Fellow laymen:
My name is Lu Shanjie, from H County, Henan. One day four or five years ago, Li Ling in our factory was talking to some people during her lunch break about the wonderful story that she and her husband had visited an old monk in Wutai. I really liked the story about karma, but it didn’t work. I didn’t dare to come near, for fear of disturbing everyone’s mood, because there were almost no people in the factory who didn’t avoid me.
After dinner, I couldn’t resist the urge to learn about Buddhism for the first time, so I mustered up the courage to walk into Li Ling’s house. Fortunately, she and her husband, a single layman, were the only ones at home. Instead of driving me away, they warmly received me, an unwelcome person. I sat at the home of two lay monks (both of them were disciples of the old monk Miaofa) for three or four hours, receiving a Buddhist teaching. After baptism, I not only learned the origin of my systemic illnesses, but also learned that if I didn’t change my ways, there would be an endless hell waiting for me.
What kind of person am I? Let me tell you this, if an adult says to a crying child, “Lv Shanjie is here!” the child will stop crying immediately. My name can help the villagers coax their children, so it can be regarded as the only “good thing” I have done for the villagers.
Let me tell you a little thing and you will know what kind of “hero” I am:
One day many years ago, I was walking on the road with a friend, walking in the middle of the road talking and laughing. The sound of a car came from behind. I turned around and saw that it was a large truck from out of town, so I continued walking in the middle of the road. Ignore him. The sound of the horn startled me, and I turned around and yelled at the driver, “Are you looking for death?” At this time, the car stopped, and the driver stuck his head out and said, “You are looking for death!” As soon as I heard this, I became angry and stepped forward and jumped on the pedal. , grabbed the car door with his left hand, and hit the driver with his right hand. Suddenly I found a beautiful girl sitting on the right side of the driver. I immediately jumped out of the car and ran to the right side to open the door. I pressed my body on the girl’s body and then hit the driver with my right hand…
The evil I did in the past was just a sesame seed to tell everyone. Those watermelon-like “heroic deeds”, I was ashamed to say them out. When I think about them, I feel regretful and my heart aches. I am determined to change my past mistakes and start a new life.
A few days later, many gossips came to my ears, “Can Lu Shanjie learn Buddhism? The donkey dung eggs will bloom!” “No matter how good Buddhism is, if Lu Shanjie goes to learn it, I will not learn Buddhism anymore!” and more It’s an unpleasant thing to say, but at this moment, not only did I not lose my temper, but it actually increased my repentance. No one believed that I even learned well. It’s retribution! It’s true that you reap what you sow.
I secretly made up my mind that I, Lu Shanjie, was a bad student and had become a bad person. Now I am suffering from a whole body of diseases. Not only am I weak, but I also often suffer from shock. The layman Shan said that this is all the result of me beating people and killing animals. Now I heard When I came to Buddhism, I understood the horror of karma and retribution, and decided to learn to be a good person. Since the Buddha said that all sentient beings can become Buddhas, why can’t I? Since I am determined to learn well, I must also show off to everyone. Aren’t Bodhisattvas and Buddhas meant for people who don’t understand the Dharma and have committed sins to learn it? Whatever they said, I went home as soon as I got off work and dived into the scriptures. Not only did I cut off all meat and fish, I also stopped smoking and drinking. After I quit, I have to repent in front of the Buddha every day for my sins of killing, stealing, and committing adultery. I kowtow a hundred, two hundred, three hundred, or a thousand heads, and dedicate it to the animals I killed. To those who have been beaten and scolded by me, and to those who have been bullied by me. Every time I kowtowed my head, my repentance was revealed, and my face burst into tears. I kowtowed to the point where I couldn’t even recognize myself, Lu Shanjie.
Finally one day, the Buddhist friends accepted me, and the neighbors and villagers all greeted me when they saw me again. Lu Shanjie transformed from a ghost into a human being and returned to the human world. Shan layman took me to convert to the old monk Miaofa. I was satisfied and started my new life!
One day I saw a very familiar big black dog in my dream. It was sniffing me enthusiastically. I held it with both hands, as if I felt endless love and affection for it. As soon as I woke up the next day, I felt relaxed all over. From then on, all the illnesses in his body gradually improved without even realizing it. One day, I suddenly remembered that this big black dog was the same big black dog that I strangled to death with a rope a few years ago and even ate its meat. I owed too many life debts and too many karmic debts. Yes, that’s why I “accumulated karma and became ill”. It was my sincere repentance, chanting sutras and dedication to resolve the knot with them and resolve my grievances. Not only did the big black dog no longer hold grudges against me, but he also came close to me in his dream, which meant that he was also freed. I am determined to recite a piece of Ksitigarbha Sutra for the animals I have killed and eaten every day from now on. I hope that I will continue to recite it. They will be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss as soon as possible and join me in achieving Buddhahood.
A few years later, I am still a “well-known figure”, but I am no longer a “ghost” that everyone is afraid of. Parents still use my “deeds” to teach their disobedient children:
“Lu Shanjie can become a good person, why can’t you change?”
I can actually become a role model for children who disobey their parents. Lu Shanjie did not come to this world in vain. I realized that our hearts are our own, and our bodies are responsible for doing evil or good deeds. The heart decides. As soon as the mind changes, everything changes. This is also the fundamental reason why I changed from a bad person to a good person and a disciple of the Buddha. Troubles are Bodhi, and everything is created by the mind. I hope that people who have the same bad behavior as me will return to the right path as soon as possible and realize Bodhi together.
I don’t know how to write poetry, let alone lyrics, so I just said a few words to express my intention. Please don’t laugh at me:
The Buddha’s name is Hongming,
The sound of the sutra is clear,
Ten thousand Buddhas come and sit in the heart.
Evening drums and morning bells,
Wake up the guest in your dream.
Looking back urgently,
The prancing horse and the whip are passed over again.
Namo Amitabha! Namo Guanyin Bodhisattva!
Disciple of the old monk Miaofa Lu Shanjie pays homage
