In the summer of 1996, a wealthy lady from Taiwan suffered from sinusitis that had not healed for decades, so she made a special trip to Mount Wutai to seek advice from Master Miaofa on the cause of the disease.
The master asked her: “The financial situation of your husband’s family was not very good when you got married, right?”
“Yes.”
“After you got married, as your children increased, your family situation got worse and your life was very difficult. You occasionally bought a few fish, but you couldn’t bear to eat them after you cooked them. You always gave the best meat to your parents-in-law, and the heads and tails of the fish to your children. When you eat, you don’t want to throw away the fish bones, so you put them in your mouth, chew them and eat them. Later, although your family became rich, the old habit continued. To this day, when you eat fish, you still chew the fish bones and eat the marrow. ,Is it right?”
“Yes, Master. Because I am used to it, I think fish bones are very fragrant. But what I eat is the three pure meats. Isn’t it said that you can eat it?” “Eating the three pure meats is a teaching for those who have just entered Buddhism. . Because it is probably impossible for most people to stop eating meat all at once. It is just a convenient method to avoid killing animals and eat “three pure meats”. With continuous efforts in chanting Buddha’s name and chanting sutras, Naturally, I don’t want to eat meat anymore. In the final analysis, eating meat is killing, so we should stop eating it as soon as possible.”
“Master, is it a sin to eat fish bones?”
“Meat and bones are both parts of the animal body. Don’t we use words like “twitching and peeling off the skin” and “breaking the bones to extract the marrow” to describe people’s hatred? When all animals are killed, they are full of fear and fear of death. The hatred towards those who kill it and eat it is because the consciousness of all living beings are very attached to their own bodies and think that the body you eat is their own, so they never leave their bodies. No matter whether it is cut with a knife or oiled Fried, stir-fried, and chewed, the animal’s consciousness will feel pain. Therefore, meat eaters peel off the skin of the animal, break the bones and suck out the marrow, and even slaughter the animal without killing it with one knife, which increases the animal’s pain and makes it more resentful towards you. Because this cause will make your own sick body even worse. Therefore, if Buddhist believers eat the three pure meats, they cannot also eat the “office” of animals, such as the heart, liver, belly, lungs, brain, eyes, Tongue, marrow, etc. If you eat these internal organs, they may have a “nourishing” effect at the time. However, the more you eat these “supplements”, the deeper your resentment will be against these animals. Over time, it will cause lesions in certain parts of the body. “
“Master, this is terrible! Can my sinusitis be cured?”
“Repent sincerely, cut off meat and fish, and do more good deeds of releasing animals. If you can recite a “Ksitigarbha Sutra” every day and dedicate it to all living beings in the Dharma Realm, you will definitely have a reaction. When releasing animals, you should release those fish that are easy to live, and do not put them back to be raised. In the fish pond, it should be released into rivers, lakes and seas so that it can truly escape. You can also release sparrows, pigeons and other birds. If your family is rich, you can release turtles and various wild animals, which will have great merit. Among them People with great spirituality will repay your kindness even in this life. This kind of thing is often reported. Now, do you have the confidence to give up meat?”
“Yes, I will definitely do what Master said when I go back!”
…
“Breaking bones and squeezing marrow can cause disease.” This is the first time I heard this truth. I was deeply impressed. I specially recorded it. I hope all fellow practitioners will pay attention to it and benefit from the Dharma.
As for the rich lady, her sinusitis was completely cured, and later she even made a special trip to Mount Wutai to fulfill her vow.
