I Am Grateful to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. I recall that it was 2007. At that time I just changed my job and thus was very busy. Sometimes I had to work overtime for the whole night and still had to work the next day. Doing that for long was more than what my body and mind could bear. I was like a robot working continuously without stop. I felt that human life was just for the three meals and I had to work incessantly.
Also, I had to spend considerable time and mental effort. Therefore, sometimes I would feel sad for no obvious reason. It was until my friend led me to the Bodhi Monastery in LA to listen respectfully to the recorded dharma discourses expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Then, my whole person was like being fully charged and my heart was filled by indescribable joy, as if I had found a treasure that could let my mind feel satisfaction and pleasure. Since then, I always went to Bodhi Monastery on holidays and whenever I had time.
Also at that time, due to being too tired from so much work, I had chronic headache. When the pain came, it was truly horrible. I felt so painful like being hit by a hammer. My nose bled sometimes too. I went to doctors for that and had all kinds of examinations, but no cause could be found. At that time, I thought about reducing my workload, but was afraid of affecting the work progress. Also, that could not alleviate my problem of headache either. I was very much plagued and did not know what I should do.
Once, after listening respectfully to the recorded dharma discourses expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, I chatted with a dharma master of the monastery about my physical situation. The dharma master gave me a red-colored holy pill (nectar pill) and let me take it orally. After returning home, I felt that my body was like being pinched by needles, as if undergoing a session of acupuncture. The feeling traveled like flowing throughout my body. I did not give much thought about that at the time. Then, without knowing how long it was after that, I suddenly realized while at work that I no longer had headache or nose bleeding recently. At that time, I recalled the sense and feeling I had after taking the nectar pill and returning home. I was moved to tears. I had this illness of headache for quite a few years. It could not be cured by treatment. I was very excited and shouted spontaneously:
I am grateful to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III! I am grateful to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III! I am grateful to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III! His Holiness the Buddha let me have this karmic condition to encounter the true dharma of the Tathagata and let me receive empowerment physically and mentally. I am willing to continuously make my effort in my entire life to follow H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to learn the true dharma of the Tathagata and I will never stop.
One day in 2006, I suddenly received a phone call from an unfamiliar woman. Her voice was loud and direct: “Are you so-and-so, my boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend?”
What?! How did I become my own husband’s ex-girlfriend? I was completely confused.
The woman didn’t give me a chance to speak. She continued sharply: “I’m six months pregnant. Stop clinging to my man!”
Oh no! Could this be true? Was this what my husband—the man who always claimed to love me—had done? The sudden news struck me like a bolt of lightning on a clear day.
Recalling the life I shared with my husband, everything was still vivid in my mind. Back in the year 2000, despite strong opposition from my parents, classmates, and colleagues, I married him. Two years later, we had a child.
At that time, I worked at a state-owned enterprise with a stable income and had even been allocated a housing unit. He, on the other hand, came from a rural background and was unemployed. But he treated me very well—he took care of all the household chores and our baby. On the day our child was born, he surprised me by announcing he had passed the national tour guide exam, saying he wanted to take me around the country in the future. He expressed his love through real actions. I was deeply moved.
In 2002, he wanted to start his own company. He said working for others had no future, but running his own business, though hard, would be meaningful. I thought, a man with a career would be more confident. Plus, I wanted to prove to everyone—especially those who doubted him—that I hadn’t made a mistake. Considering all he had done for me, I decided to support him.
I took out a bank loan of 50,000 dollars and mortgaged my property to raise a total of 100,000 dollars for his business startup.
He worked extremely hard. Even when busy, he’d call me every day. At the end of that year, he handed me several thousand dollars, saying: “Your husband won’t let you down.”
At the time, I loved him deeply—I was swimming in a sea of happiness. I thought, “I chose the right man. A happy life is ahead.”
Starting in 2003, my husband moved to Shanxi for business while I stayed in Hunan, raising our child and working. He would only come home for Chinese New Year each year. Though he was away, I didn’t worry much. I rarely called him, thinking he must be busy with clients.
But just four years later, my nightmare began. He had racked up debts of hundreds of thousands of dollars and—worse—he had a mistress and a child outside. The financial loss wasn’t the worst part—money can be earned again. What broke me was that he had started another family behind my back.
The cruelest part? That woman called me claiming I was the “third party” and told me to stay away from “her man.” She and her sister even took turns harassing me with phone calls. I felt like a total fool—living as if I were the home-wrecker in this story. I was devastated, emotionally shattered, yet I had no one to confide in. I urged him to return home, and we quickly divorced. I even paid off the 100,000 dollars in loans he had taken for his failed business.
I had given everything to this marriage. I hated myself for being blind and not listening to my parents’ and friends’ warnings. I had fought for this man, raised money for him, and now I was left with nothing—not even dignity. I swore I would never forgive him. But the bitterness inside me had nowhere to go. I didn’t have the courage to tell my parents, fearing scolding. I couldn’t tell friends either, fearing ridicule. Every New Year, I didn’t dare return home. The pain was unbearable.
This suffering led me to Buddhism. As I studied, I slowly realized that all of this was karma—bitter fruit from the negative seeds I had planted in the past. Fellow Buddhist practitioners guided and encouraged me. So after the divorce, I didn’t hold much resentment. In fact, I even helped him again when he was in trouble.
I remember once, his child with his second wife was sick, and they had no money for treatment. He had tried borrowing from everyone and failed. As a last resort, he called me.
I pitied the child—after all, this was adult drama; a child shouldn’t suffer. So I lent him the money.
I asked him: “You hurt me and our daughter—why would you think I’d help you?”
He replied confidently: “Yes, I hurt you. But I know you’ll still help me.”
After marrying his second wife, his business thrived for a while. They drove luxury cars and lived in style. But things didn’t last. His wife made poor investments and lost a lot of money. Then his own business started failing. Eventually, they lost everything and divorced. He now lives a life of hiding, and recently even approached our daughter to borrow money.
Today, I study Buddhism and am fortunate to listen to the Dharma discourses of Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III. I’ve come to understand the workings of karma.
“All present suffering arises from the bad karma I created in the beginningless past. These are my own debts being repaid, not misfortunes caused by others.”
When a person harms another, they must face retribution. That is the law of karma. The complicated entanglement between my ex-husband, his second wife, and me—isn’t it all the result of our past negative actions?
Every encounter in this life, whether good or bad, is a karmic connection. Once I understood that, the hatred in my heart dissolved. My ex-husband may have hurt me, but he is still family. He once loved me deeply. For that, I should feel gratitude and offer help.
But how could I truly help him?
Yes! The best way to escape suffering is to lead him to Buddhism!
So I did just that. I called him and said:
“Practicing Buddhism can transform karma, build fortune, and change your life. If you want things to get better, study the Dharma with me…”
He was touched by my kindness and sincerity. I could hear the gratitude and trust through the phone.
I most sincerely prostrate to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III!
Layperson Hou Yushan, a university professor in physics, ascended to the World of Ultimate Bliss (Webpage in Chinese)
Layperson Lin Liu Huixiu in Seattle ascended to the World of Ultimate Bliss in a sitting pose (Webpage in Chinese)
While they were alive, the dharma brother and dharma sister worked diligently on their own duties to take care of their family and do volunteer work. Later, they became seriously ill. At such critical moment, they encountered extremely magnificent affinities with the dharma. They respectfully and faithfully listened to the recorded dharma discourses expounded by H.H.Dorje Chang Buddha III and had the opportunity to pay respect to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III in person. With boundless compassion, H.H.Dorje Chang Buddha III transmitted the dharma to them. Through diligently practicing the dharma, they ascended to the World of Ultimate Bliss. Living beings should all think and seriously ask themselves a question. Who can be guaranteed to ascend to the World of Ultimate Bliss??
After attending the funeral/farewell ceremony for Layperson Hou Yushan, I recalled the time I was having dinner with Layperson Lin Liu Huixiu while she was already terminally ill. The memory of her reminding me to start eating was as fresh and vivid as yesterday. The karmic condition that caused me to learn the Buddha-dharma of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III also resurfaced in my mind…
At the age of over 80, my grandpa was stricken in bed with pneumonia. In the early morning on that day, he was unable to breath on his own and a tube had to be inserted to feed oxygen in. The suffering caused him to be tied up on the bed yowling for several hours. Eventually, the misery ended at four o’clock in the afternoon. Despite having a strong will to live, he was nevertheless overpowered by the devil of illness and left the world unwillingly. The tragic scene before his death still appears before my eyes…In the morning of that day, grandpa could still talk and move normally. Using hand gestures to help explain, he repeatedly mentioned the time of 4 o’clock in the afternoon to me and my mother. Perhaps he already knew that the Yama King would soon come to take him…
Grandpa’s passing away greatly affected my view toward life. He was at the hospital at the time. I watched with my own eyes him stepping into the impermanence of death. I was unable to help him in any way. His death was like a horrible dream to me. I suddenly woke up to the fact that a person will die… Even the doctor can’t do anything. Where does one go after death? What can we do about that? What can we do about that?
I had never heard about H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III before then. My karmic forces were very heavy. I would doze off when listening to chanting sutras. I was only fond of pursuing worldly good fortune. To quest for the answer of what to do about death, I began to listen to the dharma expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. At the very beginning of listening to the recorded dharma discourses, to tell the truth, I could not get most of what I heard due to my inability to understand the accent. However, any small paragraph that I could understand made me feel like getting precious treasures, even though I did not have any background in Buddhism. Through this process of entering deeply to achieve a simple and explicit understanding, I heard the truth about the universe and human life. The words of “formation, abiding, decaying, and vanishing” sounded extremely precise and accurate. What is impermanence? Why do we have to end birth and death! The dharma expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is so great and magnificent!
After respectfully listening to the recorded dharma discourses expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, I have understood what impermanence is about. I am no longer worried or in fear. I also have adjusted the emphasis of my life and do not solely go after worldly enjoyment.
A person will die… Even the doctor can’t do anything. Where does one go after death? What can we do about that? What can we do about that? Actually these questions have been explained very clearly in the recorded dharma discourses expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and are very minor problems……
Do you have questions about ascending to the World of Ultimate Bliss? Do you have questions about Arhat, Bodhisattva, and Buddha? If you can respectfully and seriously listen to the recorded dharma discourses expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, you will have all the answers. The accomplishment one attains depends on one’s own cultivation, conduct, and level of practice.
I am boundlessly grateful to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III!
I beseech and wish living beings have the opportunity to hear the dharma expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and all attain perfect good fortune and wisdom, great accomplishment, and great liberation!
I most sincerely prostrate to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III!
On April 7, 1982, Writer Bo Yang was invited by the Malaysian Chinese Association to give a speech in Kuala Lumpur. After that, Mr. Zhou Baoyuan and Mr. Wu Zhongda, the president and editor-in-chief of the local newspaper “New Life Daily” told him this true story and the misfortune suffered by the story’s main character Ms. Zhang Simei. After returning to Taiwan, Mr. Bo Yang wrote a featured report entitled “ The Pangolin Person,” which was published in two parts on the July 12 and 13 editions of “China Times” of the same year.
The original article is rather long. The following is a shortened version based on the key descriptions.
An Inconceivable True Example of Causality
The Pangolin Person
One day in 1948, at Tampin Village in Negeri Sembilan State of Malaysia, a peasant in poverty, Mr. Zhang Qiutan was farming his small orchard. He spotted a pangolin. The pangolin ran into a small cave when he was trying to catch it. His three boys also came. They shouted and yelled, but had no way to get it out. Then, his wife Peng Xian who was 39 years old and was 4 months pregnant at that time also joined the hunting. They burned firewood at the entrance of the cave, hoping the smoke would drive it out. However, after being busy for a long time, they never saw the pangolin again. The whole family returned home very much disappointed.
Five months later, Ms. Peng Xian gave birth to a frightening baby girl looking like a pangolin, who is the main character I am going to describe. The mother was awakened by the terrifying yelling of the midwife. She immediately fainted on her bed upon her first look at the baby. After waking up, she held the baby while her rain-like tears were washing over the baby’s scales covering the whole body. She realized that she had not given birth to a baby girl, but rather a monster.
The monster’s arrival greatly disturbed the people living in the mountain area. The ugly pangolin-like appearance caught the attention of the whole village. All immediately fell into the siege of fear. They thought that she would bring disaster to the entire village. They acted insanely and asked the Zhang’s family to hand over the monster. Mr. Zhang Qiutan and his wife, of course, knew the consequence of giving the baby to them. Thus, they falsely claimed to people that the baby had died and hid her in a very small room at home. (She was given the name of Zhang Simei by her parents.) The baby lived a life of being confined in a dark corner without daylight since her birth. Her parents were always in tears but were unable to do anything. They had no way or money to treat the strange illness she had.
When Ms. Zhang Simei was ten years old, her father left the world. According to his wife, he died in great suffering. Looking at his daughter who was crouching before the bed like a rolled-up pangolin and with dense sputum filling up his throat, he yelled, “Child, will you die with me together? I cannot die without concerns by leaving you behind in the world.”
Although the secure hiding kept the villagers from inquiring further, people still had suspicions.
During this period, there was a circus performing group coming over to offer a very high price of more than 150 ounces of gold to buy the child. The mother resolutely declined, telling them that the monster had really died.
That was how Ms. Zhang Simei led such a secluded life for more than 30 years. Eventually, she was accidentally discovered by people in March 1982. What happened more than 30 years ago came back to the world like a nightmare. Fortunately, due to the improved mental intelligence and the elevation of people’s knowledge and education, she was permitted to live in an environment filled with sympathy. That was exactly the reason why Mr. Zhou Baoyuan, the president of “New Life Daily,” insisted on having me to stay one more day to have a look at this pitiful dragon lady who shares a common lineage with us.
I am unable to describe Ms. Zhang Simei’s appearance. If I have to, I will agree to the appellation used by the residents of Tampin Village in Negeri Sembilan State, the “Pangolin Person.” Her head is completely bald without any hair. Her eyes face upward by an angle of 50 degrees. Her nose caves down and her lips were protruding. Her teeth are in disarray like tablets standing in a graveyard and her front tooth looks like an elephant tusk, penetrating through her protruding lip. Her entire body was covered by scales, rendering a shivering feeling to people. It was even more horrible to see that her eyes had no eye lids and were like that of a fish. The two eye balls appeared staring, surrounded by two rims that were like red-hot iron.
The “New Life Daily” newspaper once invited an expert of dermatology to provide a diagnosis on her. The conclusion was no medicine could cure her.
This occurrence gives people a shocking awakening. The retribution of crucifying and harming living beings is very horrible. I advise everyone to take this understanding as a precept, protect and love living beings, and actively do good deeds to accumulate merit. Only then can one have good health, happiness, joy, and auspiciousness!
The above content is only the understanding and views of the writer as a result of learning Buddhism. We should, however, rely on the Dharma expounded by the Buddha as the standard.
May all living beings in the world believe in Causality.
頂禮 H.H. 第三世多杰羌佛-- 正教 