《Guru’s Talks》
Book 129 Entering the Most Hidden Yin-Yang Realm: The Lake God
(《走入最隱祕的陰陽界》＜湖神＞)
by H.H.Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-Yen Lu
Occasionally, I would walk towards Lake Sammamish, where there are often water ducks and blooming lotuses.
I love walking along the floating pier, where one can look to the bottom of the lake and view all those fishes swimming right above the fine sands.
When True Buddha School students come to pay homage at Ling Shen Ching Tze, the Leizang Temple in Redmond, many of them also make time to visit Lake Sammamish.
Once, while looking at the fine sands at the bottom of the lake and at the carefree fishes swimming there, I started counting: one fish, two fish… With tails swishing, the fish were nibbling on the water grasses, causing them to undulate from side to side.
Suddenly, a moving shadow under the water caught my eye. At first, there was just the appearance of hair and beard; then, after a short while, a face with eyes, ears, nose, and mouth emerged. The person’s eyes looked as if they were shut, and the sight startled me greatly.
It was not a floating corpse. Except for the visible facial features, the face was actually transparent, and I could still see two or three fishes swimming underneath it. Submerged under in water, this transparent face was leisurely gliding along.
At the same time of the appearance of this face, I also heard the sound of jazz music playing and smelled the fragrance of orchids.
I noted it mentally although I did not understand it. If someone else had seen such a face in the water, he or she would have undoubtedly started screaming or yelling. But I did not, as I was used to such things. I stood up. I was sure it was not my reflection in the water, as I did not have any hair or beard.
Quietly I started walking back towards the direction of Ling Shen Ching Tze. It was at that moment when I became aware of something moving next to me, right at the level of my cheek. I could hear the stepping sounds on grass and sand.
He spoke to me, “You are a god, and I am also a god.”
”I am not a god,” I replied.
”But you have the signs of a god.”
Without answering him, I asked him instead, “Why did you show your face in the water?”
”Because I felt that you are Master Lu from the Leizang Temple.”
”Why did you approach me?”
”I just want to ask you for a glass of wine.”
I nodded, agreeing.
I believe if someone had happened to be in the vicinity while I was conversing with “the man in the lake,” they would only have witnessed me talking and nodding to myself and nothing else.
”Are you a lake ghost?” I asked him again.
”Master Lu of the Redmond Leizang Temple, you indeed live up to your reputation. You saw right away that I am a ghost and not a lake god.” I laughed and said, “Among the divine lights of the devas in this world, those of the water devas are the most beautiful, and are known to be resplendent with various colors. Water devas also have their own attendants, and when they do appear, people who are able to, would see a lake brimming with rainbows. They certainly won’t have overgrown beard and sideburns like the ones you have. Besides, I have met the lake god of Sammamish, and his name is Shariff. Who are you and what is your name?”
”My name is David. I got drunk, fell into the lake and drowned.”
”Ha! So you are a drunken ghost?”
”Do not laugh at me, Master Lu.”
With a stern countenance, I asked him, “What is it like for you in the lake?”
He replied, “This world is just too unfair! I heard that Shariff had also fallen into the lake after getting drunk. But, after meeting the Dragon King who greatly admired his talents, Shariff became the lake god. I also got drunk and drowned, but no one has paid any attention to me, and now I am a lake ghost. What great disparity between his and my luck!”
”This is karma!” I explained, “Shariff gave up drinking and started cultivation, but you have not!”
”You can’t blame me, Master Lu. As soon as I start drinking, I feel like I am in heaven.”
Well, I had no reply to that.
●
During those days, I often took with me a small bottle of wine on my walks to the lake. At the edge of the lake, I would sprinkle the wine onto the sandy beach.
”Have some wine, David,” I would call out.
The drunken ghost would then appear.
Every few days, I would walk to the lakeside to sprinkle wine. These were solitary trips, marked by the greeting, “David, here I am. Have some wine.”
These frequent short trips to the lake became a cause of concern for some people. They found it weird that I was often nowhere to be found in the temple compound.
”The Grand Master often disappears for no reason at all.”
”Grand Master Lu is hiding some secret.”
”But Grand Master Lu is an adept in esoteric cultivation.”
Some people even wondered…
”Does Grand Master have a secret date?”
To my students, I only smiled and said, “I just love to see the lake!”
Once, I described the lake:
The lake, of such beauty, shimmering with a turquoise glow.
The lake, of such beauty, a venerated sage.
The lake, of such beauty, innocent and mysterious like a child.
Once I wrote a poem in praise of Lake Sammamish:
Here there is only the joining of palms,
Where the heart and spirit do not wander as is described;
Everything is forgotten,
Including all sorrows.
Sunset at Lake Sammamish,
Bathed in holy light like the buddhas;
A hymn naturally sacred and pure,
That can be seen without eyes.
●
On one occasion, David and I were enjoying the cool shade under a pine tree.
David asked me, “Have you become naturalized yet?”
”Yes, I am an American citizen now. How about you?”
”Ha ha! I am a citizen of the drowned” answered David.
”What is that?”
”Master Lu, you are a Living Buddha and know the Buddhist view of the six realms of transmigration, but I suppose you do not know of the citizens of the drowned! All those who die of drowning belong to the domain of the citizens of the drowned. As far as I know, those who perished in fires are called citizens of the incinerated.”
”Oh, I see.” I was taken aback and asked again, “How many citizens of the drowned are there in Lake Sammamish?”
”One hundred twenty-five.”
”Who is in charge of them?”
”The lake god.”
”How can you get out of this domain?”
”To get out, I have to wait for my chance. It is the same as that of a company that needs fifty employees to do the work, and only allows one to leave if another worker is found. If no one comes in, no one leaves.”
”Finding a replacement.”
”That’s right, finding a replacement.”
I thought of the ancient Chinese legend of drowned ghosts looking for replacements. In a story I heard when I was small, a man was fetching from a river when suddenly a hand rose out from the water, grabbed him and tried to drag him into the river. Fortunately, an old woman was walking by. When she saw what was happening, she started screaming, “Water ghost, water ghost!” Startled, the water ghost vanished.
That particular river was said to be frequently haunted by water ghosts, and many people had died in it. I loved swimming when I was a child, but fear kept me from swimming there. Indeed, one drowning incident involved a group of children swimming there. They all became citizens of the drowned.
So, not only do Chinese water ghosts look for replacements; western water ghosts do too.
”Are you going to make me your replacement?” I spoke half in jest.
”Ha ha! How can that be possible! You are a Living Buddha, your whole body is immersed in light and you have troops of Dharma protectors around you. Without your permission, I would not have been able to come near you.”
(to be continued)
