On June 10 I received a long distance call from Upasika Sherry Chen informing me of the Venerable Master Hua’s passage into stillness. Instantly my mind was thrown into a turmoil and I was beside myself.
Although all along I have not had the affinities to enable me to draw near the Master’s compassionate countenance, still the Master’s beneficent virtue and supreme deportment reached deep into my heart long ago. I have admired him for so long!
The Master left his country and lived elsewhere, and yet he traveled thousands of miles to return many times despite the hardships and suffering that such travel brings. He would come to propagate the Buddhadharma, or to dispel disasters and pray for blessings. We can know from this that he was always concerned about the people who make their living on this island [Taiwan]. And with his wise words that seemed so simple but went so deep, he was further able to touch and change countless people’s confusions and difficulties. The Master uses his transcendental mind to lead people to walk on the Path within the world. He brought the Buddhadharma into our daily lives. He helped us clearly realize that
“The Buddha is in our minds” and brought us close to the wonder of the Buddhadharma.
Now the Master’s merit and
virtue are perfected. And so let us all sincerely
recite “Amitabha Buddha” with the hope that the Master, who left so soon, will come back soon. Riding on his vows, may he come again and continue to guide and protect us.
The Bodhisattva perfects the wondrous wisdom light,
And well comprehends causes and conditions without any doubts.
All confusion and delusion are completely cut off:
In this manner he travels throughout the Dharma Realm.
Chapter on The Merit and Virtue from First Bringing Forth the Mind, the
Flower Adornment Sutra
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