffalo worked, and then happily chewing on his hays.
Master JYE-SHAN-LIN-YU's compassion of 'beings an oxen and horse for all beings, before become a master in Buddhism', is beyond the shallow understandings of his disciples. This attitude of cultivates in the sea of rebirth, at easy in the city of reincarnation, are the Bodhisattva's ultimate truthful realization and liberation from rebirth.
Today, I have talked with you on the Buddhism's view on the wheel of rebirth. My main goal is to wish all of you would face future and live full of confidence and brightness. We must believe in the unending of life. Death is the decay of a house. We will select another comfortable and good house. Death is a torn old clothes. We can change into a beautiful and fashionable wardrobe. In the swirl of life since timeless beginning, all of us should work to complete the grand temple in us, and the beautiful Dharma robe in us. I wish all of you would rise above rebirth, would be liberated from rebirth. In the countless swirl of rebirth, you will attained the wisdom life of Bodhi."
From a Speech by Venerable Master Hsing Yun on November 21, 1982
at The CKS Cultural Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
